Activism and advocacy are not just buzz words for Dante Morelli. President of the Faculty Association of Suffolk Community College since 2019, he is a tireless advocate for higher ed members, his students and his community.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, arguably a blue-collar stronghold with a long labor history, Morelli did not come from a union family. That all changed when he moved to Long Island and started working at Suffolk CC.
“I learned about the union through my job. I started to realize in talking to colleagues across the country, who are not part of unions, how much more they suffer and the lack of resources and benefits,” Morelli said. He started out as a building rep then moved on to FASCC grievance officer and executive vice president.
Morelli is a member of the Brookhaven Town Democratic Labor Committee, and he serves on NYSUT’s Human and Civil Rights Committee and the LGBTQ Committee. Morelli is a member of the NYSUT Community College Planning Committee and is the architect behind “Union Speed Dating,” the plenary session that ends the conference and has leaders and members exchanging best practices.