Careers in Higher Education
Use the links below to find open opportunities at High Education institutions.
Let’s get the facts straight on public school funding
By Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
As a high school social studies teacher, I was always struck by what the then-future US President John Adams said during the criminal trial following the Boston Massacre: “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
The fact is that Ohio’s public schools serve nearly 90 percent of students in our state. And, despite recent claims that attempt to twist the truth around public school funding in Ohio, the evidence is clear: More work must be done to finally fully and fairly fund our public schools, so that every child – regardless of where they live, what they look like, or how much money their parents make – can receive the excellent education they deserve.
The fact is that Ohio’s public schools are funded from the same line item in the state budget as private school vouchers. The last state budget did provide “record funding” for that line item, as indeed, anytime there’s an increase, that would set a new record. As noted in recent news coverage, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce doesn’t yet know how much the state’s new universal voucher program will cost this year. But, with the explosion in the number of wealthier families taking public taxpayer dollars to pay for private school tuition for students who were already attending private schools in the first place, it is clear the state’s spending on the universal voucher program will far exceed the original budget estimates.
So, the fact is, when it comes time to pass the next state budget in 2025, that leaves less money in that line item for Ohio’s public schools. Exactly how much less and how will that impact public schools? It’s unclear. But, the uncertainty around those questions is causing school districts across the state to hold onto larger reserves to weather future state funding shortfalls, and in some cases, has prevented districts from feeling comfortable spending down the soon-to-expire federal pandemic-relief money that is currently inflating some of the figures. In the end, that uncertainty is hurting our students, as money that should be used to recruit and retain public school educators, address students’ mental health needs, and make up for lost ground remains unspent.
The Fair School Funding Plan, when fully implemented with updated formula components, should remove that uncertainty. Based on years of work and input from stakeholders across the board, the Fair School Funding Plan, which the state began phasing in in the FY 2022-23 budget, is meant to accurately account for how much it costs to educate a child and how much a local community can actually afford to pay toward that. And, it provides a predictable funding model, so school districts can accurately plan ahead. If the Fair School Funding Plan is fully phased in in the next state budget, as it was always intended to be, Ohio would finally have a constitutional school funding formula for the first time since the state supreme court started telling the legislature to stop chronically underfunding our public schools and truly fix the problems back in 1997.
Our lawmakers need to fulfill Ohio’s promise to our kids and commit to fully adopting the Fair School Funding Plan. They need to ensure that public tax dollars spent on private school vouchers come with the same academic and financial accountability as the dollars we spend on our public schools. They need to focus on providing the supports and resources our students need to succeed in a 21st century economy, because in Ohio, public education matters.
February 2024 OEA Retirement Systems Update
STRS Board Maintains Current Economic Assumptions
During its February meeting, the STRS Board elected to maintain the current economic assumptions for the upcoming actuarial valuation. The Board’s actuarial advisor, Cheiron,
recommended maintaining the assumptions of a 7.0% discount rate, 2.5% for inflation, and 3.0% for payroll growth.
The discount rate is similar to an expected rate of return. This is a key assumption because it helps to project the cost of future liabilities and the rate at which they can be paid off. There was discussion among the Board of increasing the discount rate to 7.25%. This change would have reduced the unfunded liabilities of the system by approximately $2.5 billion. However, the actuarial consultant reported that the majority of public pension plans have a 7.0% assumption, that the trend is lowering investment assumptions, and that only one plan in the last 10 years had raised their assumption. Further, the Board’s investment consultant has a 10-year projected rate of return of 7.04% and other investment projections are trending down amid economic uncertainty.
These economic assumptions will be used, not only for the actuarial valuation at the end of the fiscal year, but also in a March Board discussion about possible benefit changes. State law allows the Board to make certain plan changes if the Board’s actuary determines such changes do not “materially impair the fiscal integrity” of the system. Last year, Cheiron developed a method of providing the Board with a benefit enhancement budget. At that time the budget was $0. However, in that instance, the actuary determined that a de minimus change could be made. This resulted in the Board electing a 1% cost-of living adjustment (COLA) and a five-year period of retirement eligibility with 34 years of service.
STRS Seats New Board Member Amid Continued Legal Battle
Governor Mike DeWine has named Brian Perera to the STRS Board replacing G. Brent Bishop who resigned earlier this month. Mr. Perera is a consultant, former lobbyist for Ohio State University, and former Finance Director for the Ohio Senate. Mr. Bishop was initially appointed to the seat after Governor DeWine removed Wade Steen, his prior appointee, from the Board. Mr. Steen’s removal is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit about the Governor’s authority to remove his appointed Board members.
