January 24,2003
Dear Colleagues:
Welcome back for Spring Semester 2003. I trust that you enjoyed a restful and well-deserved holiday with family and friends and are looking forward to your work with our students this semester.
As you are well aware, state governments around the country are facing unprecedented drops in state revenues at the same time that demands for state services are increasing. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is no different in this regard. Recently published projections for this state include possible shortfalls of $600,000,000 for the current fiscal year and $3,000,000,000 for the next fiscal year.
The Romney-Healy administration has generated considerable speculation and concern about several initiatives and actions to be taken with regard to public higher education in general and the state colleges in particular. Rumors circulate almost daily, but concrete proposals and information have not been offered or made available to college or union officials. The levels of anxiety and uncertainty have made our scheduled return to the negotiations tables for both the day and DGCE contracts even more challenging than usual.
Consequently, the MSCA Board of Directors, at its December 7th meeting, extended an invitation to the state college Council of Presidents, to hold a joint informational and strategic meeting early this semester. The presidents accepted this invitation, as did officials from MTA; the joint meeting was held on January 16th. Afterwards, the MSCA Board met in a special, separate session for additional discussion of concerns and strategies.
Four general topics were included on the agenda for these meetings:
1) reversions (budget cuts) as soon as the revenue figures for January have been determined. [Contrary to recent press reports, the governor has always had the authority to reduce appropriations to the state and community colleges; the recently adopted legislation to broaden this authority extended it to include the University of Massachusetts budgets as well.] 2) the forecasts for the budget to be filed by the governor’s office in late February or early March (House 1) and the expected reductions for public higher education. 3) the possibility of legislative changes in the statewide governance structure and organization of the public higher education system; for example, similar to proposals by the first Weld-Cellucci administration in the early 1990s. 4) the process of negotiations scheduled to begin this semester for both bargaining units represented by the MSCA/MTA.
1) reversions (budget cuts) as soon as the revenue figures for January have been determined. [Contrary to recent press reports, the governor has always had the authority to reduce appropriations to the state and community colleges; the recently adopted legislation to broaden this authority extended it to include the University of Massachusetts budgets as well.]
2) the forecasts for the budget to be filed by the governor’s office in late February or early March (House 1) and the expected reductions for public higher education.
3) the possibility of legislative changes in the statewide governance structure and organization of the public higher education system; for example, similar to proposals by the first Weld-Cellucci administration in the early 1990s.
4) the process of negotiations scheduled to begin this semester for both bargaining units represented by the MSCA/MTA.
In the absence of concrete proposals or plans, the presidents shared information about the data collection currently ongoing at the campuses. Representatives from Bain and Company, on a pro bono basis, are reviewing the non-instructional cost centers at selected state and community colleges to determine “efficient” operations and “best” practices from purely a cost-savings point of view. Other areas of state government are undergoing comparable data collection and review. It is anticipated that, eventually, all 29 institutions in the public higher education system will be reviewed in this way, and that the recommendations generated will form the basis of the administration’s proposals for the agenda items listed above.
Strategically, the presidents and union leaders agreed on the following points:
1) Public higher education is a major part of the solution to the state’s fiscal crisis in the long term. The state colleges in particular develop an educated workforce for employers critical to the state’s economy – a workforce that comes from Massachusetts and remains in Massachusetts. The need to prepare economic and workforce impact statements and to focus efforts in the Legislature was emphasized. The overall need for a positive message about our impact – rather than the negative messages of the past – received widespread support. 2) The need for the state colleges to remained united as to mission and purpose, in the face of attempts to divide the institutions and pit them against one another, was emphasized. Participants agreed to work together on legislative and other initiatives to meet the serious challenges facing us. 3) The meeting itself demonstrated the benefits of maintaining open lines of feedback and communication among the presidents and the union’s leadership, and the participants agreed to hold additional meetings to respond to specific proposals and events if necessary. 4) The recognition of the need to conduct negotiations vigorously but in good faith and without the divisiveness and acrimony that developed in the past, served to conclude the meeting.
1) Public higher education is a major part of the solution to the state’s fiscal crisis in the long term. The state colleges in particular develop an educated workforce for employers critical to the state’s economy – a workforce that comes from Massachusetts and remains in Massachusetts. The need to prepare economic and workforce impact statements and to focus efforts in the Legislature was emphasized. The overall need for a positive message about our impact – rather than the negative messages of the past – received widespread support.
2) The need for the state colleges to remained united as to mission and purpose, in the face of attempts to divide the institutions and pit them against one another, was emphasized. Participants agreed to work together on legislative and other initiatives to meet the serious challenges facing us.
3) The meeting itself demonstrated the benefits of maintaining open lines of feedback and communication among the presidents and the union’s leadership, and the participants agreed to hold additional meetings to respond to specific proposals and events if necessary.
4) The recognition of the need to conduct negotiations vigorously but in good faith and without the divisiveness and acrimony that developed in the past, served to conclude the meeting.
This union has faced similar challenges and crises in its history – and has met them successfully with the strength and involvement of the leadership and its membership. In many ways, the MSCA represents the force that has kept the state college segment united and enabled to carry out its mission on behalf of the citizens of Massachusetts. Your union’s leaders are determined to do so again.
We will keep you informed and involved as events unfold over the next several months. Please do not hesitate to contact your chapter president, MSCA director, or my office with specific concerns or questions. A great deal is at stake here, and we must be prepared.
Sincerely,
Pat Markunas MSCA President
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