The Point: Getting Right to the Point
12/12/2022
Greetings Colleagues, Comrades, Friends:
As we begin the last week of classes, after another semester that found us putting our shoulders to the wheel up against daunting headwinds, we wanted to hail you by a few of the many names we know you by: colleagues, comrades, friends. (We won’t call you “Beacons” though: that’s for the marketing people!) Whatever challenges we face—the newly-familiar pandemic related ones and the long-familiar management-created ones—we continue to believe in the power of solidarity. Solidarity does not mean that we all start on the same page or ever reach complete unanimity on any issue, but it does mean that we consistently endeavor to build trust with each other, embrace complexity as a first principle, and invest in the belief that faculty and staff are the true caretakers of the university.
We also believe in grace and mercy as secular principles, so our small contribution during this busy time is to keep this email blast as short as possible. So, let’s get right to the point.
This Thursday the FSU will be co-sponsoring a virtual forum, from 2:00-3:30, along with the Department Chairs’ Union, to discuss the provost’s proposed reorganization plans: (contact FSU or Caroline Coscia for Zoom information).. We remain mindful that the College of Liberal Arts has already hosted one discussion of this matter, and Faculty Council will certainly make some time for the subject today during its final (and faculty only) meeting of the year at 1 in the Chancellor’s Conference Room on the 3rd Floor of Quinn and at: (contact FSU or Caroline Coscia for Zoom information)..
But it seems important to make space for an open conversation that focuses in on contractual matters. Our two unions need to be clear that there are major issues surrounding workload, personnel processes, and much more, that might be affected by reorganization (and thus will become the object of impact bargaining). There will be very little speech-making up front at this forum—we promise! The point is for all of us to think together about how academic reorganization might alter our workplace and how we can begin to work together as faculty and staff to center the success of our undergraduate and graduate students while also protecting our contractual rights.
We very much hope to see you Thursday.
This is your union! Please write us at fsu@umb.edu if you have ideas about how to make this forum as useful as possible, or if you have contributions to share ahead of time if you cannot make it on Thursday.
Sincerely,
The Communications Committee
Lynne Benson, Senior Lecturer, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Jessica Holden, Librarian III, Healey Library
Linda Liu, Lecturer, Sociology
Jeff Melnick, Professor, American Studies
For information on the FSU, links to our contract and bargaining updates, and a calendar of events, see the FSU webpage