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Day and DCE

Members Ratify Contracts

On February 7, 1996, full-time and DCE members ratified the two MCCC contracts covering full and part time faculty and professional staff and DCE faculty (See vote results in table below.).

Within the next couple of weeks, the MCCC and its employer, the Higher Education Coordinating Council (HECC), will execute the agreement. Once executed, HECC will submit the cost items to the governor for his submission to the legislature for funding for the full-time employees.

The increases for full-time faculty and professional staff should be in the pay- checks in early spring provided there are no stumbling blocks along the way. Regardless of when the money appears, the 2.5% increase is retroactive to July, 1995.

There are no details as yet as to the process for the educational needs money.

For part-time unit professionals and DCE unit members, the contractual increases should be in the paychecks as soon as the colleges have adjusted their payrolls. The increases should be reflected in the March or April paychecks.

Since the classification process will begin soon after execution of the contract, all unit members are strongly urged to make sure their personnel files are up to date and all evaluations are complete.

Candidates for President

Susan Dole, Counselor Bunker Hill Comm. College My involvement with the Community Colleges and the MCCC spans the past 17 years. I, like many of you, intend to spend the next many years of my professional life doing what I love to do, working in a community college. Together, we, have ensured thousands of students of a tremendous opportunity at success. I know the difficulties and challenges that you are facing. We have been together in the past: on the picket lines, at the HECC Board, at the Presidents' Council, and in the halls and offices of the State House. However, this election is not about the past but the future. We share a vision. We must ensure that our interests are protected throughout the entire reclassification process, that part-time members have priority for full-time positions, that DCE wages will figure into our retirement benefits, that the next contracts move us forward, and that our chapters are supported. This shared vision has grown from our conversations over the past four years as I crisscrossed the state visiting your campuses. It has been pleasure to have served as your Vice President, and I would be honored to be your choice as the next MCCC President.

Abe Sherf Professor Chairman History, Government, Economics No. Shore Comm. College Our union faces serious issues. In order to succeed we must incorporate innovate approaches. My years of involvement in both public higher education and business will help us develop the strategies necessary for the successful attainment of our goals. With your support, as President I will institute aggressive policies that will serve the best interests of our faculty and professional staff; full time, part time and DCE. My attention will be directed towards: Implementing the new Day and DCE agreements and securing the members' equity in the classification process; Improving and updating the governing structure of the MCCC through centralization; Continuing coordinator and cooperation with the MTA and all of its divisions to assure that our members get optimal services; Working towards a political resolution that will allow the MCCC to bargain in good faith with its employer without intervention of the governor or Administration and Finance; Beginning the necessary membership organization to start the next round of negotiations as soon as possible; and Development a cohesive and inclusive political action strategy to thwart those individuals who want to privatize and diminish the integrity of public higher education in Massachusetts. Your support will enable us to attain these goals.

Candidates for Vice President

Jim Bradley Professor of Psychology No. Essex Comm. College As a candidate for Vice President of the MCCC I believe my record has prepared me to assume the responsibilities of this office. I began my teaching career at Northern Essex Community College in 1975. For the past twenty years as a member of the Behavioral Science Department I have served as: Department Chair, Unit Personnel Practices Committee Chair, Member of Sexual Harassment Policy Committee, alternate to All College Finance Committee and many other ad hoc committees. My Union leadership experience includes: Previous positions: Day Negotiating Team member 80-83 contract; President of Local, six terms; Vice President of Local, three terms; Secretary of Local, two terms. Current positions: Chairperson DCE Negotiating Team; MCCC board member; Local Grievance Officer; MACER member. As we approach our 25th year as a Union we are proud of the gains that we have made for our membership. We will move forward building on those successes knowing that we must: reaffirm the fact that our work as professionals deserves dignity and respect. promote the concept of equal pay for equal work. create ongoing collaborative linkage with locals. guarantee locals have full support from MCCC/MTA/NEA. actively engage in political action to advance the needs of higher ed. move towards true proration for part-time and DCE unit members. Jim Bradley, proud to be Union!

Christina Coolidge Assistant Librarian Mt. Wachusett Community College With our contracts finalized, 1 will work with each one of you to accomplish three goals during the next two years: The implementation of a classification program which properly acknowledges and rewards the work of our less senior members; The creation of more opportunities for everyone outside the central leadership to play a direct role in the growth and strength of our union; The prosecution of a unified community college agenda on Beacon Hill through continuous conversations with legislators and by active, overt and visible work by each of us in the upcoming state elections. Many of us anticipate teaching (we are in fact all teachers) for another twenty or more years. Our union must focus upon the long-term health and growth of all fifteen community colleges, and the need to reeducation, rearm and reenergize ourselves to teach the increasingly diverse range of future students. We must work with the College Presidents to ensure that the Governor, the Legislature, the media and the public do more than spout slogans about the two-year schools being the "backbone of the system", while simultaneously demeaning public employees. With your assistance we can forge a responsible future for our students and ourselves.

