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Ponderings of the President
by Ira Lansing
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| OK, sure UPM has a dues structure that has allowed it to operate in the black for the last three years while Amazon.com has not, and true the local has not raised the dues in all this time, but you never know what could be just over the horizon. |
 Never let it be said that the United Professors of Marin is behind the times or being left out in the cold. Merger mania has hit UPM! Recent business news has reported on some whoppingly huge financial marriages. America Online and Time-Warner have tied the knot, joining to create a conglomerate worth over $150 billion. That amount of money boggles the mind, but was soon overshadowed by a merger of two pharmaceutical companies, Glaxo-Welcome and SmithKline Beecham. Each of these mergers presumably imparted benefit to the two parties in question. Whether or not the consumer will gain remains to be seen––or is totally irrelevant. Viewing these and other alliances as beneficial and necessary to surviving in today’s market, UPM sought a partner. I am excited to report that we have found one––Amazon.com! Shortly the paper work will be completed that will make the United Professors of Marin an independent subsidiary of this on-line behemoth.
What benefit could this possibly have to any of our unit members, you ask? First, observe the dominating on-line presence of Amazon.com. True, UPM already has a web site that contains the complete and current UPM Press, as well as back issues. Yes, the web site does have a complete contract that is searchable on-line and also lists all the necessary forms you might need, like absence reports, that can be downloaded. True, you can also go on-line and download your own electronic version of the current contract, and there are also links to the state and national affiliates, as well as other faculty organizations on our web page; but imagine how convenient it will be to be able to buy books or bid at auctions from our site, or to have a hot link from Amazon.com directly to http://www.marin.cc.ca.us/upm/. This time savings alone to any one of you makes the merger more than worth it. And yes, our web master Mike Godsey will continue in his current capacity after the merger. Second, there is no denying that Amazon.com is a financial Godzilla, with a market value in the billions. The fiscal clout they lend to UPM will be invaluable. OK, sure UPM has a dues structure that has allowed it to operate in the black for the last three years while Amazon.com has not, and true the local has not raised the dues in all this time, but you never know what could be just over the horizon. Yes, UPM does have a legal defense fund in the tens of thousands of dollars and has established a political action committee (UPMPAC) that was successful in electing its two chosen candidates to the MCC Board of Trustees; but think of the line of credit we would be gaining by this union. Never again would the membership need to approve special assessments to fund unanticipated (usually legal) expenses. The relief alone to our treasurer, Theo Fung (who will continue in her present role), makes it worth it. And I know most of you members will sleep better not worrying about another dues increase. Third, imagine the professional and technical expertise that Amazon.com will bring to the local. Any organization that can have the corporate dominance and on-line presence that Amazon.com has––without making any money––must have talent from which we could all learn. Well, yes, UPM has successfully negotiated contracts for its members over the last 20-plus years. Sure, all of our grievances have been ably and effectively handled by our grievance officer, but just think of the unsettling effect on our own managers a highly successful Internet company like Amazon.com, with all of its incredibly capable management, will have. Why I can already see the incredible gains that will be possible for us at the bargaining table. Things like salaries at the average of the top three of the Bay Ten, medical benefits and seniority for part-timers, paid office hours for everyone, and even travel money!
Don't worry. Our chief negotiator Paul Christensen and our grievance officer Bernadene Allen will both continue in their present capacities after the merger.
No doubt by now you truly can see the benefit to the United Professors of Marin of joining with Amazon.com. But what could the latter possibly realize from all this? I only need say two words––college textbooks. Far be it from me to completely understand Amazon.com's cost benefits. After all, they are the ones worth billions.
So now we can go ahead with the final documents. It only remains for the membership to approve one little detail. Amazon.com has asked that we change our local name to "AM-PM.1610." So if that's acceptable with all of you, I’ll just sign the papers. OK?
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Letter to the editor
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| Finals are not scheduled on the same days as a class normally meets. This causes great problems for students who have chosen class times because they fit into work or family schedules. The message here seems to be that the rest of students' lives has no importance to us |
Editor:
We are aware of the difficulties involved in scheduling. After all, each of us must deal with many different and often conflicting forces as we put together our individual course schedules each semester. Results are never perfect. However, when a given schedule creates significant problems, we should attempt to correct them.
Our current [fall 1999] final examination schedule is creating a myriad of problems for faculty and students. However it arose, perhaps with the best of intentions, it now seems to defy all logic. Following are a few of the problems:
1. The final exam of a class may occur the day after the last class meeting. This sends a message to the effect that either nobody should take final exams seriously anymore or that everyone here should assume an amount of stress and anxiety far above what is the norm at most academic institutions.