Recently, 10th District Court of Appeals Magistrate Thomas Scholl stated that the Governor lacked legal authority to remove Steen. However, that decision is not final or binding. It now goes to a three-judge panel to adopt or reject it. That panel’s decision could also be appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court. The Attorney General advised STRS to seat Mr. Perera on the Board and he participated as a voting member in the February meeting.
The STRS Board also announced that Executive Director Bill Neville will remain on leave until at least May. Neville was placed on leave in November in response to an anonymous letter alleging harassment and threats. Attorney General Dave Yost hired outside attorneys to investigate the matter. A statement by STRS said the Board reviewed the investigation’s summary before voting to keep Neville on leave. Lynn Hoover, Chief Financial Officer, will continue as acting Executive Director
SERS Board Discusses Definition of Compensation
The SERS Board is discussing potential changes to the pension contribution compensation definition. The current definition was originally adopted in the 1980s and has been largely
unchanged. However, compensation practices used by employers have changed with more bonuses and lump sum payments being used—not just standard salaries and wages. Some of
these payments are subject to pension contributions, others are not, and it can be unclear which is the case.
This matters because what types of pay meet the definition of compensation for SERS determines how much funding goes towards members’ pension benefits and ultimately determines how much they receive in retirement. The Board’s expressed goals for the discussion are to identify which payments should be pensionable, clarify the rules so they are easier to understand and administer, and to understand how decisions might impact the pension plan, employers, and members of SERS.
On Thursday, February 15, the SERS held a special meeting to discuss the issue with stakeholder groups. OEA, other labor unions, and employer groups were represented. There was consensus among the labor groups that the current definitions are murky and that as bonuses and lump sum payments become more prevalent, it would have real and lasting impact on members in retirement if left unchanged. OEA Secretary-Treasurer Mark Hill made the point that the purpose of a pension is to replace a portion of your earnings you had while employed. If the pension benefits do not reflect your true income during employment, it undermines members’ economic security.
The Board discussions on this matter are ongoing. Depending on what changes are approved by the Board, they might require changes in administrative rules or legislation to be passed.
OPERS Posts Positive Investment Returns for FY 2023
Preliminary investment reports for 2023 found that OPERS had double-digit investment returns which exceeded their assumed rate of return. OPERS reported a preliminary return of 11.34% for the defined benefit pension plan. This return is above the assumed rate of 6.90% and beat the benchmark return by 0.87%. The OPERS health care fund is invested with a different asset allocation and has a lower assumed rate of return (6.0%). The health care fund posted a preliminary return of 13.96% for the year, beating the benchmark by 0.32%. All returns are reported net of fees
Click here to download a copy of this February 2024 Report to the OEA Board of Directors. Previous Retirement Systems Updates can be viewed under the Affiliate Resources tab on the OEA website.
OEA, EGCCEA call for transparency, path forward for Eastern Gateway students, staff
“Eastern Gateway Community College has been an invaluable resource for our community, our students, and their families for nearly 60 years. Despite the challenges stemming from mismanagement and the changing landscape of this institution over the last several years, the 138 members of the Eastern Gateway Community College Education Association have remained steadfast in their commitment to providing all students – on campus and online – with the best education possible to prepare them for their future lives and careers,” said EGCCEA President Jim Corrin. “We want nothing more than to continue providing excellent education in this community, but we need answers from the Board about whether our positions will continue to exist after the spring semester, how long this “pause” in enrollment may last, and whether there will eventually be a college to return to here.”
“The Board’s vote to suspend EGCC operations and initiate another round of staff layoffs is truly a devastating blow to the college’s students and the faculty and staff who have dedicated their lives and careers to serving them. State leaders must rise to the challenge of this moment and provide meaningful support for the 40 EGCC staff who will need immediate job placement assistance, as well as for potentially countless others who have been left in limbo by the Board’s lack of transparency on its decisions and timelines,” OEA President Scott DiMauro added. “The Board’s vote on Wednesday started a countdown clock to the end of the spring semester. EGCC students and staff can’t afford to have leaders wait around or build layers of red tape and bureaucracy. They need a plan and a path forward today.”
