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Volume XIV |
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Number Eight |
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In This Issue: |
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On March 6, 1997, Ernest Therrien, a professor of Management and Finance at Springfield Technical Community College received the James Davenport Memorial Award. This honor was bestowed on Therrien at the annual meeting of The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) in San Diego.
This award was established by the NCHE in honor of its first president, James Davenport. Recipients must have demonstrated a commitment to public higher education at the national level in addition to the local and state levels.
At Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), Therrien has distinguished himself not just through his union involvement since the inception of the MCCC, but through his professional and community activities. For years, Therrien has worked with area businesses, developing partnerships and conducting workshops for employees at their work site. Many of his workshops focus on training in management style techniques and productivity. He is currently working on an analysis of the college's Business Division programs with a view that STCC could assume a leadership role in preparing employees of the 21st century for the multifaceted technological marketplace.
When the MCCC was first organizing as a statewide union, Therrien was an active participant in that movement. He was the first chair of the MCCC Bylaws and Rules Committee, served on numerous committees, was a member of the Negotiation Team, and represented his college on the MCCC Board. In 1992 Therrien was the first recipient of the Raymond C. Lemieux Award which recognizes those individuals whose "service, leadership, and dedication have contributed significantly to the Massachusetts Community College Council."
When he was elected as MCCC's representative to the MTA Board of Directors, Therrien became the voice for unity and cooperation between higher education, preK-12, and ESP members. He served on several MTA committees including Bylaws and Resolutions, and in 1990 Therrien ran uncontested and became the first higher education member from Massachusetts to sit on the NEA Board.
At the national level, Therrien served on NEA's Resolutions and New Business Items Committees for a number of years.
He was active in the development of NEA's strategic objective statement that now drives NEA's budget. As a director, Therrien quickly rose to prominence on a Board of 160 representatives. His reasoned voice has always raised discussions of issues and concerns to a level that addressed merit, philosophy, and objectivity, never personality. Edith Cannon, a former NEA Director from Massachusetts, said, "Ernie was an ambassador for higher education on the Board. He always made people feel that all members were united."
Therrien's leadership and intellectual skills were recognized by former NEA President Keith Geiger when he appointed Therrien to the NEA Negotiating Team for merger discussions between NEA and AFT. This recognition was further emphasized when current NEA President Bob Chase held the seat open for Therrien even after his NEA Director's term had ended. Though Therrien was unsure if he would be able to continue, Chase continued to hold the seat open, and in January 1997 Therrien returned to the Team. Out of a membership of 2.2 million, Therrien is the only classroom teacher on the Negotiating Team.
Throughout Therrien's life, his overriding concern has always been children, and it has been a major factor in his ability to bring higher education, preK-12 and ESP members to a clearer understanding of their common goals. His service to our union and his profession, on every level, has left a deep impact on all of those who have encountered him. He is widely respected among the membership and the leadership at all levels-chapter, state, and national.
He has represented higher education with depth and integrity, and he has used those qualities to improve relationships and understanding with all members in the NEA, MTA, MCCC, and STCC.
MTA President Meline Kasparian in her statement that was read in
San Diego said, "You have always been a star in Massachusetts. The
integrity and reason with which you approached all Massachusetts'
issues naturally extended themselves to include your recognized and
competent voice on national issues. Your work and your conduct in all
matters have always been a source of pride to all of us at home; but
this pride, the pride that comes when your colleagues nationwide
validate what we here at home have always known makes us swell to
bursting." 
On March 21, 1997, Dr. Maxine Elmont of Mass. Bay Community College was chosen to receive a 1997 Human and Civil Rights Awards conferred by MTA's Human Relations Council.
Elmont, a professor of Sociology and Psychology, has been an activist in the academic and nonacademic arenas. She was graduated from Suffolk University with a B.A. in Psychology, from Boston University with an M.Ed. In Rehabilitation Counseling, and from U.Mass. Amherst with a Ph.D. in Higher Education Staff Development.
She is recognized nationally as a specialist in Developmental Education and was the recipient of three major awards: World' s Who's Who on Women, 12th Edition; 1993 International Women of the Year, and 1996 Who's Who Among American Teachers. She has published numerous articles covering such topics as teaching strategies and developmental education. At Mass. Bay she is the advisor to Psi Beta, the Psychology Honor Society and is active in the chapter union. She is presently the MAC ER Chair and a Board member. She was the grievance officer for many years.
