Union notes from Union / Management Meeting

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 February 6, 2014

Present – Michael Abraham, Prince Charles Alexander, Dennis Cecere, Peggy Codding, Peter Cokkinias, Beth Denisch, Marti Epstein, Rich Grudzinski, Jonathan Holland, Teodros Kiros, Jeff Perry, Wendy Rolfe, Jackson Schultz, Jeri Sykes, and Will Silvio.

Management – Larry Simpson, Kari Juusela, Matt Marvuglio, Darla Hanley, Jeanine Cowan, Chris Connors, Camille Colatosti, Maria Bradley, Cindy Link, Carin Nuernberg, Jim Ricciuti

1. Larry opened the meeting.

2. Berklee Fund – Cindy Link and Jim Ricciuti are here to discuss the concept of faculty contributions to the Berklee Fund. “More than a Job” campaign – encouraging faculty and staff to have donations taken out of their check. In the past there has not been a specific program to do this and we would like to get this started – participation can be at any level. 35 faculty currently are contributing to this fund.

Currently, faculty are not mentioned in the vision for 2025, is there a capital campaign dedicated to faculty 

Larry: Dave Mash is going around to all departments and soliciting input from faculty for the vision.

Cindy: we are currently looking at all the options but our needs outweigh our participation – this is one reason to proceed with this. The future of the school relies on faculty.

Jackson: One possibility is allowing the faculty to choose where the money will go. Will that be possible?

Jim R.: the Berklee Fund is our main target, any contribution will help students, but we want to educate on unrestricted contributions. We want to avoid the top down approach.

Jackson: make the process transparent; mention specific scholarships, and maybe the Berklee Fund can be the catchall.

Cindy: the Berklee Fund is like a checkbook for scholarships. We have several endowed funds that are already in use.

This may not go well, the faculty is 60% part-time, and could be construed as if I contribute, I may get an edge to become FT, and if not, I will lose my edge. This is something that needs to be considered.

What about the possibility of an endowed scholarship in faculty members’ names? Or a general faculty endowed scholarship?

 

    3. Study Groups – The College and Faculty Union Executive Committee agree to the creation of five study groups.

       

      • Each group shall be comprised of 6-7 members – three administration representatives and 3-4 faculty members.  The Faculty Union Executive Committee shall identify faculty members for each group; the Provost will identify administrative members for each group.  To provide broad participation and diversity of viewpoints, an individual may only be a member of one group.
      • Each group will include co-chairs, one administration representative and one faculty member.
      • Each group will begin meeting as soon after February 6 as possible and meet during the Spring 2014 semester with the goal of completing work by end of Spring 2014 semester.  Should a group not conclude work by the end of the spring semester, it will not meet during the summer, but will reconvene in Fall 2014 semester.  All work will be completed by the end of Fall 2014 semester. 
      • As much as is feasible, study group meetings will occur on Thursdays, 1:00-2:00 pm, except for the first Thursday of the month (which is the regular college and faculty union executive committee meeting time).  Given prior commitments on Thursdays from 1:00-2:00 pm, it is expected that a group would not meet more than two times on Thursdays from 1:00-2:00 pm during a particular month.  Meetings will be convened by the administrative co-chair with input from the faculty co-chair as to meeting times.  The specific meeting schedule of a group will be determined by the co-chairs with input from group members.
      • Each group is advisory to the Provost and will create a report, which may include recommendations, to be delivered to Provost. 
      • Full-time faculty who serve on a group will receive appropriate credit for service to the college.  Part-time faculty who serve on a group will receive their hourly rate for meetings attended. 

      Faculty Health Care Study Group

      The Faculty Health Care Study Group will explore issues of concern related to faculty health, including education and practices on ways to contain health care costs. 

                  Phil Lima, co-chair            Wendy Rolfe (PT), co-chair

                  Lily Krentzman                 Peter Cokkinias

                  Kim Perlak                       Jeannie Gagne (PT)

                                                        Bob Lada (PT)

      Boston Graduate Programs Study Group

      The Boston Graduate Programs Study Group will explore issues related to the offering of graduate programs on the Boston campus that will begin in 2015.

                  Camille Colatosti, co-chair            Beth Denisch, co-chair

                  Cecil Adderley                             Peggy Codding

                  Diane Richardson                        Rick Dimuzio (PT)

                                                                   Jonathan Holland

      Code of Conduct Policy Study Group

      The Code of Conduct Policy Study Group will explore issues of concern and ways to enhance education of faculty and administration of the College’s Code of Conduct, Workplace Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy for Faculty, and Fraternization Policy for Faculty, including recommendations from the Office of Civil Rights and compliance changes required by Violence Against Women Act to be enacted in 2014.

                  Eileen Alviti, co-chair            Christine Fawson (PT), co-chair

                  Toni Blackwell                      Marti Epstein

                  Allan Chase                          Jeri Sykes

                                                            Omar Thomas (PT)

      EthicsPoint Hotline Study Group

      The EthicsPoint Hotline Study Group will explore issues of concern and ways to enhance education of the Berklee community in regard to, and administration and application of, the EthicsPoint hotline. 

                  Chris Connors, co-chair            Jackson Schultz, co-chair

                  Stefanie Henning                     Teodros Kiros

                  Michael Mason                         David Scott

      On-line Teaching Study Group

      The On-line Teaching Study Group will explore issues relevant to on-line teaching of undergraduate and graduate studies at Berklee.

                  Carin Nuernberg, co-chair            Ross Bresler, co-chair

                  Jay Barnes                                  Michael Abraham

                  Roberta Radley                            Prince Charles Alexander

                                                                    Dennis Cecere

      Each group will set up the meetings, targeting Thursday at 1 as a meeting time, since EC members will be available.

      The intent is to not meet every week; Union-Management will be first Thursday, the second and third Thursday for MOU groups, with the final Thursday for full EC.

         

        4. Snow day yesterday – yes we did the right thing. Caf is open, dorms are open,

          Practice rooms are available, etc. Jeanine sent out a note regarding remote methodologies to communicate with students. The second e-mail clarified that this is not mandatory.

          Later this semester, Monday becomes a Wednesday; we will be looking at changing that.