MSCA/Salem Chapter Newsletter
February 4, 2001

Pay Raise
Well, I hope you didn't overspend for Valentine's Day. It looks like the pay raise will be delayed a pay period or two. This is the latest I have heard concerning the money: the state will send the allocated funds to the Colleges this week. Unfortunately, the State payroll system (HR/CMS) is due for a conversion and will not come out of this "blackout" period until February 6th. For pay changes to be effective February 15th all inputting must be completed by February 8th. Due to the volume, changes cannot be accomplished by February 8th. The next available pay period is March 1st and it is expected that our raise or part of our raise will be included in this pay period. This new version of HR/CMS should be able to adjust tax withholdings to the proper amount for retroactive payments to members. The withholding issue is being handled at the state level. If you have not already spent your money on Valentine's Day, maybe you can spend freely on St. Patrick's Day!

Reminders...
Professional Development Money - The deadline for continuing scholarship monies is approaching. Level I is due February 15th and the supplemental request is due February 28th. If you have not done so, please submit the proper forms as soon as possible.

Day and DGCE Contracts -
Contracts are available in the union office, Sullivan Building 205B. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Part-time Faculty and GIC -
BHE director of Human Resources, Jay Laporte, is setting up a meeting with representatives of GIC to deal with the eligibility of part-time faculty to obtain GIC insurance. We will keep you informed.

Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) -
The deadline to enter the ERIP is February 15th. Those interested in this program should contact the State Board of Retirement at One Ashburton Place, Room 1219, Boston, MA. 02108. Phone: (617) 367-7770, extension 1, or 1-800-392-6014 (IN-STATE).

Those who decide to retire under the ERIP must go to Salem State's Human Resource office to sign the GIC insurance paperwork. At the ERIP workshop it was suggested that members go directly to GIC; this is incorrect.

Appointments
Search Committee for Dean, School of Business. The Chapter Office received three nominations for the five vacancies for this search committee. I will request the Chapter Secretary, Thomas Luddy, cast a single vote for Sanjay Jain (ACCT/FIN), Doug Larson (ACCT/FIN), and John Mack (MGMT). Many thanks to those members for their willingness to serve on this search committee.

Committee Vacancies
Director for the Office of Students with Disabilities - One (1) unit member is needed.
Retention/Enrollment Management Committee - Three (3) unit members are needed. Mayuresh Kelker (MKT), Doug Larson (ACCT/FIN), and Susan Sturgeon (LIB) have resigned from this committee.
College Strategic Planning Committee - One (1) unit member is needed. Mary-Lou Breitborde (EDU) has resigned from this committee.

Search Committee for Dean, School of Business - Two (2) unit members are needed.

New Committee - SSC Advocacy Committee. Two (2) unit members are needed for this new committee. The purpose of the group will be to lead an on-going effort to educate legislators, state officials, and our many constituencies about the vital role of public higher education and the negative effects of past, current, and future state funding cutbacks. This committee will be composed of employees, students, parents, alumni, employers of students and alumni, and other key business leaders and friends of SSC.

If you are interested in serving on any of these committees please respond by Monday, February 11th by calling the Salem Chapter Office at extension 6920. Thanks.

The Search Committee for Academic Vice President has been reconstituted with the following unit members continuing to serve on this committee: Mary-Lou Breitborde (EDU), Patricia Buchanan (ENG), Jim Cullen (GLS), Chuck Gould (SOC), Doug Larson (ACC/FIN), Paul Marsella (HIS).

NEA Dues-Tab Insurance
Members of NEA are automatically covered by a life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy.

Attached to this newsletter is a registration form that you may want to complete. All members have this insurance policy but by registering you will receive information from the insurance carrier that you can file along with other insurance information so that beneficiaries are aware that you are covered by this policy.

Merit Bonus Pools
Preliminary numbers for the merit pool indicate that Salem will be allocated $227,233 for granting merit bonuses to full-time members of the bargaining unit who were employed at the College on September 30, 2001. In identifying the recipients of such merit bonuses and the amount of each bonus, the President shall exercise her sole discretion subject only to the following:
1) cap of $1,500 per person and
2) all monies must be distributed.

This money pool was determined using 318 members available for merit pay.

Professional Development Pool
Preliminary numbers for professional development funds indicate that Salem will be allocated $260,770 based on 315 members. This allocation will be segregated into two funds as follows:

· Two-thirds of the pool ($173,880) shall be allocated to the Fund for Continuing Scholarship, to be used at the members' discretion. Per capita amount is $552.

· One-third of the pool ($86,890) shall be allocated to the Supplemental Fund for Continuing Scholarship for which full-time unit members shall be eligible to apply to the Vice President, Academic Affairs. Per capita amount is $275.

No member of the bargaining unit shall be allocated, in the aggregate, more than $2,000 during the period ending June 30, 2002.

State Budget
On January 23, 2003, Governor Swift released her budget for FY2003 (House 1). This is the first step in the budget process. The State Colleges were allocated a 5.9% decrease from last year's budget when considering the MSCA collective bargaining reserve. This is an additional decrease over the devastating cuts made this year. Library/Reference materials are funded at the FY02 level of $5 million. In previous years libraries were funded at $14 million.

MTA lobbyists will be working with the state's budget writers for the next three months to ensure that the interests of public education, public higher education, and all MTA members are protected and advanced. The program cuts that are outlined in the Governor's budget are entirely unnecessary. What is needed is more revenue. Our members must convey that message in no uncertain terms to their legislators and the Governor.

This past Friday the MSCA Board of Directors unanimously voted in favor of a motion to freeze implementation of the tax cut. In the works is a State House lobbying day, tentatively set for April 2, 2002. More information will follow.

Statewide Election
The Chair of the MSCA Nominations and Elections committee officially notified the MSCA Board of Directors that the Nomination Papers of the following candidates have been officially certified:

Patricia Markunas President
Frank Minasian Vice President
Gail Price Treasurer
Gerald Concannon Secretary