Minutes
STCC PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION   MEMBERSHIP MEETING
March 6, 2002  Location:  13/114

Call to Order:  1:32 PM 

Reports & Announcements:
Secretary’s Report, L. Kleindienst.  Minutes of February 6, 2002.

Motion to accept:  R. Rodgers, B. Wurtzel, passed. 

Treasurer’s Report, A. Peck.  Report through March 6, 2002.

Motion to accept:  K. Czuchra, C. Dupont.  Passed, 1 Nay.
A. Peck noted that the dues remittal (reimbursement) had been received.
 
President’s Report, C. Tetrault

  • Board of Trustees Meeting
  • J. Wanczyk, VP Administrative Services, gave a lengthy report to the Board of Trustees.
  • President Scibelli reported that changes to the telephone system would be coming in order to reduce costs.  He also noted that 6 faculty, 9 classified, and 5 non-unit professionals had applied to the ERIP program.  As the campus was targeted for $2.5 million reduction, this may mean program closures.  There will be a $10.00 increase per credit for SCE summer courses, and a $5-15.00 increase to Day courses is likely.
  • Motion to authorize retrenchment by the President was passed.
  • There will likely be a 2 year delay in the asbestos remediation for Bldg 20.
  • Five faculty received letter of non-reappointment.  Union may file grievance as this action was taken under Article XI and should have been under Article XIX.
  • Disruptive Student Behavior :  Due to a serious situation on campus C. Tetrault reiterated union stance.  No one should give a student a written notice regarding behavioral problems.   Speak with student first.   A “Disruptive Student Complaint” should be filed with the Dean of Students ASAP.  Campus security should be called whenever a threat is perceived.  Keep record(s) of incident(s).  Syllabi should have behavior and civility expectations clearly stated.  Contact either C. Tetrault or C. Mathison if any questions.  Do not meet with Adminstrator(s) by yourself and don’t put anything in writing to a 3rd party.
  • MTA is expected to send attorney to visit the campus during Spring Break to assess the asbestos situation.
  • Board of Higher Ed and MCCC reached an agreement on defining Critical Thinking Intensive courses.  If a course qualifies it would mean a reduction in class size to a maximum of 28.  A committee has been formed to discuss the implementation of the guidelines at STCC.  (C. Tetrault, S. Keller, N. Rapoport, M. Foss, L. Kleindienst)
  • This year there are more MTA delegate nominations than there are allotted slots for MCCC.  It is a real election.
  • C. Tetrault announced she is retiring at the end of this academic year!
     

Grievance Coordinator, C. Mathison

  • Business Dept evaluations are complete and IT should be done soon.
     
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  • Workload issues continue to present problems.  Ad Hoc committee is to be formed to try to come up with some possible solutions.
  • Seniority problems have come out in the Professional Staff appeals procedure.  Anyone who perceives a problem should contact C. Mathison.  Deadline for Professional staff appeals is March 14, 2002.
  • Faculty documents should be mailed soon with the appeals process commencing shortly after that.
  • Carol noted that with the financial crisis professional staff might be asked to take on advisees or may have work loaded on to them.  This is a contractual issue.  Contact Carol or Carolyn.
  • Market update to the Classification Study probably due out April.   However, once dispersal has been made on the update, it is unlikely there will be funds left for the additional 3%.  The merit fund is even more questionable.
  • Presidents feel that the overall classification has too many grades for professional staff.
     
    Strategic Action Coordinator, Sandra Cutler
  • Campus wide rally to be held March 13th  to protest state budget cuts. MassPIRG will run a voter registration table; A. Scibelli will speak, along with S. Cutler, and number of students.  Petitions and sample letters to send to state legislators will also be available.
  • April 9 will be a lobby day in Boston.  Fifteen representatives from each campus will go the state house.
  • There will be no legislative breakfast this spring.
  • Faculty and Staff should be writing to their newspapers and legislators.  Faculty are encouraged to have teach ins with their students so that students are knowledgeable about the impact of the budget cuts.
     
    MCCC Report, C. Tetrault
  • PCA & MCCC agreed on contract.
  • No position has been taken on the governor’s race.
  • Web master stipend vote due in March.
  • Looks like MCCC will purchase a business condo.  This is a good move from an investment perspective while stabilizing the main office facility.
  • MCCC may not be funding any delegates to NEA.
     
    Business/Discussion items:
  • Contract Negotiations committee has been meeting.
  • Under Article XIX of the current contract no one can be hired to fill a position that has been retrenched.   However, if a faculty member has taught in another subject area he/she would build up seniority and perhaps could be placed in that area if his/her current position was eliminated.
  • Multiple statewide and campus elections were discussed.  C. Tetrault discussed self-nomination , forms and ballots, and election procedures.   Members were encouraged to fun for office or as delegates to MCCC Delegate Assembly, MTA Annual, and NEA-RA.

Motion to Adjourn:  2:50PM  D. Johnson, M. Woble-Valenski.  Passed 

Secretary, Lynn Kleindienst

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