February-March-2024-Ohio-Schools
- Make 2024 a year of growth and strength (page 4)
- Springfield Local Schools staff join to advance awareness of diversity, equity, inclusion (page 5)
- Comic: A look at Teachers as the film marks its 40th anniversary (page 8)
- OEA, OAESP leaders continue commitment to ESP visibility, rights, and respect with launch of ESP web page (page 14)
- Meeting the needs of Ohio’s English Learners
- OEA members are advocating for the resources and supports their students need to succeed in the classroom and beyond (page 17)
- Support system
- OEA and its members are committed to advocacy that ensures mental health and wellness support for Ohio students and educators. (page 23)
- 2023 OEA Fall Representative Assembly delegates stand together to protect, promote, and strengthen public education (page 30)
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
December-January 2024 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Making an Impact – Commitment and compassion are key to 2024 Ohio Teacher of the Year Mark Lowrie’s award-winning broadcast journalism program at Gahanna Lincoln High School.
- NOTEBOOK:
- Digital Ohio Schools magazine to highlight educators’ voices
- Youngstown Education Association achieves union goals in new contract following strike
- Historic UAW strike a testament to the power of unions, collective bargaining, and organizing
- MAKING THE GRADE
- OEA celebrates Public Education Matters Day with educators at four rallies across the state
- Ashland and Kent State Aspiring Educators chapters offer members a successful start in the education profession
- 2023 Ohio Teacher of the Year Melissa Kmetz to receive NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence
- OEA-Retired members build community, grow in understanding of racial and social justice
- RETIREMENT AND YOU
- Why is it important for educators to support the Social Security Fairness Act to repeal GPO/WEP
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
Bad for students. Bad for higher education. Bad for Ohio.
Your Voice is Critical
Urge Your State Representative to Oppose Substitute Senate Bill 83
Substitute Senate Bill 83, sponsored by Senator Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), is a sweeping piece of legislation that is currently under consideration in the Ohio House Higher Education Committee. Currently, the committee is debating the eleventh version of the bill. SB 83 was narrowly passed with a vote of 8 to 7 by the Ohio House Higher Education Committee at its meeting on December 6, 2023.
While the current version removed the prohibition of faculty and employees to strike, the bill still contains provisions that cause serious concerns as it pertains to labor rights, job security, and academic freedom which have to potential to negatively impact the quality of higher education in Ohio.
In its current version, SB 83 eliminates the collective bargaining rights of higher education faculty members to bargain over certain working conditions. This includes prohibiting bargaining over faculty evaluations, tenure, and retrenchment (the process for reduction of force). This bill represents the largest attack on collective bargaining rights since Senate Bill 5 in 2011.
Additionally, SB 83 contains language that micromanages higher education classrooms and threatens academic freedoms on Ohio’s public university and college campuses. OEA believes that these policies are best developed locally by faculty and administration determining the systems that work best for their campuses, and not top-down state mandates.
We must stop Substitute Senate Bill 83! Email your Ohio House member and urge them to oppose this bill.
We must stop Substitute Senate Bill 83! Email your Ohio House member and urge them to oppose this bill.
December 2023 OEA Retirement Systems Update
SERS Board Finalizes Anti-Spiking Provision
The SERS Board has approved the final piece of an anti-spiking provision known as the Contribution Based Benefit Cap (CBBC). The state budget bill, House Bill 33, included the provision that impacts future SERS retirees. The CBBC will go into effect on August 1, 2024. It will only affect a small fraction of retirees who have abnormally large increases in salary that are not supported by retirement contributions over their career. When a member’s final average salary in their pension calculation is well above what would be expected from normal salary increases, their benefits are effectively subsidized by other members of the system.
The final piece of the CBBC puzzle was the SERS Board adopting a “factor” used in its calculation. The CBBC calculation annuitizes member/employer contributions and then multiplies it by a factor that will be identified by the SERS Board. A member’s pension is capped at the lower of the formula benefit or the CBBC benefit. The SERS Board adopted a factor of 6.25. Analysis of past retirement data indicates that only a small number of future retirees will be impacted by this change. Of the nearly 3,000 retirements from 2022 and 2023, only eight would have seen a reduction had the CBBC been in place.
STRS Executive Director on Leave Amid Investigation
On Friday, November 17, 2023, the STRS Board voted to put Executive Director Bill Neville on leave pending an investigation by an outside council appointed by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The investigation will look into accusations from an anonymous letter from STRS staff alleging a pattern of harassment and threats of violence.
Lynn Hoover, who serves as Chief Financial Officer for STRS, will serve as acting executive director during the investigation.
Click here to download a copy of this December 2023 Report to the OEA Board of Directors. Previous Retirement Systems Updates can be viewed under the Affiliate Resources tab on the OEA website.
