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Newly elected MCCC President Susan Dole delivered her inaugural speech at the MCCC Delegate Assembly and began by saying, "1 appreciate your vote of confidence in my ability to lead our outstanding, dynamic and tenacious organization."

She went on to say that the newly elected leadership team was talented and creative and that, "We will work together to shape the future of our union."

Dole, who has served as MCCC vice president for the last four years, outlined the concepts and themes of her new administration. "First we must affirm the integrity of the contracts and must be in the forefront of political action. The bottom line is that we must be part of the solution."

She went on to indicate several priorities the union must follow for a successful future.

• The classification study and reclassification system must secure the maximum financial benefits for union members.
• All members, full and part-time, must have access to all benefits.
• An effort by the DCE Retirement Committee to explore the possibility of folding DCE wages into the salary base for retirement benefits.

She said that, "I will appoint a Fiscal Monitoring Committee to examine college budgets. The MCCC will also establish measurable objectives for conflict resolutions," and Dole added that if they don't work, "let's do something different. Remember," she said, "that the definition of insanity is to keep on doing the same thing and expect different results."

Dole emphasized that, "We must be part of the solution" She stressed, "It is not enough to react to the employer at the bargaining table or through grievance procedures. We must set the agenda for bargaining and for the real resolutions of real problems." She warned that, "we must be capable of addressing the problems inherent in an unstable political environment."

Dole spoke against those who would, "reduce public higher education to the dictum of a production line," adding that, "We will not allow the industrialization of public higher education." Dole cautioned that both teachers and professional staff as well as the general public must not be fooled by false assertions and inappropriate measuring standards. The important thing is not how many courses one teaches, but how much time is devoted to the our students and the quality of the work we perform."

Recognizing that, "adversary is not a synonym for enemy," Dole emphasized that the union must, "allocate more time to pursuing our own agenda and not expend the majority of our time and resources on defensive strategies."

Some of the moves already made by the union include a mediation process to resolve more grievances at a lower step, and the proactive salary increase in the DCE contract. Future steps include the formation of a DCE grievance committee to empower the DCE grievance reps to file for mediation and the establishment of the MCCC Leadership Training Program to train chapter leaders. "Local problems need local solutions," she told the delegation.

"We must determine our own direction and we must be part of the solutions," she reiterated. "We cannot afford to have the State legislature, Carlin, HECC or the college presidents dictate how our resources are allocated."

The new MCCC president praised the efforts of chapter leadership and the MCCC PASC (Political Action Strategy Committee) members. "We have accomplished our goal of developing working relationships with area legislators from both parties. We must be diligent in continuing and strengthening these relationships."

She made clear that, "We must look to our brothers and sisters in the MTA, both higher education and K-12, to identify the glue that will hold us together. A coalition is natural, after all we are all part of the MTA family, yet the MCCC often finds itself alone at the State House or in conducting in-district meetings." Dole added that the MCCC must, "begin to accept the unique qualities of our sister locals and develop a united strategy that incorporates the strengths of our differences."

Dole recognized outgoing MCCC president Tom Parson's role in building a solid foundation based on the active involvement of the membership. "Now we must direct our energies toward defining the future. If we are not part of the solution we will confront the old adage, "How frightening is the past that awaits us.

"It is through collective sight we shall see the future. No single vision is more important than another. It is through our collective action that we will shape our future," she concluded.

Budget On Governor's Desk

The House and Senate have sent the Conference Committee's Budget to the Governor. He has ten days in which to sign. He has the line-item veto ability, but will probably sign the budget. Who knows what he will do with the outside sections. By the time you read this article the budget process will be completed, and we hope our budget stays intact. Higher Education did very well in the line item appropriations as well as in the outside sections.

The higher education budget is $53 million over last year's appropriation, $83 million over the governor's proposed budget, and nearly B0 million over the Higher Education Coordinating Councils' proposed budget. Again, the governor and our "advocates" at the HECC are a lot less supportive than the legislature. Below is the appropriation for the individual campuses followed by the monies that are either earmarked within the campus appropriations or additional monies.

Earmarked money within the college's budget appropriation:

• Bristol--$60,000 for tracking, monitoring of students receiving public assistance
• Greenfield--$195,000 acquisition of Heritage Bank building
• Mass. Bay--$40,000 for repair of town pool located inside college
• Mt. Wachusett-$ 100,000 operation of Vietnam Memorial Fitness & Wellness Center and $200,000 for creation of a wood technology center.
• Bunker Hill--$102,000 for the life focus center.

