Board Attendance: Banach, Barker, Berlin, Brewer, Couch, Dundon, Gross, Keene, Lawrence, Levine, Paynter, Phillips, Phillis, Smethurst, Subramaniam, Sugerman, Weinbaum, Will

Absent: Brigham, Ciesielski,  McDermott, McGinty

Other Attendance:  Madeline Charney, Max Page, Tom Roeper, Jenny Spencer

Staff: Gallagher, Reardon, Wulkan

1.         Addition to Board

            Eliot Moss was nominated to join the Executive Board.  The Board voted unanimously to approve his joining the Board.

2.         Faculty Senate

            4 councils have vacant seats designated for MSP representatives.  Board members are encouraged to volunteer or suggest colleagues who could represent MSP on these councils: Program and Budget, Status of Diversity, Status of Women, University Service and Outreach.

            It was also stressed that the MSP President or a designee should represent MSP at all Faculty Senate meetings.

3.         Department Meetings

            A motion was made that MSP should attempt to attend and make a presentation at a meeting in each department this fall.  It passed unanimously with one abstention.

            It was suggested and agreed that MSP would send something around in advance to provide information and solicit questions.

4.         Chancellor Search

            Several MSP officers attended a meeting with President Caret on August 23.  Whereas the Faculty Senate proposed the search be run by faculty, Caret said the search committee and search firm would be appointed by the Trustees.  It was suggested that MSP

- Develop questions for potential firms and candidate

- Be present at pre-meeting dinners of the search committee

- Survey our members about qualities of a good chancellor and/or strengths of the campus that should be preserved

- Develop a counter-narrative about what went wrong with the current Chancellor

- Set up a support committee for MSP members on the search committee

5.         MTA

            Max Page, MSP member and member of MTA’s Executive Committee made a presentation on a number of MTA priorities of concern to MSP:

            a) Revenue Bill – the goal is to educate members and allies to build pressure on legislators

            b) Municipal health insurance fight – needs to be done in context of push for single payer coverage

            c) Political action – more information will be sent out about legislative political action teams being organized along State Rep and Senator district lines

            d) Pension reform – could involve cuts for future members

            e) Higher Ed legislative agenda – there is a good power point we should use

            f)  Legislative visits to campus – organized by PHENOM and the legislature’s Public Higher Ed Caucus for 10/21

6.         Grievances and Other Issues

            Jenny Spencer, MSP’s Grievance Officer, made a presentation about the sorts of cases MSP has been handling this past year.  She stressed the existence of some toxic administrators, the need for departments to have rules/bylaws; problems with the Ombuds Office and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity; the need for clear benchmarks for tenure and promotion; problems of lecturer workload; and growing attacks on faculty governance. 

7.         NAGE Settlement and Upcoming Bargaining

            Randy Phillis, MSP President, explained the history, complications and politics surrounding a recent settlement reached by other state unions to forego back pay resulting from state revenue triggers in the contracts in exchange for specified raises in the next several years.  After a lengthy discussion, the Board voted to send a letter to the University administration (similar to one being sent by other MTA higher ed locals) asking that the University provide MSP/FSU with a comparable offer.  MSP and FSU have prepared language that could be useful if and when negotiations take place.  The theme of a campaign around this would be to fund public higher education.

8.         Bargaining Preparation

            Joe Levine, Chair of the Contract Committee, explained the committee’s and work over the summer on campus and with FSU.  A survey will be out early in the fall.  Reports from subcommittees focused on Promotion and tenure standards, Workload, Contract Faculty issues, Distance ed and Continuing Ed, Work-life issues, and Research Support.