Bristol Community College Council

A Chapter of the MCCC

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October 2016 Meeting

10-31-2016

Faculty/Staff Lounge G Building, Fall River Remote locations in NB and Attleboro 57 participants in Fall River, 2 in New Bedford

  1. Call to Order

President Chris Hoeth called the meeting to order at 2:07pm

  1. Motion to accept agenda (Sowa/Condon). Three abstentions.  Motion
  2. Minutes from October 3rd BrCCC Chapter meetings unanimously Accepted
  3. Nominations and Elections Report by Autumn Alden:

 

Election Results:

Four hundred eighty-five (485) invitations to vote were sent out to dues paying members of the MCCC based on information gathered October 16 from MCCC databases.  Voters were not categorized as in the spring.

 

Two hundred ten (210) ballots were returned, which represents voter turnout of 42.9%.  For comparison, in the spring election voter turnout was 41.9%.

 

President

158 votes for Susan McCourt (75.2%)

52 votes for Ely Dorsey (24.8%)

 

Treasurer

201 votes for Julie Jodoin-Krauzyk (100%)

 

  1. Motion to Accept Results from Chapter Election (Robillard/Avedikian). One abstention. Motion Passed.
  2. New President of BrCCC Susan McCourt presided over remainder of meeting. Chris Hoeth resumed elected position of Vice President.

 

  1. Executive Committee Report:
  2. President Susan McCourt:
    • Thank you: Election candidates: Ely Dorsey, Julie Jodoin-Krauzyk, Nominations and Elections Committee members, Autumn Alden (Chair), Dan Avedikian and Sharon Pero. Thanks to Executive Committee who have welcomed me and helped me get up to speed.
    • I intend to have open and organized meetings with all members having a chance to participate fully and have their concerns heard. Meetings will be on task with time allotted for new items by members.
    • Thanks to Anne Silva, who has agreed to serve as our Anne is adjunct faculty in Division V.
    • Thanks also to our members who have volunteered to serve on committees this year. These committee members and chairs have been approved by the Executive Committee:
      1. By-Laws: Catherine Adamowicz (Chair), Autumn Alden, Ely Dorsey, Paulette Howarth, Susan McCourt (ex officio)
      2. DCE MACER: Susan McCourt (Chair), Ravitha Amarasingham, Ely Dorsey, Chris Hoeth, Paul Robillard
      3. Distance Education: Maureen Sowa (Chair), Joanne Breault, Mario Garcia-Rios, Alejandro Latinez, Tahais Real-Martins
      4. Health and Safety: Deborah Palumbo (Chair), Carol Constantine, Kelli Hiller, Joyce Moore, Susan McCourt (ex officio)
      5. Grievance (ad hoc): Paulette Howarth (Chair), Autumn Alden, Debra Anderson, Susan McCourt (ex officio)
    • An Adjunct Faculty Forum is being planned. If you want to participate in the planning, please let us know.
    • We also intend to have a workshop on the new contracts after we receive them. Stay tuned.

 

  1. Chapter Director, Mary Rapien:
  • Part Time Day employees have not received raise. If not in Nov 7th pay check, please let me know.
  • No word yet on state retroactive pay for Day Contract.
  • Day Contracts should be printed today
  • There is a Statewide DCE Contract Support Team made up of 5 members, each representing 3 regions. Our region: Bristol CC, Massasoit, and Cape Cod CC. We don’t yet have a representative.  Please let Mary know if you are interested.
  • DCE Bargaining: MCCC did not cede ground rules; this will be an Open Bargaining Process. Initial proposals: Adjunct faculty should have access to arbitration, free parking spaces, office space and Professional Development opportunities.  An update should be available soon.
  • The feeling at MCCC Board meetings: contentious, not always friendly. Meetings are open; members can attend as guests.
  • Statewide Adjuncts Committee: some campuses want to send Full Time faculty who teach under DCE contract to meetings. President Yohe interprets the bylaw to mean only Adjunct Faculty should participate in these meetings.
  • Motion: The BrCCC supports that the Adjunct Committee should be made up of adjuncts only; no full time members (Rapien/Hoeth).
  • Discussion: The language of bylaws should be read. President McCourt read the language of MCCC bylaws: One member selected by each chapter to serve a one-year term. The chapter may select an alternate to attend meetings when the member cannot attend. The committee shall be chaired by an adjunct appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

            Motion passed.  6 Abstentions.

 

  1. Grievance Coordinator, Paulette Howarth:

 

 

Reminder: Members have 30 days to file grievances.

 

  1. Strategic Action Coordinator, Ron Weisberger:
  • Motion to send of letter of Thanks to Donnie McGee for her many years of service as part of SAC (Weisberger/Robillard). Motion Passed.
  • Reminder: No on 2 Campaign needs volunteers and support.
  • We should thank Senator Rodrigues, and Representatives Fiola, Schmid and Silvia for their support in getting the Day Contract funded.

 

  1. Adjunct Representative, Ely Dorsey
  • At the Statewide Adjuncts Committee meeting it was proposed to the MCCC Board of Directors that the Committee should have another meeting in November or December.
  • All of the representatives to the Statewide Adjuncts Meeting expressed that the relationship between adjunct and full time faculty is lousy; many adjuncts don’t feel union supports adjuncts. We need to acknowledge the schism exists.
  • We must adopt a policy on electronic voting on important union issues so that Adjunct Faculty can participate. The union secretary can get out the information/unbiased summaries of issues for all to consider.

 

  1. Professional Staff Representative, Deb Palumbo
  • E7 workloads are not followed, resulting in classification appeals.

 

  1. Treasurer, Julie Jodoin-Krauzyk:
  • Meeting with David Henry recently, focusing on stipends for Officers and Reimbursements for Staff.
  • Will give update at next meeting.

 

  • New Business:
  • Concern over Greg Sethares’ email about process for assigning DCE courses: does new process mean that faculty with more seniority are given consideration for courses that they do not have most skills for (example, art courses)? There is concern about a rotating system.
  • Chairs can make suggestions to Deans about assignment of courses
  • Statewide MOA that has not yet been signed yet regarding violation of DCE Seniority list. Result: grievances.
  • Concern about divisive language regarding Adjunct and Full Time faculty relationships. Response:  Division is real;  many adjuncts feel isolated. Although Adjuncts pay union dues, the MCCC gave different privileges to different units.  Example: Adjuncts not allowed to vote on Department matters.

 

  1. Meeting Adjournment:

   President McCourt adjourned the meeting at 3:00pm

 

Respectfully submitted, Colleen Avedikian, BrCCC Secretary