Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

Present – Michael Abraham, Rick Applin, Dennis Cecere, Peggy Codding, Peter Cokkinias, Rich Grudzinski, Marti Epstein, Danny Harrington, Jonathan Holland, Teodros Kiros, Jeff Perry, Wendy Rolfe, Jackson Schultz, David Scott, Will Silvio. 

1. Marti made a motion to accept the minutes from the previous meeting. Danny seconded and the vote was unanimous to accept the minutes.
    
2. Jackson discussed the deposition for the ULP that we have filed on management. We have two currently filed: one on regarding the administration's raising the minimums for classes, and the other on the administration's new department meeting policies. 
    
3. Jackson had lunch with Roger on Wednesday and discussed several very important issues, including the recent ULP. Communication is the key as we move forward.
    
4. We discussed the new department meeting policies.
    
5. We put in an information request for all faculty teaching after 6 pm. If you were hired before 1996 you have to be asked to and agree in writing to teach after 6. 
   
   Article XXIV.B. Normal scheduled teaching hours commence at 9:00 a.m. and                end at 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday inclusive.
   
   A faculty member who commenced employment prior to November 4, 1996 may be assigned teaching hours different from the normal scheduled teaching hours upon mutual written agreement between the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and the faculty member.
    
6. Roger has an open invitation out for lunch with interested faculty. There are two dates and we would like to have one or more members of the UEC to attend each lunch.
    
7. We discussed the August 30 paycheck and the fact that other parts of the college did not skip a paycheck. At our October 4 Union/Managements meeting, Management claimed that in 2012, the staff and admin were paid pro-rated over 27 paychecks.
    
8. The topic of on-line music instruction at other colleges was discussed. We will do more research. Berkleemusic will be offering degrees.
    
9. Graduate classes and faculty issues were discussed. We have past history with the Boston Conservatory grad program in the late 90s. We will discuss this at the next union/management meeting.
    
10. Bargaining Team – we will start to put together a team for next summer’s bargain.
     
11. All-faculty meeting is scheduled for November 15.

Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

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

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. Steve Prosser passed away yesterday; Jackson will write a letter to Kris Adams expressing our condolences.
    
3. An update on the ULPs, Mike and Jackson will be deposed on Tuesday.
    
4. November 8th or November 15th for a full faculty meeting. We should get a larger room, 1A, 1W, or DFRH.
    
5. We discussed an instrumental breakdown of both the entering class and the entire college.  We should send an information request to get this info for the last three years. A&I was supposed to deal with some of the instrumental issues, we should have Mark Campbell and Damien Bracken come to our next union/management meeting.
    
6. We discussed the on-line on-campus courses and continuing the sub committee or discuss in our meetings. Dave Mash might be a good person to have come in. Berkleemusic is offering two degrees on-line. Dennis will contact Prince Charles to set-up additional meetings for the sub-committee. He real problem is that this is an unknown. We need to see what other institutions are doing and if Berklee is on par with what is out there. On-line students can create more revenue without needing the space. The on-line classes de-value faculty. Jonathan will check into other music schools to see what they are doing. We need to protect faculty that are not embracing all the newest technology in their classes. We need to development an argument about how our students learn and how we want to teach them. Contract language for the next bargain is one very important goal, economic, pedagogical, 
    
7. Faculty teaching after 6, we have several faculty that are teaching then and not have been asked. If you were hired before 1996 you must be asked in writing if you are willing to teach at those times. Senior faculty need to be protected, management is not taking care of them, these faculty should be involved with curriculum, a gift of resources for Emeritus faculty giving clinics, guest lectures, and sharing their gifts with students. 
    
8. Danny, Jackson, Wendy, Will, Peter, and Jeff will be getting together to discuss the union budget.

Union notes from Union / Management Meeting

Present – Dennis Cecere, Peter Cokkinias, Marti Epstein, Rich Grudzinski, Danny Harrington, Jonathan Holland, Teodros Kiros, Jeff Perry, Wendy Rolfe, David Scott, Jackson Schultz, and Will Silvio.  

Management – Larry Simpson, Jay Kennedy, Bill Whitney, Mac Hisey, Matt Marvuglio, Darla Hanley, Jeanine Cowan, Chris Connors, Rich Vigdor. Camille Colatosti.

1. Larry opened the meeting. Questions regarding the August 30th Paycheck. Why were faculty the only group that lost the paycheck? Staff and admin were continued to be paid. 
   
   Larry – no money was lost for any faculty member.
   
   Rich – typically the full time faculty are paid in the first paycheck of September. Last Sept, the first paycheck was Sept 1 and the last August 16. We needed to reset the calendar instead of a check on August 30.
   
   Jackson – I understand all that, why is it that only faculty missed a paycheck?
   
   Chris/Jeanine – staff received the same amount over 27 paychecks instead of 26. Faculty had the option to receive 27 paychecks, 26, or 20.
    
2. 150 accessibility project update: Mac – we will begin construction over the winter break. The noisiest part should be done over the break, but work will continue throughout the year. If we don’t start now, we will have to wait until next winter break. Overall, the work will be spread out, but finally it will be getting underway.
   
   Jackson – this is good, it is good to get it started, I am glad we kept pushing this.
   
   Wendy – what about emergency egress from all the different levels in the building?
   
   Mac – no solution will be perfect, we are continuing to look at all the options.
   
   Jackson – did Berklee buy the Best Buy building?
   
   Bill – no, not true.
    
3. Jackson – we looked at the 990 tax returns. Can you elaborate on some of the out of country investments?
   
   Mac – the specific one you are pointing out is an Endowment investment.
    
4. 160 update – 16 above floors, we are up to 7. Beginning 4 pm tomorrow we are going to start adjusting the crane to get to the upper levels. Fire protection and plumbing are going into the lower levels. We should be complete and ready to use by the fall semester of 2013.