Final approved by fs 3-28-06
Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
March 21, 2006
Attendance: (Those present indicated by an underline)
Officers: President Judy Kilborn, Past President/President-Elect Annette Schoenberger, Secretary JoAnn Gasparino, Treasurer Robert Johnson
IFO Board Members: Andrew Larkin, Jayantha Herath
Unit Representatives: COB P. N. SubbaNarasimha, COE Steve Hornstein, COFAH Monica Devers, COSE Balsy Kasi, COSS vacant, SPEC Susan Motin
Negotiator: Bill Langen
1. Call to order at 3:20 p.m.
2. Treasurer’s Report—Johnson just received a check from the IFO for $1184, which is part of the quarterly allocation. Kilborn asked for copies of Johnson’s correspondence with the IFO regarding Donna West’s severance pay for the FA’s records.
3. Announcements
a. Negotiating Meeting—there was a meeting the Friday before spring break. The main item of business was about what the duties of the chair of the negotiating team should be, and what the release time should be. The conclusion was that the chair should have a ˝ release, health bargaining would be part of the role, and the chair should be present at the MnSCU/IFO Board meetings. This recommendation will probably come forward at the next Board meeting. The negotiating team discussed the high salary audit at SCSU. IFO has copies of the salary information that Kilborn passed out at the last pre-Meet and Confer. Career steps will be sun-setting at the end of this contract, likewise the provision under the summer school article of the contract where courses can be set outside the calendar under mutual agreement of the faculty and administration. This should go to local Meet and Confer. Schoenberger stated that the money spent to buy the ˝ release time would be at cost, which is a change. She discussed that people need to be aware of a possible dues increase that will be seen at Delegate Assembly because of this and all other requests.
b. Status of FA Grievance and Copy of Initial Grievance—copies of the initial Uradnik grievance went out in the mail. Kilborn gave an update on the FA grievance. There was a step III meeting. Chris Dale originally said no to the mediation, and Monday is the deadline to hear from him. Pat Arsenault indicates that it may go to arbitration.
d. Time Definite 3:30 with Bob Inkster: Update on Mediation with Administration—Inkster was invited in at 3:36 p.m. Yesterday Inkster met with President Saigo and Anne Zemek de Dominguez. Inkster made it clear that he was there for mediating, not representing the FA. At the end of the meeting Saigo agreed to meet informally. Inkster suggested at the first meeting a facilitative conversation with an outside mediator. At this point Kilborn and Schoenberger plan to attend the mediation to represent the FA. Kilborn informed EC that she communicated to other bargaining units about the FA’s motion to not participate in the search committee. Inkster will follow up on the meeting.
6. New Business
e. Request for Two Faculty for Mediation Coordinating Committee—Inkster said that there are three FA people: Jeff Ringer, Bob Inkster, and Roseanna Ross—two are ex officio. Kilborn will ask Ringer for a list of mediators to send out a call to.
3. Announcements
c. Budget Committee Recommendation—Kilborn pointed out the motion below:
Motion from Budget Committee: Motion that the SCSU FA Budget Committee supports the IFO Budget Committee’s Higher Education funding proposal.
4. Call for new agenda items
· PDPs and PDRs (Schoenberger)
5. Unfinished Business—none.
6. New Business
c. Grievance Committee Report—Kilborn pointed out the motion from the Grievance Committee below:
Motion to support the motion made by the Grievance Committee—(Motin/Gasparino). Passed
There was discussion regarding the motion to support the motion below. It was pointed out that the motion would clear up any future misunderstandings about supporting grievances.
Motion from Grievance Committee: Effective May 1, 2006, the policy of the Faculty Association at St. Cloud State University shall be that Grievances shall only go forward when the Grievance Committee chair, in consultation with the FA President (or President Elect in his/her absence), has determined that the requested remedy is consistent with the terms of the IFO/ MNSCU Master Agreement. In particularly complicated cases, consultation with the IFO Labor Relations Director shall also take place.
Because the Faculty Association is a party to all grievances, we reserve the right to reject remedies requested by the grievant or offered by the administration.
a. Constitutional elements:
1. President’s term of office—no one has volunteered to serve and the FA should possibly consider a two-year term. There was some concern that this would limit smaller departments from serving. There was concern that as many people as possible should serve in these positions, opposing the two-year term because of this.
2. IFO Board Member and President-Elect—FA should consider having the President-Elect also serve as an IFO Board member so that they are informed when they become President. EC was mostly in favor of this item, but the constitution will need to be rewritten to accommodate this. It was noted that Larkin and Nastrom make up the Constitution Committee.
Motion to refer President-Elect serving as an IFO Board Member to the Constitution Committee—(Hornstein/Motin). Passed
b. Maintaining Class Records (from Meet and Confer – how long faculty need to retain records and what they need to retain)
Motion to refer Maintaining Class Records to the Academic Affairs Committee, which should obtain information from and consult with the appropriate Administrators on the purpose of such a policy, and to recommend to Senate a policy on how long to keep materials from classes, such as final exams and final papers—(Schoenberger/Hornstein). Passed
d. Calendar Task Force—Administration would like to look at the calendar on a more long-term basis. This will be at Meet and Confer. This will be on the Faculty Senate agenda as an announcement.
f. PDPs and PDRs (Schoenberger)—there was discussion about the proper procedure for comments, sign-offs, and transmittals to the Dean, and it was noted that there are lots of questions on this. This will be a discussion item in Faculty Senate so that a statement can be made about this to all faculty.
Adjournment at 5:21 p.m.