Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

Present – Michael Abraham, Prince Charles Alexander, Dennis Cecere, Peter Cokkinias, Beth Denisch, Marti Epstein, Rich Grudzinski, Danny Harrington, Teodros Kiros, Jeff Perry, Wendy Rolfe, Jackson Schultz, David Scott, Will Silvio. 

1. Danny made a motion to accept the minutes from the previous meetings and update the website. Peter seconded and the vote was unanimous to accept the minutes.
    
2. We had a recent grievance denied at the Dean level, we will continue to pursue at the SVP level.
    
3. We submitted the information request for sabbatical proposals for the last five years and the sabbaticals that were approved – we think they have been going down since they started building the new building. Last year 15 out of 20 were accepted; this year only 5 out of 20 were accepted. We will look further back to see the trends.
    
4. Another information request was submitted for all faculty teaching on-line courses to the on-campus students at the college. Getting students to participate on-line has been a challenge in some courses. An on-line extension school degree will be started in 2014. In the past there were correspondence courses, these are similar but on-line, Music Production and Music Business are the degrees, more info will be at www.berkleemusic.com/onlinedegrees
    
5. Department Reps – we discussed the faculty members that have agreed to be reps, we still need reps, if you are interested please contact Will Silvio in the Union Office.
    
6. Recent changes in the facilities – all the overhead projectors have been taken out in favor of the ELMO. They should have communicated with faculty a little better. They are currently in transition classroom facilities requested a 1.2 million upgrade and were only approved for 30k. We will bring this up at our next meeting with management next week.
    
7. NEASC is coming March 3-6 to meet with various departments including the Union Executive Committee, or our representatives. 
    
8. Management has made the request to work with the Union regarding sexual harassment training with faculty and throughout the college. We need to look at both educating faculty on sexual harassment and fraternization and also protecting faculty from false accusations from students. We would like to avoid the corporate consultant presentation in favor of other avenues; perhaps we can involve the faculty more.
    
9. Convention in San Diego March 7th-10th. Danny, Beth, Marti, and Rich are interested in going. 
    
10. Masters program, admissions, and scholarships are also on topic for our Management meeting next week.

Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

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

1. Jackson opened the meeting. Welcome back. We had a meeting last week regarding the bargain coming up this summer.
    
2. Update on the ULP, the increase in population minimums. The Labor Board has taken this fight on for us; the hearing will be in March. Information will be going out to faculty requesting information on how the changing of the minimums affected the faculty. We will make sure the department meeting language stays in the contract and fight for weekly meetings and their importance.
    
3. We will submit an information request regarding sabbatical proposals for the last five years and the sabbaticals that were approved – we think they have been going down since they started building the new building. They are claiming poor; let’s open the books!
    
4. We discussed the 7 lecture class load = a full load, even though it equals 17.5 units, the contract states 14 contact hours is a full load. Some faculty have been given an additional Directed Study, this is an overload! 
    
5. Department Rep meeting is targeted for February 14. We want to share information as we head into bargaining this summer.
    
6. Jackson met with a dean today regarding an unsatisfactory evaluation for a faculty member. We are hopeful that it will be changed based on medical issues, perhaps a short-term disability and a list of items that need to be addressed before returning. 
    
7. We discussed the Union/Management meetings that we have monthly. Jackson encouraged everyone to take his or her own minutes. For next meeting: update on ADA compliance of the 150 building and perhaps meeting with Admissions/Scholarships regarding instrument needs at the college, the comprehensive enrollment strategy moving forward.
    
8. We discussed the Admissions policies and who they are letting in, students that cannot read (seven piano players in a room with one piano is not a good environment to learn how to read music).

Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

Present – Michael Abraham, Dennis Cecere, Peggy Codding, 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. Peter seconded and the vote was unanimous to accept the minutes.
    
2. Jackson discussed student safety regarding bicycles and city travel. Management is actually on top of the issue. Peggy brought the topic up at our last Union Management meeting.
    
3. Regarding the ULP, the NLRB has agreed to hear the charge and it is still under deliberation. Our lawyer is on the case and we are awaiting the response.
    
4. Jonathan brought up high populations in Liberal Arts; some courses are up to 30 from 18. This is definitely an issue that we can address in the next semester, and certainly during the bargain. We should do an information request on populations for all courses. 
    
5. Jackson updated us on two sexual harassment cases. Both faculty members are no longer at the college. We discussed the fraternization policy at the college.
    
6. We will start to put together the negotiating team over the break and begin to get prepared during the spring semester. Management will want to get any money back that they lose if the ULP goes our way.
    
7. We discussed department meetings and their importance. It is a great place for faculty development and discussing curricular development.
    
8. Classroom facilities were discussed. 
    
9. Berkleemusic teachers want Union representation. We will discuss representing all Berklee faculty; Berkleemusic, summer programs, Valencia: workload issues will come up; having a separate unit may be a good idea.
    
10. Next week Roy Murphy and John Eldert will be here to discuss evacuation plans and security issues for all our facilities.