Minutes from Union Executive Meeting 10-17-19

Meeting: Berklee Faculty Union
Date: October 17, 2019
In Attendance: Will Silvio, Paul Masters, Dennis Cecere, Marti Epstein, Utar Artur, Peter

Cokkinias, Michael Johnson, Alicia Bower, Stephanie Reich, Nicholas Urie, Vanessa Morris, Wendy Rolfe, David Scott, Elizabeth Seitz

Call to order 1:10

1. Review of minutes

motion: “to accept minutes of Union Executive Committee meeting on 10/17/19 (epstein)

second: (johnson)

vote: unanimous approval, motion carries

2. Dennis Cecere- Ensembles

unbalanced ensembles; scholarships not being distributed properly
discussion: are part-time faculty still being paid when students stop coming to ensembles; how many people has this affected?
What is the administration doing to help balance the number in each discipline
other topics mentioned: robbery in ensemble space and problems entering the ensemble building main entrance

3.Peter Cokkinias- Financial Aid

financial aid office: not following through with scholarships,
discussion followed: as a labor union, how much responsibility do we have with this issue? proposal for creating a liaison with the student government
forging a relationship with students is important

4. Nicholas Urie- Classrooms

classroom problems: possible tactic to create a calculator that estimates the amount of money lost due to equipment malfunction
example: 7 people in class, waited 22 minutes, how much money does this cost?
running tally of how much student money is being wasted?

discussion: best way to ensure faculty follow through with tally, QRC code use or phone app

5. All faculty meeting to approve to the budget

Motion: all faculty meeting 10/31/19 1-2pm

vote: unanimous

6. Faculty survey of chairs and deans- second week November

Meeting adjourned 1:50p.

Minutes from Union Executive Meeting 10-10-19

Meeting:           Berklee Faculty Union

Date:                October 10, 2019 at 1:00p

In Attendance:  Will Silvio, David Scott, Andrew Shryock, Elizabeth Seitz, Prince Charles Alexander, Dennis Cecere, Marti Epstein, Paul Masters, Utar Artun, Peter Cokkinias, Michael Johnson, Stephanie Reich, Nicholas Urie, Vanessa Morris, Mike Scott

Call to order 1:05p.

1. Review of minutes

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

Sep. 26, 2019.” (EPSTEIN)

SECOND:         JOHNSON

VOTE:              unanimous approval, motion carries

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

Oct. 3, 2019.” (EPSTEIN)

SECOND:         JOHNSON

VOTE:              unanimous approval, motion carries

2. Review of budget (FY20), continued from Sep. 26, 2019

MOTION: “To approve budget for Fiscal Year 2020.” (EPSTEIN)

SECOND: (MASTERS)

VOTE: unanimous approval, motion carries

3. Update on faculty-wide email sent by Mike Scott

MIKE SCOTT thanked Union for engaging him as consultant and discussed his goals for the year, including desire to call attention to “what’s not working”; 

M. SCOTT summarized responses to faculty-wide email – sent on October 1, 2019 and intended to educate faculty on disparities within the community – which received 51 replies, primarily from Conservatory faculty who expressed dissatisfaction with integration following College-Conservatory merger;

M. SCOTT identified additional issues that will receive attention in the future.

             Discussion followed.

Meeting adjourned 1:48p.

Minutes from Union-Management Meeting 10-3-19

Meeting:           Berklee Faculty Union and Berklee College Administration

Date:                October 3, 2019 at 1:00p

In Attendance:  Will Silvio, David Scott, Andrew Shryock, Wendy Rolfe, Michael Abraham, Dennis Cecere, Peggy Codding, Marti Epstein, Paul Masters, Denise Pons-Leone, Utar Artun, Alicia Bower, Peter Cokkinias, Michael Johnson, Stephanie Reich, Nicholas Urie, Darla Hanley, Jay Kennedy, Matthew Nicholl, Ron Savage, Bill Whitney, Scott Edmiston, Melinda Thomas

Call to order 1:05p.

1. College Admissions

SILVIO observed increased concern among faculty regarding reduced enrollment in Spring 2020 semester, with specific emphasis on implications for part-time faculty with respect to workload and three-year contract status; KENNEDY responded noting increase in anticipated spring in-take over last year based on applications and deposits (i.e., 150–60 for Spring 2020 vs. approx. 140 for Spring 2019) while also cautioning enrollment status of current students remains uncertain until Spring registration occurs and Spring tuition is paid; KENNEDY further noted Admissions considers diverse recruiting needs, including desires of various departments (e.g., brass, which doubled enrollment this year) as well as other considerations (e.g., desire to increase number of female students).

On department needs, SAVAGE discussed ensemble personnel, specifically noting that scholarship assignments are also used to attend to disproportion and need; SAVAGE further noted process of populating ensembles was impacted this year by a staff change-over, which resulted in some ensembles lacking necessary personnel during first month of the semester.

On teaching assignments, KENNEDY summarized priorities of chairs determining course assignments, which include desired workload of part-time faculty but, principally, needs and best interests of students; SILVIO reiterated wish that enrollment fluctuations not be used as a mechanism to revoke three-year contract status of part-time faculty; KENNEDY reserved managerial rights on this matter, as negotiated in the collective bargaining agreement.

Discussion followed.

2. Classroom facilities

SILVIO observed concerns over nonfunctioning, malfunctioning, and obsolete technology; illogical and unsuitable classroom furnishing and design; and delays in (and absence of) classroom support; KENNEDY responded with request for specific problems and needs.

Discussion followed, including recommendation to collect and review data on support requests, especially at the Conservatory, and increased attention to spaces that require frequent support and/or repair.

Meeting adjourned 1:54p.