Additional money to colleges above appropriation outlined above:

• Cape Cod--$124,438 for operation of Environmental Tech. Partnership
• Springfield--for operation and maintenance re: Digital property (no specific amount was listed and will need to be checked). See below under "Other Items"
• Springfield-$250,000 for telecommunications and information technology for distance learning, cable TV programming, and telecommunications intensive company facilities. This line item appeared in House, Senate, and Conference without reference to STCC--only the account number.
• Roxbury Reggie Lewis Track-$1,000,000; for retained revenue account for track $247,100

The total percentage increase contains the collective bargaining raises for employees at the community colleges (no soft money employee increases), including the nonunit personnel. You may recall that the Governor's budget decreased the college appropriations, created a big ($64 million) reserve fund for James Carlin to distribute, gave Carlin control over fees and other broad powers over the colleges, and again had tuition retention included. The House Budget was level funded--it was really a decrease since it did not contain any COLA. The senate's budget had increases to the colleges that ranged between 9.3% and 14.9%. The final budget comes very close to the Senate Budget--the campus appropriations were decreased by approximately 1.3%. Even with salary increase money included, the budget for higher education is very good.

Outside Sections of Budget

The Higher Education Coordinating Council is renamed the Board of Higher Education (BHE), and it falls under the newly created Education, Training and Labor Office. The Board will have eleven voting members including one student, at least one representative from organized labor, at least one representative from business, at least one from among three former members of the state colleges boards of trustees and a new component with at least one Board member will come from among three former members of the community and state colleges boards of trustees. Each segment will submit three names of former trustees and the governor will pick one from each segment. This new component of the Board comes from a portion of a reorganization plan submitted jointly by the state and community colleges presidents to the legislature.

The reserve account remained with the Senate's $3.8 million, a long way from the governor's proposal of $64 million. The Senate language prevailed and did not include the language concerning increased teaching time and elimination of programs, etc.

The new Board of Higher Education did not get ability to set fees--that will remain with the colleges.

The tax credit for families sending their children to a higher education institution for an undergraduate education remained. The tax credit is based on 25% of adjusted gross income ($40,000 for example.). Take 25% of that ($10,000). Figure out total tuition cost ($18,000) subtract the $10,000 and the family can get an $8,000 tax credit. Scholarships, grants, or financial aid must be deducted.

The university's Board of Trustees retained control over the running of the university system.

No tuition retention language.

No change in our health insurance contribution.

The $250,000 technical assistant grant language earmarked in the Senate has been amended to $ 125,000. The Senate budget had specific language--campuses can hire technical experts to help develop strategies to address accountability objectives, achievements and outcomes of the public higher system--but that language did not appear in the final budget.

Senator Rosenberg's "Fair Share Budget" did not survive the conference (except for the endowment piece). It is, however, the intent of Senator Rosenberg to try and move the fair-share funding through this legislative session that ends July 31, 1996.

Foundations are established for each segment with matching money to come from additional appropriations with a maximum of $1 million for each community college. Times runs out for matching money in 2003.

A benchmark study of public higher education, originally authorized by the Higher Education Reorganization Act of 1991, would be mandated by this outside section. No funding was appropriated. The language changed from "may" to "shall" and has to be completed by 1999.

There is a new position called the Director of Education, but he or she has no powers.

The MassJobs Council makeup was changed. The governor has fourteen additional members in addition to people who sit on this Council by virtue of their job e.g. the Director of Education. Within those fourteen appointments, four are from organized labor, and two educators from among four nominees selected jointly by the Mass. Teachers Association and the Mass. Federation of Teachers.

Another big change is in the Group Insurance Commission. Eight members are appointed by the governor and of those eight, one has to be a retired state employee and three must be full-time state employees with one coming from the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

The budget authorizes the expenditure of up to $5 million for school to work transition programs.

Education Reform K-12

The good news is that the educational reform funding commitment has been met by the Conference Committee. It fully funded education reform.

The bad news is that the Conference Committee gave John Silber pretty much what he wanted. Though the Board of Education will have a seat for labor and for a student. Silber will have much more control of a nine-member board. As a result, this does not bode well for education reform. The MTA will be trying to work with Silber and hope to forge a relationship for all K-12 members that is workable.