2. Finals in different sections of the same course may occur not only on different days, but in different weeks. This reduces the evenness and fairness that one must always struggle for in large, multiple-section courses. This problem is magnified in courses and departments striving to achieve synchrony between lab and lecture courses.
3. Finals are not scheduled on the same days as a class normally meets. This causes great problems for students who have chosen class times because they fit into work or family schedules. The message here seems to be that the rest of students' lives has no importance to us.
Taken together, these problems amount to a great threat to our attempt to be more "user-friendly" to students, to increase enrollments and to increase student success rates. Something should be done about them.
What might this be? The first, and simplest, measure is to make sure that every final exam schedule starts on Monday and finishes on Saturday. That would ensure an even last week of classes. Also, because relatively few classes are scheduled on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, several days would be available for studying between a student's last class and his or her first final. If holidays during the semester create the need for more days or classes, these could be inserted into the beginning of the semester, when conditions are more relaxed and much more is still ahead for correcting synchronization problems.
The next step would be to imitate what some schools have already done: to make all final exams fall on the same day as the class normally meets. This is now done for our night classes, where it works very well. Hours might have to be adjusted for some classes, but this at least would be a step in the right direction.
We urge that surveys of faculty and student views be conducted before any future schedule is accepted. In view of all of the fine efforts now being made on campus to attract and serve students, let's not let our final exam schedule drive them away!
Paul da Silva, Jamie Deneris, Joe Mueller, Don Foss, Jane Martin
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CFT RECOMMENDS YES VOTE ON PROP. 26
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In 1998 voters passed a $9.2 billion general obligation bond, making state funds available to meet K through University needs (Proposition 1A on the November 1998 ballot). The State Colleges and the University of California, because they are state systems, could immediately begin planning buildings. However, Schools and Community Colleges remain bound by a 2/3 local voting requirement instituted in a long ago time to access these matching funds.
Teachers and classified staff go to work each day to make a positive difference in society. It's a difficult job, one that we shouldn't make more difficult by making them struggle with doors that don't latch, warped windows, and overloaded electrical circuits that short out. Half of California's school buildings are more than 30 years old and need extensive repairs. California ranks last among the 50 states in the number of computers per student, and two million students go to school in trailers. In fact, many children have spent their academic careers in portables because of overcrowding; therefore we must build new classrooms.
The school facilities crisis in California doesn't begin and end at the elementary school level. High school districts and community colleges, much like unified school districts, often pursue local bonds to secure much-needed funding for modernization as well as for new facilities.
Since 1986, 94 percent of local school bond measures have received majority support from voters, but only 53 percent reached the two-thirds threshold for approval. If experience is a guide, most school and community college districts that gained simple-majority support but missed the two-thirds threshold try again, and eventually succeed. But the time, money and effort they spend doing this, while their campuses deteriorate further, is time, money, and effort that could be better spent improving the education of California's students.
Our schools and community colleges play a vital role in preparing Californians for the university system as well as the workplace. If voters approve Proposition 26 on March 7 our students will have adequate facilities in which to learn, and the strict accountability standards outlined in the Proposition will ensure that all local bond money is invested wisely.
CFT is pleased to be a part of this large and diverse coalition. Parent, educator, business, labor and children's advocate groups support this initiative because they understand that good schools are the foundations of a healthy, growing economy, and that we must solve this school facilities crisis if we expect to adequately prepare our students for the future.
Vote YES on Proposition 26.
CFT also recommends NO votes on props 21, 25 and 28.
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AFT NATIONAL HIGHER ED CONFERENCE COMING TO D.C.
AFT Prez Feldman Keynote Speaker
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A conference on issues in higher education will take place April 14th to 16th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Washington, D.C. The theme is "Special focus on technology in higher education: The latest trends and practices; competing visions; impact on students, faculty and professional staff; bargaining challenges; shaping technology’s future through high standards, professional control and union activism." The keynote speaker will be AFT President Sandra Feldman.
For more information, check AFT's web site at: www.aft.org.
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AFT CONVENTION SET FOR PHILLY IN JULY
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 This year's AFT convention will take place in the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia. It will convene July 3rd at 9:30 A.M. and is scheduled to remain in session five days.
UPM is eligible to send five delegates to the convention. Any unit member wanting to be a delegate should contact the UPM office at 459-1524, as soon as possible.
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CHICAGO TO HOST WOMEN’S CONFERENCES
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"Working women in America face challenges from a variety of sources. Despite some recent gains, too many earn less than their education and career roles warrant," according to AFT President Sandra Feldman. "Many are sandwiched as caregivers between children and elderly parents. And far too many working women experience high levels of stress from ‘trying to do it all.’"
