Minutes From Union Executive Meeting 9-26-19

Meeting:           Berklee Faculty Union

Date:                September 26, 2019 at 1:00p

In Attendance:  Will Silvio, David Scott, Andrew Shryock, Elizabeth Seitz, Wendy Rolfe, Prince Charles Alexander, Dennis Cecere, Peggy Codding, Marti Epstein, Paul Masters, Denise Pons-Leone, Utar Artun, Alicia Bower, Peter Cokkinias, Michael Johnson, Stephanie Reich, Nicholas Urie, Vanessa Morris

Call to order 1:06p

1. Review of Minutes (Sep. 12 and Sep. 19, 2019)

MOTION:         “To approve minutes of Union Executive Committee meeting on 

Sep. 12, 2019.” (EPSTEIN)

SECOND:         CODDING

VOTE:              unanimous approval, motion carries

MOTION:         “To approve minutes of Union Executive Committee meeting on 

Sep. 19, 2019.” (EPSTEIN)

SECOND:         CODDING

VOTE:              unanimous approval, motion carries

2. College response to Union concerns on Sick Policy

SUMMARY: College denies Union concerns to Sick Policy, with specific emphasis on 

- unwillingness to itemize reasons for sick leave, 

- desire to preserve chair prerogative to require faculty to make-up classes, and

- separate (and yet to be announced) procedure for Conservatory faculty, who cannot follow current procedure due to non-integration with OL. 

Discussion followed, including a recommendation to include a religious observance clause in Agreement, to make explicit faculty right to take off on such occasions.

3. Budget, FY2020

Discussion of line items “working meals,” “legal counsel,” “interest income,” and “equity report.” 

MOTION: “To postpone consideration of FY20 budget until October 3, 2019.” (PONS-LEONE)

SECOND: (ROLFE)

VOTE: unanimous approval, motion carries

Meeting adjourned 1:51p.

Minutes From Union Executive Committee Meeting 9-19-19

Meeting:           Berklee Faculty Union Executive Committee

Date:                September 19, 2019 at 1:00p

In Attendance:  Will Silvio, David Scott, Andrew Shryock, Elizabeth Seitz, Wendy Rolfe, Prince Charles Alexander, Michael Abraham, Dennis Cecere, Marti Epstein, Paul Masters, Denise Pons-Leone, Peter Cokkinias, Michael Johnson, Stephanie Reich, Vanessa Morris

Call to order 1:04p

1. Review of Minutes (Sep. 12, 2019)

SUMMARY:       Action delayed due to confusion over distribution.

2. Appointment to Union Executive Committee

SUMMARY: Will Silvio identified Nicholas Urie (Associate Professor, Harmony and Jazz Composition) as a potential candidate to fill a vacant Councilor position on the Union Executive Committee. Discussion followed.

MOTION:         “Motion to appoint Nicholas Urie to Union Executive Committee in the position of Councilor” (ROLFE)

SECOND:         COKKINIAS

VOTE:              unanimous approval, motion carries

3. Sick Leave Policy

SUMMARY: On Tuesday, September 17, Union leadership met with College administration regarding newly implemented Sick Leave Policy. Union presented itemized list of concerns, produced in coordination with counsel. College will respond at a later date.

4. Climate justice strike on Sep. 20, 2019

SUMMARY: Use of the term “strike” by event organizers prevents Union from articulating a position on issue. Discussion followed.

5. Department chair evaluations

SUMMARY: This semester, Union will administer to faculty an evaluation of department chairs. Administration wishes to review results, while reiterating that faculty review is not part of the evaluation procedure for department chairs.

6. Access Committee Update

ROLFE summarized recent activity within Campus Accessibility Committee: 

a)     Lawsuit brought against the College concerning admissions procedures, specifically inaccessibility of website;

b)     Health and Wellness Center and Counseling Center will re-locate. New location (161 Mass Ave, Level 4 ) is expected to open before Spring 2020 semester; 

c)      Accessibility of performance spaces – specifically 1140 Boylston, Room 1W – is under review and, where feasible, remediation.

Further discussion of performance space accessibility followed, including a recommendation for possible discussion at a future Union-Management meeting.

7. [confidential topic redacted]

Meeting adjourned 1:50p 

MINUTES FROM UNION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING 9-12-19

Meeting:           Berklee Faculty Union Executive Committee

Date:                September 12, 2019 at 1:00p

In Attendance:  Will Silvio, David Scott, Andrew Shryock, Elizabeth Seitz, Wendy Rolfe, Prince Charles Alexander, Michael Abraham, Dennis Cecere, Marti Epstein, Paul Masters, Denise Pons-Leone, Utar Artun, Alicia Bower, Peter Cokkinias, Michael Johnson, Stephanie Reich, Vanessa Morris, Nicholas Urie

Call to order: 1:04p

1. INTRODUCTIONS

A) UEC member introductions

B) Ground rules for UEC meetings

SUMMARY: meetings are confidential; UEC should speak with unified voice and public statements should go through President’s office.

2. SUMMER ISSUES

A) Implementation of College Intellectual Property (IP) Policy

SUMMARY: College enforces its new IP policy for staff and students; faculty removed following Union-issued demand to bargain.

ALEXANDER: speaking as member of Committee that drafted policy: committee charged with creating policy that empowers creative process at Berklee and clarifies College’s ownership of intellectual property created by students, staff, and faculty; American Federation of Teachers lawyer (i.e., David Strom) reviewed the policy draft circulated for public comment; raised concerns about “faculty exception,” which excepts faculty from some “work for hire” stipulations.

SCOTT: review of draft, and further research, revealed a lack of clarity on IP ownership; instructional videos produced to inform faculty and these will be published shortly.

B) Revisions to Criteria for Promotion and Reappointment

SUMMARY: document and procedures updated over Summer 2019; these will go into effect Sep. 1, 2020; principal updates concern integration of Conservatory faculty.

C) [confidential topic redacted]

3. NEW BUSINESS

A) Sick Leave Policy

SUMMARY: on Sep. 17, 2019, the Union will meet with management regarding recently-distributed Sick Leave Policy, specifically discussing problematic, concerning, and illegal procedures in the new policy.

B) Engaging consultant

SUMMARY: Will Silvio introduced proposal to engage Mike Scott as consultant to President for first year of his term; proposal distributed (attached); summary of content and motivation for proposal.

Discussion followed.

MOTION: “To approve proposal and employ Mike Scott as consultant to President.” (CECERE)

SECOND: EPSTEIN

VOTE: Unanimous approval; motion carried.

Discussion followed concerning consultant salary.

MOTION: “To employ Mike Scott as consultant at rate of $20,000 per year.” (EPSTEIN)

SECOND: PONS-LEONE

VOTE: 16 for, 1 opposed; motion carried.

Meeting adjourned 1:50p