Admin Bargaining Updates, GEO

GEO has reached a tentative agreement on our 8th contract with the University

Upon ratification, the contract will be in effect from August 30, 2009 to August 31, 2012. The contract will cover all UMass graduate students who are employed as Teaching Associates (TO), Teaching Assistants (TA), Research Assistants (RA), Project Assistants (PA), Assistant Residence Directors (ARD), and Graduate Interns. None of the following changes [ratification-announcement summary] take effect until the contract is ratified by a majority of GEO-eligible employees casting valid votes. Voting will occur at two special meetings described below. To help inform you about the proposed contract and prepare you to vote we have included a detailed list of the proposed contract changes that will affect graduate student employees, listed by article. Also there will be two informational meetings held prior to ratification (see below for details). VOTING INFORMATION: Voting begins on Tuesday, March 31st, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and continues on Wednesday, April 1st, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., both in Campus Center Rm 177. Voting closes at 5:00 p.m. on the 1st and a public counting of the votes will begin at 5:01 in the same location. Pre-Vote Informational Meetings: Thursday, March 26th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. & Friday, March 27th from 10:00 a.m. to noon, both in Campus Center Rm 168.

GEO GEO, holub

Holub vs. Abby and Sharla

Dear Abby and Sharla,

I’ve written to you several times over the last few months to try to keep you posted on the ongoing fiscal crisis here at UMass Amherst and how we as a university community are responding to it. There has been speculation and assertions made about the budget plans that, frankly, aren’t accurate. Today, I want to tell you what we know about the current budget situation, and to provide you with as many facts as I can. It is critically important that we as a university community communicate openly and honestly, and work together to face the serious challenges ahead. As you know, we’ve created a Budget Planning Task Force of faculty, students and staff to assist in this process and to make recommendations – and they have been hard at work discussing budget cuts, fee increases, reorganization plans, potential layoffs, and other issues tied to the upcoming budget year. I expect to receive additional recommendations from this group soon and will, of course, share with you my decisions on how we go forward. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCHoRtMWiSg[/youtube]

Admin Announcements, GEO

Trustees Vote to Raise Fees $1500

Amid student protest, University of Massachusetts Trustees voted 12-4 this morning to increase student fees by $1,500 for the coming academic year. The hike represents a 17.6 percent spike in fees for UMass, Amherst students. UMass, Amherst has begun laying off faculty and staff. In addition, Chancellor Holub anticipates an approximately 7% decrease in the … Continue reading Trustees Vote to Raise Fees $1500