February 11, 2020
FSU Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
February 11 2020
Ex Com Members Present: Marlene Kim; Jessica Holden; Caroline Coscia; Jeff Melnick; Monique Fuguet; Joe Ramsey; Tracy Brown; Emilio Sauri; Tim Sieber; Meghan Kallman; Joe Brown
Others Present: Lorenzo Nencioli, FSU Membership Coordinator; Katie D’Urso, MTA Field Rep
- Approval of agenda: Motion to amend agenda (contact FSU office for copy of proposed agenda, copies of amended agenda). Motion to approve amended agenda seconded Motion approved unanimously.
- Approval of minutes: Motion to approve 2/4/20 Ex Com minutes. Motion seconded. Motion approved unanimously.
- Membership and email lists for elections campaigns: Discussion of motion (see below). Recommended that a best practices component be added, including recommendation that candidates use BCC function only and that candidates are informed of University acceptable use policy. Friendly amendment to change last sentence of motion as follows ‘…any use beyond campaigning during the 2 week campaigning period’. Friendly amendment accepted. Caroline: if motion is passed, Elections Committee will commit to inform candidates of BCC recommendation and current policies on elections decorum. Motion to approve as amended. Motion seconded. Motion approved (9 in favor, 2 abstentions).
- Topics for the Chancellor and report back on items: Marlene: we discussed various items like the FOC report (Admin agreed to do exit surveys). The issue of the library budget was raised at a meeting. We were told that every unit got cuts and there is a process to obtain additional money in the budget process. Jeff M: would like to discuss issue of Salesforce and that faculty are being pushed to using this as the only platform for advising. We should not be working with this company. Discussion of Salesforce, issues related to UMB contract with Salesforce. Jeff M: I will circulate a possible statement and the petition on this to Ex Com. Jeff will attend the next meeting with Chancellor when this is discussed. Suggestion to raise PHENOM Higher Ed Lobby Day with Chancellor, ask latter if she will be there, write correspondence encouraging participation, release time, cancelling/bringing classes if academically appropriate. Suggested to address Calf Pasture pumping station issue (problem with private public partnerships). Emilio willing to attend next meeting where this is discussed.
- Bargaining survey results: what to share with members?: Discussion of need to get survey results approved. Motion to authorize bargaining team to send out summary of survey results to members in consultation with Bargaining Support Team. Motion to approve. Motion seconded. Motion approved unanimously (10 in favor, 1 abstention).
- Academic technology committee redux: Reported that there is no progress in recruiting FSU members to committee.
- Report on FSU President talk at and legislative Join Higher Ed Committee: Annetta discussed lack of morale with staff. FSU President Marlene Kim discussed need for debt relief and the numbers involved: over $400 million in debt from this and over $20 million/year in debt payments. Also discussed Mt. Ida offering classes that compete with ours. Asked the Committee for Hearings on Mt. Ida or to meet with faculty concerned about this issue. Senator Ann Gobi was sympathetic and remembered that UMass Amherst and Meehan promised that there would be no competition with UMB. She will look into holding hearings on this issue.
Suggestion by Caroline to put DL proposed agreement, AFR, Meghan K items, and Save UMB on top of next agenda pending timeliness on other issue. Suggestion by Marlene that timeliness involves group norms, background checks, sabbatical time as priorities.
8. Faculty of Color Report: Tim: Joe B and I will have report on FOC for March Ex Com meeting.
9. Ex Com meeting location: Discussion of meeting in a different room in Wheatley, first floor to accommodate schedule of some Ex Com members who teach at 11 closer to the new room location.
10. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn meeting. Motion seconded. Motion approved unanimously.
MEETING ADJOURNED
2/10/20, motion amended and approved as follows by Ex Com
The FSU will provide all bona fide candidates for the FSU Executive Committee including the office of President and Vice President in the year of their election, with a list of names and the corresponding UMB email address of their member constituency. Candidates receiving such list must sign a statement that the list will be used for election campaigning and not for any use beyond campaigning during the 2 week campaigning period.