Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

/

Present – Prince Charles Alexander, Rick Applin, Peggy Codding, Beth Denisch, Marti Epstein, Rich Grudzinski, Danny Harrington, Michael Abraham, Teodros Kiros, Dennis Cecere, Jeff Perry, Diane Richardson, Wendy Rolfe, Jackson Schultz, Department Reps.

  1. Danny made a motion to accept the minutes from the previous meeting. Rich seconded and the vote was unanimous to accept the minutes.
     
  2. The department reps are present to learn more about what the Executive Committee is up to and to be more connected to our process. 
     
  3. We discussed the graduate program as proposed by Management: six grad degrees with 20 students in each major in an ideal world. The program is still in the planning stages, it needs to be approved by a state board, NEAS&C, and then the college can implement it when it chooses to. The goal is to start the fall of 2011. The college also wants to offer two on-line Baccalaureate degrees. ADA compliance in the 150 building is another serious issue that is on our front burner. Management needs to do the right thing and take care of the issue. The voice department is phenomenally overcrowded – many space issues and insufficient bathroom service.
     
  4. We looked at several articles on higher ed upper administrations across the country and how these are getting more and more top heavy. Let management know we are watching.

Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

/

Present – Prince Charles Alexander, Rick Applin, Peter Cokkinias, Beth Denisch, Marti Epstein, Rich Grudzinski, Jonathan Holland, Teodros Kiros, Dennis Cecere, Jeff Perry, Diane Richardson, Wendy Rolfe, Jackson Schultz, Will Silvio. 

  1. Peter made a motion to accept the minutes from the previous meeting. Jonathan seconded and the vote was unanimous to accept the minutes.
     
  2. We discussed the financial transition from Charles to Jeff with Michael Bijan as the bookkeeper. Everything should be transferred over by the end of October.
     
  3. Jackson will be meeting with a faculty member with physical disabilities to discuss the ADA issues with 150 and throughout the college.
     
  4. We discussed an article from the Globe about the downfall of Higher Ed with a top-heavy administration. We will discuss with the department reps and perhaps share with the entire community. We can let the college know that we are looking at this issue but we cannot control the hiring practices of the administration. Management could be posturing to present a lower increase of faculty salaries in the next bargain.
     
  5. We discussed office space, management wants faculty to be more present on campus, yet we are not given adequate office space to be comfortable while we are here. Office hours in the voice department are still another issue, there is not enough space for the faculty while every VP or Assistant VP get nice spaces. Space is a VERY important topic – bathrooms in 1140 – perhaps we can call in OSHA to look at 1140.
     
  6. We discussed the final week of the semester. It ends on Tuesday December 20 – what about the rest of the week? Do part-time faculty get paid for the full-week? They should get paid for the full week.
     
  7. Full-time faculty have not been getting the breakdown of the retirement package that describes exactly what their defined benefit plan actually will be. 
     
  8. Rick discussed new-hires in the fall and people on the TRC both in Phase I and Phase II.

Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

/

Present – Rick Applin, Peter Cokkinias, Beth Denisch, Rich Grudzinski, Danny Harrington, Jonathan Holland, Teodros Kiros, Dennis Cecere, Jeff Perry, Diane Richardson, Wendy Rolfe, Jackson Schultz, Will Silvio.

  1. Jackson opened the meeting. We discussed the minutes from the previous meetings. Danny made a motion to accept the minutes from the previous meetings as amended. Peter seconded and the vote was unanimous to accept the amended minutes.
     
  2. We discussed our meeting last week with management regarding the ADA accessibilities to the 150 building. We are going to stay on top of this topic and bring it back up with management before the Winter break. We would like to see timelines of the entire project to make sure they are moving forward.
     
  3. We have 41 new hires this fall. We looked at the numbers of PT – 58% and FT – 42% and transition contracts. 
     
  4. As faculty members are accepted into the three-year transitional contract part-time faculty at the college must be used to fill their full-time jobs. We need to clarify language in the contract in the next bargain.
     
  5. Space issues in 1140 for the voice department and throughout the building will be a topic for our November union / management meeting.
     
  6. Topics for union / management meeting in the future will be grad school starting Fall 2012 on Boston campus; all faculty teaching here and abroad should be apart of our bargaining unit, and On-line courses on campus.
     
  7. Regular meeting next week, and the following week will have the Department Reps.