The Delegate Assembly is the policy-making authority of the MSCA.  Its policies, programs and resolutions are implemented by the Board of Directors and the Officers.  The fiscal affairs of the MSCA are conducted according to a budget approved by the Delegate Assembly, provided that the Board of Directors has the authority to transfer line items.

The Delegate Assembly meets annual at the end of April or the beginning of May.  This year’s Assembly will be held on Friday, April 24th beginning at 4:00 p.m. virtually using Zoom and streamed live on YouTube to non-delegates who can view the meeting. The link to view the Delegate Assembly Live Stream is here.

The Zoom link will be emailed Thursday, April 23, 2020.  If you are a delegate and did not receive the email or link, contact the MSCA President at President@MSCAunion.org.

The number of delegates is determined by dividing the number of full-time equivalent faculty and librarians on February 15th by fifteen.  The number of delegates to the 2020 Delegate Assembly is as follows:

Bridgewater – 34
Fitchburg – 16
Framingham – 16
MassArt – 10
MCLA – 6
Mass Maritime – 6
Salem – 28
Westfield – 20
Worcester – 18

Delegates are elected by each chapter via a written, secret ballot. If you are interested in running being a candidate for your chapter contact your chapter president.  Election results should be forwarded to the MSCA President’s office by 5:00 p.m. on April 3rd.  (This will aid the MSCA President’s Executive Assistant with sending notices and login information.  The deadline in accordance with the MSCA Constitutional is 4:00 p.m. April 10, 2020.)

Election Notice

Delegate documents:

MSCA Constitution

Proposed Special Rules of Order to MSCA Zoom Meeting

Standing Rules – no amendments received

Draft 2019 Delegate Assembly minutes

Tentative Agenda
     President’s Report
     Vice President’s Report
     Secretary’s Report
     Treasurer’s Report
          MSCA Board of Directors’ Budget Recommendation
          MSCA Board of Directors’ Anticipated Income
     New business item:  Election of bargaining committee members
     New business item:  Anti-Austerity
     Day Bargaining Committee Report
     DGCE Bargaining Committee Report
     Elections Committee Report
     Grievance Committee Report
     Legislation Committee Report
     Librarians Committee Report
     MTA Director’s Report – O’Donnell
     MTA Director’s Report – Washington
     MTA Region H Executive Committee Report
     MTA Health and Welfare Trust Report

New Business Items Passed at the 2020 Delegate Assembly (wording is in draft format):

#1 Resolution for Democratic Election of Bargaining Committee Members:

WHEREAS, Democratic process is essential to union governance; and

WHEREAS, most positions within the MSCA including delegates are appointed through democratic elections; and

WHEREAS, a democratic elections process for the nomination of Bargaining Team members would be in line with the democratic process requirement for other MSCA appointments;

THEREFORE, be it resolved that unless expressly prohibited by a chapter constitution, Chapter Bargaining Committee representatives must be elected via a written, secret ballot as is required for MSCA chapter delegates; and

Resolved, That the Chapter President shall consider the election results in making the recommendation to the MSCA President; and

Resolved, That the Chapter President must provide the election results to the MSCA President; and

Resolved, That the Bargaining Committee members so elected will be nominated by the MSCA President and appointed by confirmation of the Board.

(Note:  The Assembly was advised that the final resolve statement violates the MSCA Constitution.)

#2 Resolution for MSCA to Actively Oppose Austerity and to Fight for Federal Relief and Recovery for Public Higher Education

WHEREAS, after many years of public higher education (and other public services) in Massachusetts (and beyond) facing austerity policies, frequently framed as ‘doing more with less’ public higher education in Massachusetts (and beyond) has been in an ongoing and escalating crisis; and

WHEREAS, the austerity framework that has framed various budget and hiring decisions have proven to be detrimental to public higher education as a public good and has undermined the working conditions of faculty and staff and the learning conditions of students, particularly historically marginalized students; and   

WHEREAS, the present COVID 19 pandemic and attendant economic crisis represents an existential threat to public higher education through significant budget cuts, severe staffing reductions, particularly for part time faculty, potential program retrenchment and campus closures, the undermining of primarily face-to-face instruction and inadequate student support particularly for precarious and marginalized students.; and 

WHEREAS, the NEA’s April 9, 2020 call that the next COVID-19 Legislative Package “Provide at least $175 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund to distribute to states, allocated by formula, for public pre-K through post-secondary education to fill budget gaps caused by declining state revenues due to the COVID-19 national emergency.”; therefore be it 

Resolved, That the MSCA Board of Directors, the Bargaining Action Leader, and/or the Organizing and Unity Leader specifically focus their allocated resources and primary attention on engaging and organizing the MSCA membership to push back against the implementation of austerity policies on our campuses and to demand federal funding initiatives. This includes providing support to local chapters to organize initiatives on each campus as well as coordinating initiatives at the statewide level.

Resolved, That the MSCA Board of Directors, the Bargaining Action Leader, and/or  the Organizing and Unity Leader also focus their allocated resources and primary attention to develop coalitions with other affiliated public higher education and public education organizations. These include other elements of public higher education in Massachusetts, including but not limited to the unions at the UMass system and the Community College systems. This outreach should also include non-MSCA and MTA unions in such institutions;

Resolved, That these organizing efforts should focus on pressuring the Council of Presidents, Board of Higher Education, respective Boards of Trustees, community college and university leadership, as well as elected Massachusetts and Federal representatives to:

1. Oppose austerity measures as a ‘resolution’ for the crisis in public higher education which has been intensified by the COVID 19 crisis.  In particular this includes opposing the closing of programs and campuses.

2. Push for inclusion of major Federal relief and recovery for public higher education in any forthcoming relief and recovery packages (particularly in light of the fact that Massachusetts – and many other states – are limited by the requirement that they balance their budgets).

Resolved, That these organizing efforts should include but not be limited to the following actions: 

1. Dedicate an issue of MSCA Perspective on “Resisting Austerity” 

2. Gather personal email addresses for the entire membership to ensure organizing activities can reach all members.

3. Use MSCA resources and administrative and infrastructural support to convene campus town halls to foster community dialogue and organizing against austerity.

4. Use MSCA resources and administrative and infrastructural support to convene a state-wide town hall to foster cross campus dialogue and organizing.

5. Organize members and chapters to work with the MTA and NEA to push Congress to fund public higher education.

6.  Provide regular updates to the full membership via existing MSCA communication systems on steps taken toward these goals.

#3