MCCC Home | Year Index | 1993 Index

In This Issue:

• Administrative Raises
• ACUP Formed
• Early Retirement Bill

Administrative Raises:

Increased Responsibilities, Increased Pay

For at least the second time in three years, the trustees at Bunker Hill Community College have approved pay raises for selected administrators. For some this will be their second raise, all rationalized under the humbuggery of management's convenient phrase "increased responsibilities."

Just this past September, the trustees at Quinsigamond Community College approved a ten percent raise for 14 administrators. Last month the trustees at Massasoit Community College justified salary increases to a few administrators for "increased responsibilities," and recently Governor Weld gave hefty raises to some in his administration, including three staffers who received an increase of $10,000 each for "increased responsibilities."

Some of these raises for "increased responsibilities" may be merited, but one wonders what "responsibilities" these administrators had when they were making $58,000 or $63,000 per year. In addition, to keep everything "even," these administrators also received the recent six percent increase and will receive between a two and a ten percent increase in June. (Since the union employees will be receiving a seven percent increase in June, a projected seven percent increase also is being used for the administrators cited below.)

Symptomatic of the "increased responsibilities" syndrome is Bunker Hill Community College. For example:

John Murphy has changed jobs. He is no longer the Executive Assistant to the President. He is the Special Assistant to the President. His salary has increased from $59,280 to $64,480. Add in the six percent in December, and, to be moderate, a 7 percent increase in June, and his salary will be around $73,000, an increase of approximately $13,700 or 23 percent for "increased responsibilities," all within a six-month period.

Jan Jefgood has received his second raise in less than three years. The former Dean of Finance is now Dean of Finance (Fiscal Advisor to President). The parenthesis go with the title change, and his salary has gone from $51,824 to $59,000. Add in the legislative increase, and his salary will be close to $67,000, an increase of over $15,000 (29 percent) in six months for "increased responsibilities."

William Craft has changed jobs. The once Vice President of Planning and External Resources is now Vice President of Planning and Economic Development. His salary will go from $65,182 to approximately $77,600, a 19 percent increase for "increased responsibilities."

Maurice O'Shea, Vice President of Human Resources becomes Vice President for Organizational Development with his salary going from $65,182 to approximately $77,600(19 percent) for "increased responsibilities" at the college. Mary Prove (second raise), Director of Personnel is now Director of Human Resources with a salary adjustment for "increased responsibilities." Her salary of $44,152 will increase to approximately $52,400, about an $8,000 or 19 percent increase for "increased responsibilities."

Robert Ross, Assistant Dean of Academic and Student Affairs has become the Associate Deal? of Academic and Student Affairs. The change of one word, "Assistant" to "Associate," will move Mr. Ross from $50,726 to approximately $60,000, a 19 percent increase for Increased responsibilities."

William Sakamoto, (second raise) Director of Academic Support Services, is now Assistant Dean, Academic Support Services. His salary will move from $50,290 to nearly $59,000, a 17 percent increase for "increased responsibilities."

Lucy W. Lui was hired in June, 1992 as Staff Assistant, Executive Office at $34,000. Six months later she was promoted to Assistant to the President, given permanent status, and a $6,000 raise. In June her salary will be approximately $45,000, a 33 percent increase in one year. All for "increased responsibilities!"

The money for these raises comes from the maintenance account. By June, Bunker Hill's college president will have found over $124,000 from his maintenance account for these administrators alone. He has given eight administrators substantial raises, but he will not find $20,355 to fund 35 unit members' promotions from 1989.

ACUP Formed

In February, the MCCC Board of Directors voted to form an Action Committee on Unfunded Promotions (ACUP). Presently five college presidents appear to have refused to fund the promotions from their maintenance account. The colleges are Bunker Hill, Cape Cod, Quinsigamond, Roxbury, and Springfield (STCC). Their position is that the money should come from the legislature. or. if no money comes from the legislature, then the colleges should have the option of funding or not funding the promotions. Is this a harbinger of upcoming negotiations? Is one of these presidents coming to the table to get local options in the contract? Are "local options" a form of union busting?

