William Paterson University AFT Local 1796

On June 11, WPU Local President Sue Tardi and Co‑Adjunct Faculty Officer Milton Eng participated in AFTNJ’s first‑ever Higher Education Lobby Day. AFTNJ President Jennifer Higgins, along with other affiliate presidents and local leaders, gathered at the State House in Trenton to meet with legislators and advocate for the restoration of the governor’s proposed cuts to higher education.

BELOW: AFT New Jersey President Jennifer S. Higgins (second from left) gathers on June 11 with AFTNJ staff and higher education personnel in the hallway leading to the New Jersey State House in Trenton.

 
Tardi, Eng, and others met with State Senator Parker Space (below, second from the left) of the Military and Veterans Affairs committee.

On October 22, 2025, members of AFT Local 1796 attended the first-ever Legislative Breakfast for northern New Jersey. The event brought together AFT members from William Paterson University, Montclair State University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Kean University, and New Jersey City University, along with approximately ten state legislators, including key leaders from the Assembly and Senate higher education committees.

Students shared first-hand experiences of the challenges they face in pursuing a college education in New Jersey, while union leaders advocated for sustained legislative support for higher education in our state.

With upcoming elections, proposed legislation for a statewide higher education task force, a merger between two public universities in northern New Jersey, federal positions on First Amendment rights on college campuses, cuts to federally funded research, and other national debates, events like this provide a vital opportunity to share our vision for higher education with state lawmakers.