October 22, 2024

FSU Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

October 22, 2024 3:30pm (Zoom)

Executive Committee Members Present: Caroline Coscia (President); Sana Haroon (Vice President); Lynne Benson; Andrew Elder; Monique Fuguet; Karen Grayson; Patricia Krueger-Henney; Jared Poole; Alejandro Reuss; Rania Said

Others Present: Lorenzo Nencioli (FSU Senior Staff Member); Maria Hegbloom (MTA Field Rep); Joel Fish; Travis Johnston

1. Adoption of Agenda: Motion to approve the agenda. Motion seconded. Motion passes.
   
    
2. 3:45 to 4:00PM Membership, (Maria): Developing membership structure to improve capacity for engaging members.
   
   1. One-on-one conversations are best engagement tool; want to build toward that.
   2. Developed membership dashboards for departments. Used to track goals of membership coverage and engagement.
   3. Asking Excom members to identify people who we are willing to put in contact with the CAT to talk about how we can get these departments more engaged with the union.
   4. Longer term, we want to have a group of people (beyond Maria and top leadership) to talk to non-members about why they should join the union.
3. Approval of Minutes:
   
   1. Motion to approve the minutes of the Sept 24 Executive Committee meeting. Motion seconded. Motion passes.
   2. Motion to approve the minutes of the Oct 8 Executive Committee meeting. Motion seconded. Motion passes.
      
       
4. Special Election (Lynne and Travis): Update
   
   1. Lower attendance at the candidate forum than we would like to see. May be due to the compressed nature of the election.
   2. Ultimately, the election was successful and we have filled Excom positions.
5. Academic Technology Committee (Travis & Suha): Travis Johnston (our representative on the committee) provides information on Canvas and computer replacement policy.
   
   1. Blackboard support is already thin and will continue to deteriorate into the summer, so faculty are encouraged to switch to Canvas ASAP.
   2. Faculty can access archived materials on Blackboard for approximately six years.
   3. Computer life cycle policy and NTT faculty. There will be a new policy in place for NTTs with 50% appointment or greater by the end of the academic year. Other faculty, remote faculty, AL’s—there is no indication of a solution for these. We need to continue to apply pressure.
   4. A new AI policy (on broader uses of AI around campus, including beyond the classroom, e.g., staff) is also being developed which we need to keep tabs on—it could affect colleagues in sister unions especially.
   5. Maria notes that there will be a MTA higher ed conference on March 1 and AI will probably be a focus there. The use of AI on campuses is increasingly getting MTA’s attention.
6. Health & Safety Committee: Vote to have Suha be our representative.
   
   1. Motion seconded. Approved unanimously.
7. 4:45 Cybersecurity Policy: Joel Fish, Mathematics, raised concerns on this policy including number 8 on page 4 regarding email deletion. See policy link below.
8. The Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) was signed into effect 12/9/21
   
   1. https://www.umb.edu/media/umassboston/content-assets/it/UMB-AUP-ISOPOL04...
9. Member raises concern that the policy seems to suggest that the university retains the right to search any device from which we do university business without notifying us. It might make sense to inform members about the implications of the policy.
10. Excom members note that, followed to its logical conclusions, this policy raises questions about whether faculty are properly compensated/resourced to reasonably follow the policy. It suggests that faculty need to have multiple devises to conduct university, other professional, and personal business throughout the day.
11. Yes on 2 (Caroline): Canvassing/campaigning is upcoming as election nears.
    
    1. PSU is tabling in the Campus Center, Thursdays from 11:30-1:30
    2. We are also asked to phone bank through the MTA. You can do so from your home using MTA’s “Yes on 2 Dialer” (https://www.mobilize.us/massteacher/event/650733/)
    3. Canvass in communities around MA (https://www.mobilize.us/massteacher/).
       
       1. There is a canvassing event on Monday, Oct 28 5-6pm at UMB (https://www.mobilize.us/massteacher/event/730525/)
12. International students issue (Sana): Information regarding a pressing issue for international students.
    
    1. A handful of students have been informed that they are not enrolled in enough credits to maintain their visas.
    2. The office in charge of managing these relationships has not been supportive.
    3. Part of a broader issue of administrative duties are falling down to faculty.
    4. Sana and Caroline will raise the issue at labor relations.

MEETING ADJOURNS