New Jersey City University (NJCU) announced that AFT Local 1839—the American Federation of Teachers union representing NJCU faculty, professional staff, and librarians—has authorized a $25,000 restricted gift to the NJCU Foundation. The investment is specifically earmarked to support faculty research, scholarship, and academic initiatives on the Jersey City campus.
The announcement comes on the heels of a separate $25,000 scholarship fund established by the union on May 1. Together, the two commitments represent a $50,000 investment by AFT Local 1839 to protect the campus’s academic legacy while preparing it for an unprecedented institutional transition.
The timing of the gift is highly strategic. Following the official merger of NJCU with Kean University in the summer of 2026, the campus will transition into Kean Jersey City.
The move grants local faculty and staff direct integration into an expanded research infrastructure. Kean University officially earned an R2 research designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, a distinction reserved for doctoral universities with high research activity.
“As we move toward the formation of Kean Jersey City and the opportunities that come with joining an R2-designated research university, our faculty and staff are not just witnesses to that transformation,” NJCU President Andrés Acebo said. “They will be one of its architects.”
The $25,000 grant will be accessible to full-time faculty, adjunct faculty, professional staff, and librarians engaged in teaching and student mentorship. The union has specified that priority funding will be funneled toward scholarly work that intersects with critical community and public policy issues:
- Core Pillars: Projects advancing equity, social justice, and economic inclusion.
- Targeted Fields: Applied research addressing criminal justice reform, public policy, labor, and workforce development.
- Eligible Uses: Direct research stipends, academic conference participation, curriculum development, and collaborative, student-engaged learning projects.
Dr. William Calathes, Professor of Criminal Justice and President of AFT Local 1839, emphasized that the funding ensures Jersey City educators have the autonomy and backing to lead during the institutional shift.
“With Kean’s R2 designation and the merger creating new possibilities for research and scholarly engagement, we want the faculty and staff on this campus to be ready to seize that moment,” Calathes said. “This investment says: we believe in your work, we believe in your future, and we are committed to making sure this campus remains a place where serious scholarship can thrive.”
The union’s dual contributions, paired with the recently announced $50,000 endowed Silverman Family Scholarship from real estate developer Paul Silverman, bring the total pledged toward the university’s upcoming Centennial Campaign to $100,000. Originally chartered in 1927 as the Jersey City State Normal School, the campus will mark its 100th year of operation in 2027.
The NJCU Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) organization, will continue to operate as a separate entity following the summer merger, ensuring that all funds raised for the Centennial Campaign remain fully restricted to supporting the students, faculty, and academic mission unique to the Jersey City campus.
