From rip@cs.bu.edu Fri Nov 7 13:18:52 1997 Received: from rolph.bu.edu (rip@ROLPH.BU.EDU [128.197.12.129]) by cs.bu.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5/(BU-S-01/27/97-fc1)) with ESMTP id NAA23005; Fri, 7 Nov 1997 13:18:45 -0500 (EST) From: Robert Pitts Received: by rolph.bu.edu (8.8.5/Spike-2.1) id NAA02173; Fri, 7 Nov 1997 13:18:37 -0500 (EST) Date: Fri, 7 Nov 1997 13:18:37 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <199711071818.NAA02173@rolph.bu.edu> To: aasa@bu.edu, alistair@bio.bu.edu, amgomez@bu.edu, atrochio@bu.edu, btnoren@bio.bu.edu, byrnea@bu-ast.bu.edu, cchamber@bu.edu, celatka@chem.bu.edu, crichard@bio.bu.edu, desrosie@chem.bu.edu, dkmciver@bu.edu, elioff@chem.bu.edu, garethr@math.bu.edu, ggarber@buphy.bu.edu, herbert@bu.edu, ingalls@ninkasi.bu.edu, jric@bu.edu, jwillis@bu.edu, kim1@bu.edu, kpetersn@bu.edu, krlynch@bu.edu, landy@bu.edu, marcusp@bu.edu, mghayes@math.bu.edu, mhmann4@bu.edu, mparks@bu.edu, mramage@crsa.bu.edu, mslobodk@bu.edu, mwalker@bu.edu, rbresler@bu.edu, rcabana@bu.edu, rip@cs.bu.edu, rolvera@bu.edu, salzmann@bu.edu, scarella@bu.edu, stephr@math.bu.edu, susanlee@bu.edu, tdwalker@bu.edu, th@math.bu.edu, thomsons@bu.edu, wenner@bu.edu, yfederow@truckee.bu.edu Subject: Grad Assoc - summary of Thu, Nov 6, 97 meeting Status: RO Here is a summary of what we did at yesterday's meeting: - Looked at memo from dean about pay increase in spring. A checklist of what we achieved is: o Even pay within depts. o Spring semester YES o Current semester NO o Next year ? (Although a letter from Dean Berkey to Jen Wenner in Earth Sci. state's "Your stipend, or anyone else's, will never be reduced, I assure you," implying that next year would stay at the higher rate.) o Even pay between depts. NO --- NOTE: The memo from the dean tries to equate TFs with "interns in a hospital." This is likely a strategic comment since I'm told that there are recent Mass. court rulings saying something about student workings (like interns) not having the same rights as contract workers. --- - We decided that the current action we will pursue on the matter is only to have our meeting with the dean, which is scheduled for next Thurs., Nov. 13, from 10:30am to 11am. The people that have volunteered to meet with him fall into the following categories. Definite -------- Rob Pitts (CS) Michael Ramage (Earth Sci) Yvonne Federowicz? (Geog) If needed --------- Gareth Roberts (Math) Cassandra Celatka (Chem) Help with planning ------------------ Chris Richardson (Bio) That gives 2 natural science and 1 human./soc. sci. students for the definites. So, perhaps we need one more from human./soc. sci.? Let me know who else would like to be involved. - We chose the topics for our meeting with the dean. Since we could only get 1/2 hour for next week, we will also provide him with a statement. Here is an outline of our plans for the written statement and the verbal portion of the meeting. Written Statement Verbal Portion ----------------- -------------- 1. Acknowledgement of 1. Acknowledgement of Spring increase. Spring increase. 2. Examples of cost 2. Examples of cost of living for stus. of living for stus. Suggest cost of living increases. 3. Ask for the $500 3. Ask for the $500 extra for current sem. extra for current sem. 4. Explain why there *should 4. Ask for explanation not* be a disparity of why disparity *between* depts. *between* depts. 5. Explanation of what TFs really do. 6. Suggest a continuing dialogue between us and him. - In support of this meeting, we are gathering the following statistics. + Information about cost of living. Examples of what we pay for rent, etc. Mike Hayes has given me the formula used for Fin. Aid. + For comparable area schools: TF pay, duties, and whether there are cost of living increases. To gather this information, each person please try to get these values for their dept. at other schools. For example, someone from Chem. get these values for Chem. depts. at other schools. + Information about how many TFs there are. Mike Hayes has gathered this information and I will send it out later. - We would like to (for future use) start to gather information about rulings as to whether student workers are like/different from other types of workers as far as our legal rights. - We viewed a videotape of a local news broadcast from last week that describes the high pay and benefits given to BU administrators, plus higher spending on things like buildings vs. academic programs. Also, we would now like to go to a bi-weekly schedule for Grad Assoc meetings. This would put the next meeting on Nov. 20. People involved in the meeting with the dean (or its planning) will meet some time next week (to be determined). Furthermore, while I will continue to volunteer to facilitate the running of meetings in the future, other people are welcome to do so if they like. Comments are welcome. --Rob