Throughout negotiations, summary reports will be added to the Negotiations page of this website for future reference.
Meeting #4
Attending:
FA: Loveland, Lynch, Shepard, Walz
Admin: Allen, Behan, Behnke, Berchtold, Fedorchak, Losinger
We caucused for 15 minutes at the beginning of the session.
Formal negotiations began at 1:20.
- Suzanne presented a set of PowerPoints on Appointment and Promotion intended to demonstrate that the process is thorough, rigorous, peer-supervised and evidence-based. The point is that we do not need increased involvement of the EVP/CAO in the process. She provided the Administrative team with hard copies and at Regina’s request will send them a soft copy.
- Mike then explained that our process of gathering information has revealed a concern about quality among our members.
- He said, “So we are trying to find a way to amplify that voice of our people. That concern for quality has carried over into many of the areas in our proposal. So proposals about distance learning and class size and enrollment numbers are all coming from that place. How do we assure our folks that in a time when other concerns are overwhelming quality that such will not be the case here? We want to preserve what we pride ourselves in and think you share that value.”
- He noted that with regard to class size we are trying to democratize the departments. The College seems to value democratization as demonstrated through shared governance, etc.
- Mike said, “So there may be many ways to address this. But that is what we are looking for.”
- Regina responded, “The President wants faculty to have a voice and be heard, although he may decide differently.”
- Mike stated, “There’s always the budgetary considerations. We do not want to trade quality for dollars. We get it. But there is concern about what’s coming and how that might interfere with what we want to be.”
- Regina said, “Regarding class sizes: There has been a change on who can change class size in Banner. Only Marty can change class size. So chairs have lost that.”
- Mike asked why.
- Fred said he had not been told about this.
- Regina said she would research.
At that point we took a break to caucus.
Negotiations resumed at 2:10.
- Mike thanked them for the prescription formulary and began a discussion on the healthcare issues. There was an extended conversation between Mike and Tom about how our members do or do not benefit from the current and proposed plans. At the end of the discussion the picture still was not clear to us.
- Mike thanked them and asked again for the utilization information.
- Regina thanked us for our input and said she would discuss with Francis.
We plan to meet on Wednesday, June 3, at 1:00.
Adjourned at 2:40.
Respectfully submitted,
Suzanne V. Shepard, Ph.D.
Member, Faculty Association Negotiating Team
SUNY Broome Community College 