Stewards Council Meeting 11/19/2006

Attendance: David Zwart (History) Jason Trowbridge (Mathematics) Josh Muia (Chemistry) Osama Awwad (Computer Science) Ben Brahim Ghassen (Computer Science) Erdal Terkivatan (Mathematics) Elise Boneau (History) David Picaenti (Sociology) Jason Olson (English) Keith Russo (English) Marcie Noble (Spanish), Timothy Duby (Mathematics) Lisa Horton (English) Meghan Cook (Anthropology), Brenden Weaver (Anthropology), Julie Houck (Mathematics), Jamie McCandless (Graduate College), Dan Kueh (Biological Sciences), Michelle Erwin (Sociology) and Chris Pomeroy (Organizer)

I-Minutes and Agenda

The meeting began with distribution of agenda by President Zwart, agenda approved.

Minutes from Last Meeting: Motion to approve minutes with no changes passed.

II-Executive Committee Report

Presdient Zwart began with the executive-committee report. He met with GSAC, though they seemed a little cool to the union. He also met with Dr. Pyneson, Dean of the Grad College, who is available for meetings with students. He crashed the Graduate Studies Council (GSC-RPC) of the Faculty They want better funding for MA, full tuition remission, but they are not sure how to get funding for it. Funding for GA/DA’s remains the same as last year at 12mil for GA/DAs. English faculty member stated that the deans are looking at it as less money because we are getting a raise of 3%. David raised the fact that we bring in more than 12 million. He brought up the issue with instate and out-of-state tuition, set by the Board of Trustees so it will be necessary to work on the Board to get the remission rules changed. Of course they are not likely to see it in a favorable light.. We teach near 2/3rds of introductory courses.

Steward Trowbridge agreed stating that this indeed a key point. Math professors often do not want to teach the introductory courses.

Council generally agreed with departmental anecdotes.

President Zwart continued, noting that the Vice-Provost raised the fact that WMU gets less money than either of the other universities by half as or two-thirds the amount. This is true and will require political pressure to change, Robert Jones, our rep.

Publication Report: CIO McCandless passed around a draft newsletter. Presentation by Steward Weaver about the website, some future projects and queries for information for stewards.

President Zwart, wanted to know who should have regulatory powers over the publications and the website.

Steward Russo argued that it should be separate from the executive committee, to relieve burden from the officers.

President Zwart called for a motion to create publications committee, seconded.

Steward Weaver asked what would it do and over what resources would it exercise regulatory powers. There was a general discussion about eh type of information that should be made public, such as steward’s names or email addresses.

Vote on publication Committee: Unanimous Vote for publication committee. Call for volunteers. Stewards Cook, Weaver, Russo, Olson, Piacenti, and McCandless

III- Bargaining Committee Report

Steward Trowbridge reported on the meeting with administration with five-man administration bargaining team. The Union presented three articles and a proposed ground rules agreement. Ground rules met with friction from the lawyer over media contact, despite our common sense approach. The Bargaining team proposed some minor changes to ground rules and left it in their camp.

Presentation on some of the articles presented at the meeting, some impressions on the administrations reception of articles on 1) union dues and fees, 2) union rights, the right to exist and abilities with relation to the university, some changes about the actual transfer of knowledge, also the time given to us at any mandatory graduate student orientation 3) rights about using rooms an facilities, paying such reasonable fees as everyone else pays, posting notices etc.

The Bargaining Team will be presenting six more articles this week. Anti-discrimination, medical leave, jury duty, bereavements leave and grievances and conferences article.

There was some discussion about the impact of standardization on ad hoc appointments and the university’s culture of irresponsibility.

The Bargaining Team will meet this week, Wed. 7pm in the Offices, maybe earlier given the Thanksgiving holiday. All material articles will be presented to the administration by Christmas. The report concluded with more discussion about how standardization would impact TA workloads, reciprocal payment for IOR’s and actual “assistants.”

IV-Organizing Reports

President Zwart: Reports:

Steward M. Erwin: talked to ten people, four still have the surveys, and will get them to her later, do not need a conversation. Has six, people are pissed at their situation. E

Steward Kueh: Not here last week, fixed email.

Steward Noble: Had a bad week, but is contacting some people in foreign language.

Steward Olson: Some conversations, but no surveys.

Steward Piacenti. Gave Michelle emotional support, came to get surveys.

Steward Boneau: There is a Steward for poli.sci, Stacey Pollard, she was supposed to come, but did not. Talked with 8 people, masters.

Steward Weaver: Worked the website. Will continue to work on comp religion phil.

Womens Studies: not grads, but very receptive. Talked to person in art department, many of the art students were apathetic.

Steward Russo: Went to Engineering, got two new people to come. Forgot the surveys.

Steward Horton: Bargaining

Steward Terkivatan: Talking with people generally.

Steward Muia-Talked to a number of TAs, gave them some surveys, were supposed to be turned in on Friday, and did not find the, except three. Went to science education.

Steward Duby: was busy with other legitimate concerns.

Steward Houck Bargaining. Did meet a girl in music, Lindsay.

Steward Trowbridge: Bargaining, V.P. stuff, but good conversations, handed out a membership card. Scott may actually come because he does not want Jason to keep on calling him.

Preident Zwart: Working on Communications, geosciences, some on paper engineering.

Chris P.:

Presdient Zwart stated that Steward Boneau won, but Steward Russo also won for bringing two new stewards.

V-Organization Plans and Agenda

The Bargaining Team will meet at the TAU offices Thursday at 8am in preparation for the next meeting with the administration.

This was the fourth week in which the council sat with a quorum.

Presdient Zwart made a motion to take next week off, next meeting on Dec. 3rd.

Friendly amendment from Steward Russo for a commitment from the Stewards on the 3rd.

Second amendment from Steward Trowbridge requiring stewards to check the wiki.

The amended motion passed.

Meeting ended at 4:05pm