Other Items

1. The Senate language had a carryover provision that allowed colleges to carry one percent of their budget into the next fiscal year without any affect on the budget. It did not appear in the final budget (that we could find).

2. The language concerning the "accountability and "under performing schools" did not appear in the final budget. The original $250,000 earmarked in the BHE's budget was reduced to $125,000, but there was no specific language explaining these technical grants.

3. The bill amending Chapter 150E (allowing locals to take an executed contract to the legislature and bypass the governor's step) did not appear in the final budget. Senator Rosenberg, though initially very supportive, has taken the position, along with Senator Birmingham, that this would be bad policy as it puts the legislature in the middle of collective bargaining.

4. Optional Retirement Plan. You may recall that last year this passed but was only allowable for faculty and presidents. This law has now been extended to all professional employees. This allows employees not to participate in the state retirement fund but rather another fund e.g. TIA/CREF so that they can have portability of their retirement plans to other states.

5. Springfield Technical Community College Digital property. In the House budget, the line item specifically stated an amount after the explanation-$606,920. In the Senate budget the amount was reduced to $406,920. In the final budget, however, the language is there, though it appears to be incomplete and without a dollar amount. A reference to "prior appropriation" needs to be clarified.

6. The credit for military leave bill has passed, but there are problems with the language, and the Retirement Boards are awaiting corrective legislation. The two major issues are the intent of how the cost of buy back would be calculated and the current definition of "veteran" as it pertains to active military service. Ask you chapter MCCC Director for letter from Retirement Board outlining the problems.

7. The bill concerning the balanced billing is law. Insurance companies cannot balance bill.

8. The 3% COLA for retirees is in the final budget.

Last Item

You should be aware that some colleges have paid the nonunit personnel and part-time employees their retroactive salary increases. The colleges did this because if they did not pay them, then the college would have had to return the unexpended funds back to the general fund.

The Higher Education Coordinating Council approved raises of 1 1.5% for all nonunit employees. Therefore, these employees received a retroactive salary increase (7/1/95-6/30/96) of 3.5% and will receive a 4.5% increase in July, 1996, with their final increase of 3.5% to be paid in July, 1997.

In order to accurately determine the amount of the colleges' budget increases, all the salary increases for 95-96 and 96-97 must be deducted. The salary increases included in the budget are for all full- time personnel except grant employees and anyone else excluded from a pay raise (which seem to be very few.). Therefore, the total salary increases carried into Fiscal 1997 probably range in the area of approximately five percent. Once the amount of all salary increase are deducted, the "real" percentage increases to the campuses is probably somewhat higher than the CPI.

Thank you's

The MCCC members, the MTA, and the presidents worked as a team, and we were all on the same page on all parts of this budget throughout the process. Also there are many members of the legislature that we must thank, but most importantly Senator Rosenberg. Senator Rosenberg deserves a special note of thanks. He delivered an extraordinary budget for higher education. Please drop him (as well as your own legislators--if they were supportive) a note. Senator Stanley Rosenberg, Chair, Senate Ways and Means, State House, Boston. MA 02133.

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Attention Retirees!

You can retain your membership in the MCCC, MTA and NEA and continue to participate in the benefits derived from the Educator Services Corporation as well as keep on top of what is happening in education. The cost to retirees is $44 a year (MCCC $14; MTA $15 NEA $15).

Status of Day Contract Funding

On Wednesday, June 26 our collective bargaining appropriation went to the governor's desk incorporated in a supplemental budget. This budget also includes not only our retroactive salary and educational needs money, but retroactive salary and educational needs money for nonunit personnel and salary increases for the classified employees. Depending upon how long it takes for the governor to sign and the state comptroller's office to process the details, our new salary (5.5% increase) "should be" reflected in the July paycheck. It remains unclear as of this writing if the retro money will be a separate check or included in the monthly check. No predictions!

Education Needs Money. This is part of the budget and the procedures have been worked out between the presidents and the MCCC. The following is an outline of the guidelines and the contact administrative contact person for each campus. You can get the request form from your MCCC Director or Chapter President or use the form attached to this newsletter.