Phil Mahler, Professor of Math and Computer Science Middlesex Comm. College Veteran U.S. Navy, teacher since 1972, active in MCCC since hired 1982. MCCC Director first 1984, Executive Committee since 1992. Chapter President first 1987. Chaired successful CPR Campaign to fund 1990-1993 Agreement, and successful Unfunded Promotions Campaign, 1993. Serve on Day Negotiations Team since 1993. John Butler Award, 1993. Proven leadership, proven commitment. A voice for faculty and professional staff, full and part time. Hard working, efficient, task-oriented. Highlights of my agenda: The new day Agreement presents the opportunity to have a contract that provides fairness now, and career progression for the future, but it will take able leadership to achieve its full potential. For part-time employees I have already initiated exploring the opportunity to participate in a health plan, and I want increased recognition as valued members of the college community. In general I want to: explore ways of dealing with management in a cooperative, productive way; lead effective political action when needed; proselytize for the essential services that the community colleges provide for the Commonwealth, and the excellent job that our unit members do for the community colleges; increase inclusion of our membership when exploring new directions and setting policies.

Candidate for Treasurer

Roger Dufresne Professor of Accounting No. Essex Comm. College

I am seeking election to another term as your Treasurer and I would appreciate your vote in the upcoming election. This year I have the benefit of seeking election without opposition. Nevertheless, I do not want to take the election or your vote for granted. The fact that I am running unopposed is an indication that you believe I am doing a good job as your Treasurer.

Since I have assumed the rule of Treasurer in 1992 the MCCC has steadily grown from approximately 4,950 names in our database to over 8,600 now, an increase of nearly 75 percent. Most of this growth has been within the DCE unit and the control over dues assessment and collection rests entirely within the office of the Treasurer. Under my guidance the MCCC has created, by far, the most sophisticated accounting and database system in Massachusetts education for this purpose.

With these facts in mind, please consider a vote for me as your Treasurer when you complete your ballot. I would like to continue to enact policy that will impart our careers and future as well as refine our accounting and database systems to better serve the membership.

Candidates for Secretary

Phyllis Barrett Professor of English Holyoke Community College Being secretary of a board is not a glamorous job. 1 know that from my years in that role at the Western Massachusetts Girl Scout Council. But it is an important job. The minutes of meetings record the path and progress of an organization. They should be accurate and meaningful, even when consulted years later. The correspondence of the board represents the organization and its members to the public. It should be flawless. A Ph.D. in English and twenty-four years of badgering students to clean up their thinking, spelling, and punctuation makes me a likely suspect for this position. Perhaps I am a likely suspect for union leadership as well. I am a fourth generation union worker. Few families will be able to make that boast in the future unless unions adapt to new times. At Holyoke, I have worked to change the dynamic of association/administration relations. As a member of the executive committee, I will urge the MCCC to take the lead in moving labor, management, and government towards the adoption of the European model of cooperation among these sectors. I look forward to raising my voice as well as my pen--or word processor!--in the service to the MCCC.

Donald Williams Professor of English No. Shore Comm. College I am running for MCCC Secretary because we need fresh ideas at the statewide level. The changing political realities require changes in how we "push" our issues. I will be a voice for new and creative actions to advance our agenda. Since 1979 1 have been teaching literature, composition, and technical writing full time. Additionally, I have taught technical and business writing for eight years at UMass./Lowell part time. 1 have also been a training consultant and contract writer. An active MCCC member for 13 years, I have been involved in many activities including committees like MACER, coordinating political action, and editing the chapter newsletter. I was Chapter Secretary for five years and Chapter President for the last five years. My background gives me the perspective of both full- and part-time faculty. My industrial experience gives the ability to see solutions that may not ordinarily occur to educators. The MCCC will continue to face assaults from several fronts. We will need a creative and effective team to take us to a new era. I ant to be on the new team to protect what we have achieved in the past and to find new ways to advance the careers of all our members.

Editor's Note: All candidates have been listed alphabetically.

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Know Your Contract

Feb. 22	New full and part time hire list to MCCC
Feb. 23	Course materials evaluated
Mar. 3	Fall leave of absence applications due
Mar. 3	Fall Sabbatical Committee recommendations due
Mar. 15	Dean's title change recommendations due
Mar. 15	Unit Personnel Practice Committee's tenure recommendations due

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.

MCCC Newsletter Editor: Catherine A. Boudreau MCCC/MTA Newsletter 20 Ashburton Place Boston, MA 02108

The MCCC Newsletter is a publication of the Massachusetts Community College Council. The Newsletter is intended to be an information source for the members of the MCCC and for other interested parties. The material in this publication may be reprinted with the acknowledgment of its source. For further information on issues discussed in this publication, contact Catherine Boudreau, Massasoit Community College, Brockton, MA 02402.

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