The Provost’s office just sent another call for participation in the First Year Seminar program proposed by the chancellor.

 

The MSP has agreed to a one-year pilot of the program.   This temporary status reflects several issues:

 

The MSP advocated first year seminars as an advantage that could be realized by completion of the Amherst 250 plan (alas).   As such, the MSP recognizes the importance of quality support for first year students for retention and success at the university.

 

The MSP insists that continuation of the program after the one year pilot will require a fair compensation system for the extra workload taken on by MSP members.  This compensation system must allow faculty the choice of taking compensation as research funds, on-load teaching credit, or ad-comp.

 

In this program, faculty participants are taking on extra work.   This can only be fairly addressed if there is compensation for the faculty member’s personal and professional time.  Only if a fair and flexible system of compensation is set by the administration in the coming year, will the MSP support a long-term first year seminar program.

Randall Phillis

MSP President