Judy Sandler, NYSUT Labor Relations Specialist, met with the NCCFT Executive Committee, Academic Senate Executive Committee and Chairpersons Executive Committee on Monday, June 22nd.
The meeting was productive in many respects, including the introduction of new members of these committees to each other. The membership should understand each of these groups is responsible to a different constituency on campus and yet we are connected together whereby our authority is defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This meeting gave the campus faculty leadership the opportunity to discuss a variety of issues of mutual concern including the disastrous Presidential Search, the role of the Deans, replacement of full-time faculty and the role of the Board of Trustees. The three campus leadership groups recognize the Board’s inability to select a President. However, the SUNY Board’s resolution to limit Dr. Saunders’ tenure as Acting President to 60 days appears to be a move in the right direction. It is our hope that an impartial individual who will not be eligible to apply for the Presidency is appointed in the very near future. Although the Board of Trustees announced replacements to the Search Committee, the Search Committee has received no notification as to the next steps. The leadership groups agreed to draft a joint letter describing our concerns and questions. This joint letter will be published upon completion and details will follow.
Furthermore, the NCCFT is also discussing these issues with NYSUT in an effort to bring our message to SUNY.
During the Monday meeting, we also discussed our difficulties working with the Deans, retirements, replacements, budgets and a variety of strategies to improve our relationships or not. In addition, the three leadership groups agreed to direct NYSUT to review legal action against the BOT with respect to their June 9th resolutions supporting Acting President Saunders’ veto of Senate resolutions on Class Size and Curriculum.
The NCCFT Executive Committee also met with the Chair of the Academic Senate and members of the Academic Senate Affirmative Action Committee to discuss the language and implications of the College’s sexual harassment policy. In addition, we are in receipt of the draft copy of the Academic Senate Bullying policy, and this is also under review.
We ask our members to review the video of the last BOT meeting. If you already viewed it, then view it again. Study it carefully. Then make a promise to get involved with the NCCFT when we send out a Call for Action. We will fight to maintain for our students the gem of Nassau County.
One last thought– what role is Nassau County politics playing in the Presidential Search process? If you don’t know the answer, then start to ask questions.
In solidarity