FSU Nuts & Bolts: Work Environment and Workload Policies
10/17/2022
Dear Member,
As we approach mid semester and the scheduling of our spring semester schedules, we think this issue of Nuts & Bolts is a good time to share some policies and contract language associated with our work environment and workload.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Board of Trustee Policies
The University is governed by a 22-member Board of Trustees with the authority to set policies for all five campuses. To see all established policies, go to https://www.umassp.edu/bot/policies.
Here are links to some policies of interest including: intellectual property, conflicts of interest, principles of employee conduct (a related UMB policy can be seen here), and non-discrimination and harassment.
Discrimination, sexual harassment and misconduct, and Title IX Grievance Procedures
UMB has established specific policies related to discrimination, sexual harassment, and Title IX. It is important that we are all aware of these policies and their content.
We are providing direct links to these policies: discrimination policy, sexual or gender-based misconduct in the workplace policy, the ethical relationships policy (FAQ related to the Ethical Relationships Policy can be seen here), and the Title IX Grievance Procedure.
Political Activity
The general election is just over three weeks away and some of you might be involved in campaign activities. Please be sure to review UMB’s policy.
Right to Have a Witness In Meetings With Your Supervisor:
You have the right to have a union witness present for any meeting with your supervisor that is of an investigatory nature or may have disciplinary repercussions (see the MTA primer on Weingarten Rights). Please contact the FSU as soon as possible for scheduling.
Audio/video recording of faculty:
Some faculty have noted that this has occurred without permission and posted in politically motivated social media. To prevent this, know that audio or video recording of class lectures and discussions is against UMB’s Student Code of Conduct, and under Massachusetts state law, it is a crime to secretly record a conversation. (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272, § 99} Instructors’ lectures are proprietary, and students are entitled to expect that the opinions they express in the classroom are confined to the educational experience of the classroom. Students requiring special accommodation can request permission to record class material, but formal documentation must be provided by the Ross Center.
WORKLOAD
Enrollment caps increases:
Departments and faculty, not the Administration, set enrollment caps for all courses (see the language in Article 15.4 of the contract). If student enrollment caps are increased, or if you disagree with the caps, talk to your department.
Additional students above course capacities:
For both in-person and distance learning courses, once course capacities are reached, only the individual faculty member may admit additional students (see Article 15.4 of the contract for more information). Faculty members have full discretion in this regard with the exception of the multi-section courses referenced in 15.4.
Reduction in Course Load for Full Time Senior Lecturer II’s /Clinical Senior Lecturer II’s and Senior Lecturer III’s/Clinical Senior Lecturer III’s:
An addition to our contract is a course load reduction of 1 course per academic year (i.e. a 4-3 or 3-4 load) to full-time Senior Lecturer II’s and Clinical Senior Lecturer II’s that will be granted in consideration of a significant increase in service. A course load reduction of 2 courses per academic year (i.e. a 3-3 load) will be granted to full-time Senior Lecturer III’s and Clinical Senior Lecturer III’s in consideration of a significant increase in service.
Upcoming Dates
Winter and Spring 2023 Registration opens Monday, November 7th. Your class schedule including classroom assignments should be viewable in WISER. If the assigned classroom is lacking, please speak to your department scheduler about a room change.
Sincerely,
Caroline Coscia
FSU President
Senior Lecturer II
Political Science Department
For information on the FSU, links to our contract and bargaining updates, and a calendar of events, see the FSU webpage