Here is the latest information about the status of the MSCA Officers Elections.

The official ballot count was held on April 10th beginning at 9:30 am at the Boston headquarters of the American Arbitration Association. Four members of the MSCA elections committee and all MSCA officer candidates were present.

As has been the practice in the previous three MSCA elections and was included in the directions with the ballots, those ballots that did not include a name and return address on the return envelope were set aside, not to be counted. This was the first decision made at the count and was agreed to by all those present at the beginning of the count and those who arrived late.

The MSCA presidential race was counted three times; Pat Markunas received 556 votes, Bill Murphy received 549. Consequently, Bill and Jerry Concannon (Mass Maritime) challenged the election, citing four campaign complaints and requesting that the 58 ballots, never counted previously and excluded without objection on April 10th, be counted now because the outcome of the election could be affected by these ballots. In addition, Bill Murphy demanded that the Presidential election be thrown out and held again.

The challenges were heard on April 21st in an open hearing held at Worcester State College. All members of the MSCA Elections Committee were present and they held an executive session from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The session was recessed and reconvened on Monday evening from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

At the end of that meeting, I received a phone call from the Elections Supervisor that the 58 ballots would be counted at 4:00 pm on Tuesday. Susan Sturgeon and I, among others, attended that count. The results were: Pat Markunas, 28 votes, Bill Murphy, 30 votes. The totals in the MSCA Presidential race are now: Pat Markunas, 584, Bill Murphy, 579. (The other three races were counted as well.)

The MSCA Elections Committee will meet again on Wednesday evening beginning at 6:30 pm at Worcester State College. Bill Murphy's demand that the election be held again is still on the table. Whether the Elections Committee votes to certify this election or to hold a new one, their recommendation must be adopted or rejected at Saturday's MSCA Delegate Assembly, to be held beginning at 9:30 am at the Massachusetts College of Art, 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston.

Pat Markunas

There will be a special meeting of the Salem Chapter/MSCA to update all members, particularly those delegates and alternates to Saturday's MSCA Delegate Assembly, on Thursday, April 27th, at 4:00 pm in the Harrington Building Cafeteria, South Campus.

Picketing at the SSC Board of Trustees will begin at 5:00 pm at the Alumni House. Dinner will be held begining at 5:45 pm in the Harrington Cafeteria. Those members who missed the chapter meeting at 4:00 pm will be able to hear the information provided at the earlier meeting, over dinner. Please RSVP to X6366 if you plan to eat dinner, as we need to order enough food.

The Trustees meeting will begin at 6:30 pm in Presidential Hall of the Alumni House. I am scheduled to speak as the second item on the agenda.

It is my understanding that other chapters hold separate elections for their chapter's alternates to the MSCA Delegate Assembly. If you would like to be an alternate to the 2000 MSCA Delegate Assembly, to be held on Saturday, April 29th, beginning at 9:30 am at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, please submit your name in writing to the Chapter Office, Sullivan 205B, or send an email to msca@salem.mass.edu, no later than Thursday, April 27th, at 2:00 pm.

Balloting will be held during the special chapter meeting, Thursday, April 27th, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in the Harrington Building Cafeteria, South Campus.

If any member of the Chapter is a parliamentarian or knows someone who is who would provide assistance to the Chapter's Delegation for Saturday's Delegate Assembly, please contact Paul McGee, Chairperson of the Salem Delegation, at X6647 or PaulFMcGeeCPA@aol.com as soon as possible.

Please understand that this is a stressful and demanding time for all of your local MSCA officers. Besides the challenge to the MSCA Officers Election, we are dealing with three negative personnel actions where faculty members' jobs are at stake, the transition in the chapter presidency, and mediation in negotiations. We are also faculty members ourselves and share the pressures you have of the end of the semester exams and grading deadlines.

Our chapter has been represented at every bargaining session by Paul McGee or myself. Chuck Gould has stepped forward to take some of the grievance responsibilities from Bill Mahaney and has been outstanding. Susan Sturgeon has kept the chapter's books up to date and in the black and has been my closest supporter during the election and its challenge. Tom Luddy has represented us at several local meetings of importance.

Please attend meetings and check your email and the chapter webpage for updates on the status of negotiations and the MSCA Officers Elections. One on one conversations about "what is going on right now" are not possible. Thanks.