A community activist, Elmont has a broad breadth of experience. She is president of the Brookline Visiting Nurse Service, active in the Framingham Human Relations Counsel, a volunteer on the AIDS Action Committee and for the Stop Hate in Framingham Today project, and a judge for the Optimus Society's annual oratorical contest. In addition, she provides career support for the Russian immigrants through the Project Integration of Temple Israel.
She was also the program supervisor of the Jewish Community Center in Brighten, Program Director of the Margaret Fuller House in Cambridge, and Director of the Neighborhood Youth Corps in Chelsea.
Elmont is clearly committed to keeping herself active in areas
that contribute to the well-being of others. She uses her skills and
experiences, gained throughout an impressive career, to help.
Congratulations to Maxine on her Human and Civil Rights Award.
An agreement has been executed in resolution of a grievance that was filed when the MCCC learned that the Center for Education and Training (CET) at Quinsigamond Community College had been offering courses that should have been unit work, but it was never reported. Although this practice was corrected and the college assured contract compliance in the future, there remained the issue of the underpayment of CET faculty and loss of revenue to the MCCC. The faculty had been paid at a rate below the contractual DCE rates.
The parties have agreed to establish a professional development pool of $10,000 for DCE faculty who taught in the college's CET at any point during the last two fiscal years. The criteria and procedures for access to this pool are modeled after the educational needs program that existed in the day contract in the 1980's. The process will be administered jointly by the employer and the MCCC. Approximately 40 faculty will be eligible to receive funds from this pool.
Congratulations to statewide grievance coordinator for DCE, Joe Rizzo, MTA Consultant Michelle Gallagher, Quinsigamond Chapter President Marilyn Martin, and the college president, Sandy Kurtinitus.
Prior to arbitration, a grievance was resolved concerning the cancellation of a course several weeks before the beginning of the semester. The college had argued that the course was under enrolled. The grievant maintained that the cancellation was premature and that the course could have eventually reached an adequate enrollment. The faculty member will be paid at the prorated rate as if there were eleven students enrolled in the course.
DCE unit members are entitled to their salary at the end of the semester when their grades are turned in-no later.
The MCCC recently learned that the college was spreading DCE payments over six months for each semester, e.g. the fall salary was paid from September through February. This was a carry-over from the time faculty were part-time day. This meant that at the end of the semester, unit members had only received two thirds of the salary. The college has agreed to correct this situation.
Despite this agreement, however, there is still the possibility of a grievance. It is the college's position that the last salary payment be made on the regular payroll date for the month during which the semester ends. The MCCC's position is that the last payment is due upon conclusion of all duties and responsibilities. The difference between the two can be several weeks. It remains unclear if the college will follow the contract as it maintains that it never paid faculty upon the submission of grades. A past practice argument, however, is not a valid argument when there is clear and unambiguous contract language to the contrary.
Quinsigamond faculty should call their chapter president, Marilyn
Martin and MCCC/DCE Grievance Coordinator Joe Rizzo
(603-898-6309) immediately if they do not receive their DCE check
when they turn in their grades for this semester.
The MCCC Delegate Assembly will be held at Mt. Wachusett Community College on Saturday, April 26, 1997. In addition to voting on the fiscal 1998 budget and proposed bylaw changes, delegates will have an opportunity to listen to Barry Bluestone, a Frank L. Boyden Professor of Political Economy at U. Mass/Boston and a Senior Fellow at the University's John W. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs. He is the founding director of U. Mass/Boston's Ph.D. Program in Public Policy.
While on partial leave in 1995, Bluestone served as a member of the senior policy staff to Congressman Richard Gephard. He returned to U. Mass full time in 1996 but continues to serve as a policy advisor to the Democratic leadership in both the U.S. House and Senate.
Bluestone has written widely in areas of income distribution, business and industrial policy, labor/management relations, higher education finance, and regional economic development. He spends considerable time consulting with trade unions, industry groups, the Economic Policy Institute in Washington D.C. along with Richard Reich, Lester Thurow, Robert Kuttner, Ray Marshall, and Jeff Faux.