Guidelines

1. All requests must be on the form.
2. Professional activities and/or purchases must have occurred between July 2, 1995 and January 1, 1998. Requests deadline is January 1, 1998; receipts submission deadline is February 1, 1998, You do not need to submit all receipts at same time. You can submit requests and receipts as purchases or professional activities occur. Each unit member's "draw" will be approximately $950 and can be expended all at once or in parts. Receipts must be submitted before funds are disbursed,
3. You can submit requests and receipts in excess of the $950 in case there is left-over money and a further disbursement of remaining funds after February 1,1998.
4. A full-time unit member must be employed in the unit between July 2, 1995, and June 30, 1996, in order to be eligible.
5. Unit members hired after September 5, 1995, will be eligible to receive one-half of the allocation (approximately $475).
6. No funds may be used for food and drink.
7. Any unexpended funds will be redistributed between February 1, 1998, and June 30, 1998.
8. Unit members who are retiring this year should have receipts dated prior to their separation date.

Unit members should submit their applications to the following administrators:

Berkshire: James Pasquini
Bristol: Steven Kenyon
Bunker Hill: Waldek Prochorski
Cape Cod: No names as yet
Greenfield: Richard Hillier
Holyoke: Nancy Eddy
Mass. Bay: Cynthia Bolton
Massasoit: Tom Maloney
Middlesex: Richard Dery
Mt.Wachusett: Charles Weitze
No. Shore: Jane Coviello
No. Essex: Stephen Fabbrucci
Quinsigamond: Kevin Kiernan
Roxbury: L. David Murray
Springfield: Roger Bessette.

Report your Blue Cross Dental Woes?

Anyone having a complaint or concern about the Blue Cross Dental plan and coverage should direct his or her comments to

Abe Sherf,
North Shore Community College.

He is the community college representative on the Health and Welfare Trust Fund.

MCCC Committee Vacancies

The following vacancies exist for MCCC committees. Anyone interested in applying should send a letter expressing interest to: MCCC President Susan Dole

Deadline for application is July 15, 1996.

Looking for a Job

The vacancies within the community colleges are easily accessible on the MTA Bulletin Board System (BBS) (1-800-523- 8883) You can read, download, and/or print these vacancies at your terminal. If you do not have access to a modem, a printout can be faxed to you. Fax your request to the Communications Coordinator at 617- 236-0448. You must include the name of the college(s) where you work.

For the first time user. When you call into the BBS, you will need to provide some information to the systems operator. You can get on the BBS immediately and choose your password. Once you get on the BBS, follow these steps to get to the vacancy area. Enter your name and password, Select F(ile); 6(Vacancies in community colleges); (F)files in this area; (V)iew and type in the first two numbers of the last dated entry e.g., 42-11-1996 (You would type 42).

Only questions specific to the MTA BBS should be directed to the systems Operator (SYSop) Ron Miller (1-508-653-7244), preferably through the BBS. If you have specific questions about a vacancy, call the college.

Massasoit President Assumes New Job

Dr. Gerard F. Burke has left the presidency of Massasoit Community College to assume the new position of Director of the Community College Institute. Burke said that, "This is an exciting opportunity to work to enhance the community colleges' image in Massachusetts. Additionally, we see the institute establishing stronger collaborations with other higher education segments, creating new partnerships with business similar to the NYNEX relationship, and exploring linkages with national and state organizations. Another focus will be the development of models for developmental and remedial education." One of the other areas both Burke and Jan Motta, Executive Director of the Executive Office of the Community Colleges, would like to explore is the opportunity for community college employees to get sabbaticals to do research on issues involving the community colleges. Burke said, "This would be an exciting opportunity for people to try something different. In addition, the Institute would like to provide professional development opportunities for the community colleges and help prepare the us for the big technological changes ahead of us."

Though Burke is now working for the Institute, in an agreement reach with the Massasoit Trustees, the college will pay Burke's salary of $105,000 per year. Burke's departure was preceded with a vote of no confidence against the trustees and a petition of support of Burke by the faculty and professional staff. €

June 15	Professional staff post evaluation conference
June 15	Professional staff summary evaluation (E-9)
June 20	Spring Sabbatical proposals
June 30	Part-time faculty summary evaluation
July 1	Professional staff pre-evaluation conference and assignment received
July 15	Professional staff vacation days released
July 25	Leave of absence applications for spring due
July 25	Spring Sabbatical Committee recommendations due
Aug. 5	Part-time teaching assignments
Aug. 15	Part-time seniority lists distributed
Aug. 20	Dean's recommendation for leave of absence
Aug. 20	President's recommendation for spring sabbaticals

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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