The unfunded promotions were approved by the colleges over three years ago. When bargaining ended on December 24, 1990, the MCCC decided that since there was so little money in the salary settlement, it was better to give everyone a 1 3 percent raise rather than to use part of the money to pay for promotions. To that effect, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed and incorporated into the contract. When Governor Dukakis failed to submit the funding bill and when Governor Weld refused to submit the funding bill, then cost issues went back to the table for bargaining. Since the MCCC already had been in fact finding, both parties continued the fact finding process over the four unresolved cost items - salary, promotions, health and welfare trust fund contributions, and mileage and meals expense increases. The fact finder recommended increases in all cost items and wrote, "It is unconscionable that the authorized and promised promotions have not been funded since 1989." The arguments used by some presidents to justify not funding the promotions are two: I. The legislature should fund the promotions, and 2. The union gave the promotions away in the contract. Both arguments are easily disputed since presidents funded non-unit salary increases (with no guarantee of getting the money back) and some presidents funded administrative "increased responsibilities" raises from the maintenance accounts. That the legislature should fund these promotions or that the union gave the promotions away seems to be a rationalization for "local options." Ironically, while all this has been going on, the state college presidents returned to the table twice and agreed to fund all the outstanding promotions from 1989 through 1993. ACUP will be working with chapters and the MCCC negotiating teams in helping to have these promotions funded. Upon request from ACUP, MCCC President Tom Parsons has written to the Presidents' Council requesting to be put on their agenda for their March 23 meeting at U. Mass. in Dartmouth. The parties return to the table to continue bargaining over the promotions on March 24, 1993.

Hold those ballots

All unit members will be receiving a ballot in the mail for the MTA statewide elections for the NEA Representative Assembly and NEA Director (Ernest Therrien). Therrien is running for his last term as NEA Director, the first person from higher education elected as one of Massachusetts' four directors. In addition, you will be voting to send delegates from Region H (higher education region) to the NEA Delegate Assembly. A number of candidates from the community colleges are running. If they are elected statewide (MTA provides funding), then more delegates can be elected from the MCCC.

* Since these promotions would be effective as of November 28, 1992, the colleges' cost this year is only for seven months of the promotions. Like administrative raises, the continuing cost would have to be provided for in next year's budget.

Do You Know Where They Are?

All female faculty and professional staff who are part of the equity suit settlement should have received a correspondence from Attorney Betty A. Gittes. A number of letters, however, have been returned, address unknown. In the next couple of issues of the Newsletter, an updated list will be printed of women who need to be contacted. If anyone knows anyone one this list, please contact her and ask her to call Attorney Gittes.

Berkshire
Judith Aronow; Kristina Cimini; Susan Quinland-Brown

Bunker Hill
Patricia Brown; Cheryl Holmes; Lobna Ismal-Kronamer; Molly
Leong; Pamela Perkins-Johnson

Mass. Bay
Ann Marie Clougherty; Sharon H. Dunn; Susan M. Santucci

Middlesex
Geraldine Dansky

No. Shore
Marguerite Gerstell

Roxbury
Carol Camlin; Adrienne Scott

Springfield
Nancy Santaniello; Estate of Marion A. Watkins

For years July 1, 1990 to June 30, 1992, Massachusetts ranked 48th in the country for percentage increase in state appropriations in higher education. (State Policy Research, Inc. Vol. 10 Issue 21)

Whose Courses Are They?

In the fall of 1992, Salem State College began offering courses at No. Essex Community College during the evenings and on weekends. These courses were offered without notice or bargaining over the impact that offering these courses would have on our unit members at No. Essex. Also, many of the Salem State College courses appeared to duplicate courses offered by No. Essex thus creating a competitive situation for student enrollment. The MCCC fled charges with the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission (MLRC). Subsequent to the charge being filed, an agreement was reached which provides that the charge will be placed in abeyance, and the college will impact bargain with the MCCC concerning this matter. The outcome of these meetings will be reported to the membership as this practice of allowing other colleges onto our campuses to offer courses which parallel ours can have far reaching implications for all DCE faculty members.