Members interested in attending should contact their chapter
president.
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.
The MTA is in the process of closing down its Bulletin Board
System (some time in mid-April). The MTA's Home Page will have an
icon to direct members to MCCC vacancies and a link to MCCC. The next
issue of this Newsletter will carry the information. For those
members not hooked to the Internet, vacancy requests can still be
faxed.
There are numerous bills on MTA's legislative agenda for this year. Below is a list (in no particular order) of those bills which directly impact public higher education. The list consists of bills that have been refiled or newly filed. An exhaustive list appears in the March edition of the MTA Today.
Faculty Representation on Boards of Trustees (
H1276). This bill would create a voting position for an MCCC member
on each community colleges' Boards of Trustees as well as provide a
voting position on the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees
for the local president or designee
Allow AFDC Recipients to count education and
training toward requires workfare hours. (H2687)
Ensure that the Board of Higher Education (BHE)
continues to act as the statutorily designated employer for purposes
of collective bargaining
Prohibit employees from private institutions from
serving as members on the BHE
Allow state funding of continuing education
programs
Fund fully state employee health and welfare trust
funds and insure inflationary increases
Support increased funding for libraries
Credible service for sabbatical leaves (H
387)whether they be granted with full or partial compensation.
Diploma school nursing creditable service (H37 1 )
would permit higher education teachers of nursing who taught in
former diploma schools of nursing to purchase up to 10 years as
creditable service toward retirement.
Disability retirement for employees exposed to
asbestos while employed(H 340)
Early retirement credit by permitting eligible
members to add up to five years of age or service or a combination
not to exceed five years
Extend Optional Retirement Plan (H366) to
professional employees as it is presently limited to faculty and
presidents
Former "03" state employees could purchase up to
ten years of creditable service for retirement for service rendered
as an 03 employee
Improve retirement benefits for public service of
various kinds such as peace corps and military as well as disability
and portability improvements
Permit vocational education teachers to buy back
creditable service for time spent in a trade and for which vocational
approval was granted by Dept. of Ed.
Permit higher education contracts, once bargained,
to be submitted directly to legislature for funding approval (H361)
Health insurance benefits for part-time higher
education faculty (S704)
Health insurance coverage for domestic partners
(H347)
Senator Stanley Rosenberg has filed a bill that calls for a "fair share funding" of public higher education that is designed to stabilize the financing. Rosenberg's bill declares that the goal of the commonwealth is to promote:
The Education Committee reported this bill out favorably after its hearing on March 20, 1997. This bill is now in House Ways and Means because of its monetary implications.
Under Senator Rosenberg's bill, funding formulas would provide the basis for determining the total level of resources needed for the ordinary maintenance of each institution in fiscal years 1998 through 2002. These funding formulas would be used to allocate resources equitably from the state to the institutions. The goal is that by 2002, the students at the state colleges and university would pay one-third of the institution's the per-student cost and the students at the community colleges would pay one-quarter of the institution's per student cost. The student cost would be the share of the "investment budget" as calculated by the institutions; that is, those costs as prescribed within Senator Rosenberg's bill applicable to the formula of "how much is costs to educate a student."
Presently this bill is not part of the budget for fiscal 1998.
The House budget is expected to be released during the week of April 7, 1997. The MTA and MCCC will be lobbying for funding over the governor's budget along with the following provisions:
Keep health benefits at the 85/15 rather than the
governor's proposal of 75/ 25 (state's shares and employee's
share)
Keep ability to set fees at the trustees level
Keep in the campuses' appropriation the four
percent taken from the campuses and given to the Board of Higher
Education to disburse.
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.
Applications must be submitted to MCCC President Susan Dole.
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Mar. 30 |
Department Chair evaluations |
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Mar. 30 |
Faculty submit preferred schedule and courses |
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Mar. 31 |
Department chair vacancies announced |
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Apr. 1 |
Leave of absence recommendations due from dean |
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Apr. 15 |
Tenure recommendations due from dean |
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Apr. 15 |
Title changes announced |
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Catherine A. Boudreau MCCC/MTA Newsletter |
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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