Scholarships for 2024 NEA National Leadership Summit
The 2024 NEA Leadership Summit will be held March 1-3, 2024
Preparations are in full swing for the NEA Leadership Summit being held March 1-3, 2024. At this time, the NEA is planning for an in-person experience for the 2024 Leadership Summit to be held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, Chicago, IL. The summit will further develop Activist leaders and prepare them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to lead relevant, thriving associations and to lead in their professions. The theme for the 2024 Summit is Education. Democracy. Freedom. Our Right! Our Responsibility!
Please have members use this link to complete the online application no later than Tuesday, December 5, 2023, if they would like to be considered for an NEA funded spot, or funding from OEA to attend the NEA National Leadership Summit. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY DECEMBER 5 TO BE CONSIDERED. Members should only apply if they are able to attend all days of the Summit in-person. Again, the online application can be accessed through this link.
For additional information about the NEA National Leadership Summit, please visit: www.nea.org/leadershipsummit
October 2023 OEA Retirement Systems Update
SERS Board Approves 2.5% COLA for 2024
At its September meeting, the SERS Board approved a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase for eligible retirees in 2024. SERS bases its COLA on the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) over a twelve-month period.
This year’s CPI-W was 2.3%. However, the Board’s actuary stated that a slightly higher COLA amount would not materially impair the funding status of the pension plan. With that in mind, the Board unanimously voted to approve a COLA of 2.5%, which is the highest amount permitted by statute.
Payment of the 2024 COLA takes effect on a retiree’s anniversary date. Those who retired on or after April 1, 2018, are not eligible for a COLA increase until the beginning of their fourth year of SERS retirement.
OPERS and STRS to Pursue Increased Employer Contributions
On Tuesday, October 17, the OPERS Board voted 7-2 to pursue legislation that would increase the percentage of payroll that employers pay to support OPERS benefits for public employees. The current employer contribution amount is capped at 14%.
OPERS plans to seek legislation that would increase the statutory maximum employer contribution limit from 14% to 18%. The increase would be phased in over time. Further, OPERS recommends allowing an additional increase of up to 1% every 10 years if needed to fund benefits.
Likewise, the STRS Board voted in 2022 to seek legislation to allow for an increase in employer contributions to the pension fund. Although the Board did not put forth a specific proposal, legislation was introduced in the last session (HB 601) which would have increased the employer contribution cap from 14% to 18% over an eight-year period. A similar proposal may be introduced this session. The STRS Board has established a legislative committee which will begin discussing potential legislative recommendations in November.
Ohio pension plans are hamstrung by a fixed employer contribution rate that has been unchanged for decades. Ohio public employees do not pay into Social Security and therefore are more reliant on their pension benefits. Total contribution rates in Ohio are lower than in other non-Social Security states. Further, Ohio pension systems are mature plans that pay out far more in benefits to retirees than they receive in contributions. This puts tremendous pressure on investment returns to adequately fund future benefits. When investments take a downturn, this puts member benefits at risk as we saw in pension reform in the wake of the Great Recession.
OEA believes that an increase in employer contributions is warranted. It would help improve the long-term solvency of the plans and support needed benefits for current and future retirees. However, proposals to increase employer contributions face a difficult path in the legislature. During pension reform, Governor Kasich refused to consider such an increase. Employer groups will be opposed to such legislation. Increases in employer contribution rates may also have an impact on the ability of OEA local associations to negotiate higher salaries.
OEA will keep members updated when legislation is introduced and there is an opportunity for member advocacy on this issue.
Actuarial Valuation Shows Slight Improvement in STRS Funding Status
On Thursday, October 19, the STRS Board received a report on its annual actuarial valuation. This report shows the financial status of the pension plan as of the end of the fiscal year (June 30) and how it has changed in the past twelve months.
The valuation shows a slight increase in the funded status of the plan. The STRS pension plan is 81.3% funded, compared to 80.9% last year. The amount of time needed to pay off the unfunded liabilities of the pension plan decreased slightly to 11.2 years from 11.5 years.
The Board’s actuary, Cheiron, also provided a valuation for the STRS Health Care plan. This plan continues to be fully funded with a funded ratio of 168%. The healthy financial status of the plan has allowed the Board to make benefit improvements to the plan and provide premium rebates to retirees in recent years.
Click here to download a copy of this October 2023 Report to the OEA Board of Directors. Previous Retirement Systems Updates can be viewed under the Affiliate Resources tab on the OEA website.