VOTE Board Elects Community College Director

The political arm of the MTA, the Voice of Teachers in Education (VOTE) Board has elected to its Board Coner Johnston from Massasoit Community College to represent Congressional District 8. This is the first time a community college person has been elected to this Board. VOTE is responsible for raising monies to help endorsed candidates get elected and to vote on endorsements on behalf of the MTA. With an endorsement from VOTE, candidates are entitled to a letter of support sent to MTA members in a candidate's district as well as small contributions and volunteers.

Early Retirement Bill Out of Committee

The Public Service Committee released Rep. Kevin Blanchette's version of the early retirement bill which he fled last year. Attached to the bill is Sen. Stanley Rosenberg's early retirement bill. When a number of bills are filed concerning the same issue, the committee usually releases the main bill which it supports and attaches all the other bills. This, evidently, prevents someone from substituting one of these bills for the bill the committee favors. The early retirement bill has gone to House Ways and Means to be costed out. Both bills have the added five years of age or five years of service, or a combination not to exceed five years. Blanchette's bill is closest to the early retirement bill which passed last year and the one higher education prefers with some changes. Rosenberg's bill, on the other hand, has one good feature -a selection of dates for retirement, but treats our December pay raise as a bonus not applicable to our salary for retirement purposes and makes the colleges pay the differential cost of retirement and health insurance. Neither bill discusses any details on the application process. Though the Retirement Board would establish the process, the people who testified clearly indicated that some kind of mechanism for application such as seniority by credible service in the system was necessary. The 1500 cap, however, appears to be sufficient to allow everyone who is interested in retiring to do so. It is expected that the governor will sign only a revenue-neutral bill; therefore, this bill has a long way to go before it is law. For those employees contemplating retirement, remember that the salary increase you receive in June can only be used on your base for the amount of time you had the money in your pocket. In other words, if you were to retire as of August 31, 1993, you would only get two months worth of the remaining 7.2% salary increase credited to your retirement, not an entire year.

Attention ESL Faculty And Coordinators

The MCCC has made a proposal at the Joint Study Committee (labor/management committee) to translate the student evaluations into various languages. We are, however, having a difficult time getting a list of languages for translation from the college administrations. The MCCC needs to have the languages spoken on each campus for which a translation is necessary. Please take a few minutes and list the languages and send to MCCC Grievance Coordinator Dennis Fitzgerald.

Looking for a Job The number of vacancies within the community colleges is expanding, and this information is easily accessible. If your do not have a Hayes compatible modem, someone on your campus will. Vacancies can be read directly from the screen, or they can be downloaded and printed at your terminal. To access the BulIetin Board system, dial 1-800-523-8883(1200 or 2400 baud, 8 data bits; 1 Stop, NONE parity). Follow the prompts, When you first logon, you will be asked a few questions. After that, last and first name and password are all that are needed. Once on, any questions about bulletin board go to Ron Miller (1-508-653-7244), the SYSop, either through the bulletin board or by calling him. Once on the main menu, Select [B]. You can now access Community College Vacancies (HIEDVAC).

Know Your Contract

Mar. 29	Part-time faculty student evaluations
Mar. 30	Department chair evaluations
Mar. 30	Faculty submit preferred schedule and courses
Mar. 31	Department chair vacancies announced
Apr. 5	Dean's leave of absence recommendations for Fall, 1993
Apr. 6	Fall sabbatical recommendations from president
Apr. 15	Dean's tenure recommendations
Apr. 15	Title changes announced

N.B. Dates may vary depending on first day of classes. Also, most of these dates are "last date" standards.
In many instances, the action can he accomplished before the date indicated.