Remarks for the Meeting of the Board of Higher Education
April 20, 2004
Fitchburg State College
Patricia V. Markunas, President

Welcome to Fitchburg State College. I am speaking on behalf of the 2500 faculty and librarians who provide quality education at an affordable price at colleges with regional and statewide access to the students of the Commonwealth. I thank Chairman Tocco for the opportunity to address you, the Board of Higher Education, our statutory employer of record.

At your last meeting in February, much was made of the Board's production and release of an "Accountability Report," which purported to measure the performance of the state and community colleges. This report was released prematurely and irresponsibly to the media. It produced a firestorm of negative publicity about our work on behalf of the Commonwealth. Both the Chairman and the Chancellor have defended their actions by asserting that the performance measures used in that report are required under state and federal statutes.

My colleagues and I are here today to remind you, the members of the Board of Higher Education, that you also have a statutory responsibility to negotiate in good faith with us, to achieve a collective bargaining agreement. We are here today to offer our analysis of your performance in carrying out this important statutory responsibility.

Today, April 20th, 2004, marks 295 days since the expiration of our collective bargaining agreement with the Board. We initiated negotiations for a successor agreement in February of last year. Throughout this entire time period, your representatives have repeatedly refused to work on a three-year successor agreement. They have canceled around twenty negotiating sessions, some on less than 24 hours notice. To this day, not only have you failed to produce a proposal for a three-year agreement but you have not even committed to a date by which a proposal will be offered. The latest estimate of that date is June 7, 345 days after the expiration of the current agreement.

Today, April 20th, 2004, marks 568 days since the last general pay increase for faculty and librarians at the state colleges. Your representatives have yet to offer one single dollar in general pay increases for either a one-year extension of the contract or a three-year successor. Last July, we presented management with a study that demonstrated that state college faculty salaries average 11 to 23 percent less than those at peer institutions.

Last Friday, at 4:30 in the afternoon, was the very first time that the Chancellor told me that she is "concerned" about the results of our salary study. Concern is not performance, nor is calling for a private meeting at the last possible minute prior to a public meeting and a demonstration. Performance is a comprehensive proposal that includes a fair economic package in recognition of our work.

The Board of Higher Education is accountable to the citizens of the Commonwealth for the quality of the education offered at the state and community colleges. The quality of the education at any institution of higher education rests on the quality of its faculty. The quality of the state college faculty rests on a collective bargaining agreement with fair economic provisions and working conditions that support and protect the integrity of our work.

Last month, the Board formed a task force to determine why state college graduation rates are not like those at selective and doctoral-granting institutions with better state funding and stronger advocacy by state officials. Where is the task force to determine why the Board of Higher Education has failed to make sure that our salaries keep pace with our peers nationally? Where is the task force to determine why the Board of Higher Education has kept the state colleges at a competitive disadvantage in hiring and retaining quality faculty by failing to negotiate a timely agreement? Where is the commitment by the Board for accountability on all of its statutory responsibilities?

The Governor is not our employer of record: you are. Eric Kriss is not our employer of record: you are. Nothing in the statute requires you to seek authorization from the Governor or his Secretary of Administration and Finance to make a financial offer at our bargaining table. The Board already has that authority under the state's collective bargaining law. The Supreme Judicial Court has said that it is up to the parties to convince the Governor to approve a contract once it has been negotiated. It is time for you to direct your representatives to carry out your legal responsibility to bargain with us in good faith in order to get an agreement in place.

Today, April 20th, 2004, you are 295 days past the contractual deadline for our successor agreement. We are ready to negotiate a contract and convince the administration of its worth. Are you ready to do the same?

Thank you for your time and attention this morning.