WCCFT was represented by a team of four members attending the annual Community College Conference of our state wide union affiliate NYSUT. Below are their individual report and observations:
Deirdre Verne, WCCFT Vice-President
Professors Verne and Bender hosted a session on interpersonal conflict within a union. Attendees learned the basics of conflict reduction strategies such as perception checking and other assertive communication tools. Attendees gained a better understanding of strategies used to reduce inter-member conflict to build a stronger union.
Professor Deirdre Verne, WCC and Professor Susan Bender, Monroe Community College preparing a presentation on Conflict Resolution: Mediating Conflict Between Union Members at the NYSUT Community College Conference, Nov 3-5, Saratoga Springs, NY
Jim Werner, WCCFT President
The NYSUT Community College Conference was held once again at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs November 3-5. As usual, I found the Conference to be informative, relevant and highly practical. The keynote speaker was William Herbert, Executive Director of the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions at Hunter College.
I attended three workshop sessions: one on Conflict Resolution and Mediating between Union Members (with our own Deirdre Verne co-presenting!), one on Grievances vs. Gripes, and one on Running a Successful VOTE-COPE Campaign, with a possible focus on NYSUT’s campaign to “Fix Tier Six.” (See the current President’s Message)
On Sunday morning, I made a series of seven “speed-dating” presentations on our Viking ROADS program, which SUNY is planning to replicate across 25 campuses, to serve 3700 students. (Thanks to Leo Rodrigues, who runs the program, for providing the data that formed the bulk of my presentation!)
Gwen Roundtree Evans, E-board Member
I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the NYSUT 44th Community College Conference from Nov 3rd-5th at the lovely Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs, NY. Thank you Dr. Werner!
I attended the following workshops:
Brief History of Tenure Versus Continuing Appointment in Higher Education. The highlights included: Institutions should strive to make a commitment to eliminate most contingency faculty, we may also offer free membership in the Union for a few months to encourage members to officially join, and there are a number of organizations that advocate for contingent faculty: Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor, New Faculty Majority and Higher Education Labor United.
Union Leadership Through Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Some of the takeaways were: identify people who speak up and who speak out, those who challenge thoughts and ideas, and don’t discount introverts. Also, we should not make assumptions, ask these questions: Who is not in the room? and How do we include them? We must strive to meet members where they are. One suggestion included holding Zoom Union Meetings at 7:00 pm. The Strength of a Union=Diverse Leadership. Ideas such as hosting social events, participating in community events and taking future leaders out to lunch were shared.
Another interesting workshop in which I participated was Mental Health and Wellbeing Through Equity Lens. We must strive to infuse health and well-being in everything we do. We may want to consider issuing a Student and Employee WellBeing Survey. We come to work fully dressed but are we dressed up inside? We all have something on which to work, feelings, thoughts, and actions. We all have a role to play. What’s Going on? A Lot! Trauma & Life! These things should not be normalized.
I also had the pleasure to sit in on Vice President Deirde Verne’s workshop on grievances. Her presentation, The History of Conflict Management at WCC was well received. Congratulations Prof. Verne for a job well done!