The AFT is offering a women’s issues conference to explore monetary and other problems faced by women in this country. "Women 2000: Making Our Dreams Reality," to be held at the Sheraton-Chicago Hotel March 8th to 10th, will explore these problems and offer some strategies to overcome them. The conference will cover issues such as equity in instruction and pay, political organizing in this critical election and census year, coping with stresses, and understanding generation issues that affect women and youth.
The registration fee for the conference, which includes the reception, meals and conference materials, is $75. A tentative agenda is available at the UPM office, SC 136.
Any questions? Contact AFT Human Rights and Community Relations Dept. at 1-800-238-1133, ext. 4434.
Following on the heels of "Women 2000" will be an AFL-CIO sponsored "Working Women 2000 Conference," also in Chicago and beginning March 11th. It will feature workshops on organizing women, family issues, workplace safety, health, and protecting social security and Medicare. The registration fee for this conference is also $75.
Registration forms for both conferences are available in the UPM office.
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P-T EQUITY WEEK SLATED FOR APRIL
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On April 3-7, 2000, community college campuses statewide will celebrate Part-Time Faculty Equity Week, spotlighting the issue of part-time pay inequity (statewide, part-time faculty are paid only 37% of what full-timers earn). Action 2000 Coalition (A2K) is a coalition of faculty unions and professional associations committed to increasing the awareness of all faculty, students, state legislators, the chancellor and the governor.
According to CFT rep Linda Cushing, "As the CFT representative, and the chair of the coalition, I am looking for CFT campuses to take the lead in this effort. On each campus, we need an action leader who's willing to be the main contact person and coordinator of A2K activities for the week. We also are asking for contributions from the locals to help fund the effort."
Each campus will receive an Action Packet from A2K, with literature. The campus leader will receive flyer and poster formats, information sheets, petitions, sample lesson plans which draw attention to part-timer issues. Special buttons and T-shirts may be worn by part-timers, regular faculty and students during Part-Time Faculty Equity Week.
If you are interested in being an active participant in Part-Time Faculty Equity Week on your campus, please contact UPM at 459-1254. Part-Time Faculty Equity Week will provide an excellent opportunity to develop our union's grass roots political action campaign toward ending the economic exploitation of part-time faculty statewide. |
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New Union Privilege Discount
H&R BLOCK DISCOUNT HELPS MEMBERS SAVE
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In a new Union Privilege discount, the nation’s most respected tax preparer, H&R Block, is offering a $15 savings on tax preparation for union members who have their taxes done by H&R Block. The average fee for tax preparation with H&R Block is about $80.
A $5 discount is also available on H&R Block's Tax Cut software, which helps members fill out their tax forms on a personal computer. And, members can prepare their taxes on-line and file them electronically for just $8.50, a 15% discount.
Here's how UPM members can save. Stop by the UPM office after March 5th and pick up a coupon. Bring the coupon to a local H&R Block location and get $15 off. To order the Tax Cut software, call 1-800-457-9525 and use discount code B500. And to get the on-line discount, members will soon be able to go to the Union Privilege web site to link to the 15% discount for on-line filing.
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Flex Credit for Faculty
GLOBAL E-CONOMY TALK THIS WEEK
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COM's Social Sciences Dept. presents "THE GLOBAL E-CONOMY," a talk by Prof. Stephen Cohen, Director of the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy, UC Berkeley. The talk takes place Thursday, March 2nd, 9:30 to 11:00 A.M. in Olney Hall 96. For more information, call Hank Fearnley, x7602.
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AFT CONFERENCES ON HORIZON
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Three upcoming AFT-sponsored conventions/conferences have come to our attention this month. The first takes place in Chicago early in March, followed by one in Washington, D.C., in April, and the AFT annual convention takes place in July in Philadelphia. See "Conference Corner" on page 6 for details.
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Airline Discounts Available
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Delta, US Airways and United Airlines offer 10% off full coach airfares to Chicago, March 3rd to 16th, and 5% off discounted and first-class fares. Call the ‘Convention Desk’ of any of the three air carriers, identify yourself as an AFT Women's Issues Conference attendee and give the reservation person the following special numbers:
Delta: 1-800-241-6760, File No.: 157682A
US Airways: 1-877-874-7687, Gold File No.: 74171312
(Also ask Delta and US Airways about their special "Zone Fares.")
United Airlines: 1-800-521-4041, File No.: 580XW
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If want to download a formated printout go to http://www.idrive.com and sign in at the "visit i-drive" with the name "CalGuy" you will be taken to a shared folder which contains the UPM 1998-2001 contract in three formats