Mirror - Vol. 17, No. 19 - April 08, 1993

              The
FairfieldMIRRORV Volume 17, No. 19 Thursday, April 8, 1993 Happy Easter Everybunny!
Faculty Plans Protests
Over Contract Negotiations
Debra De Shong
News Editor Emeritus
Students aren't the only
victims of a dictatorial
administration, according to the
Faculty Welfare Committee
(FWC). On March 4, the
administration salary team,
headed by William Miles,
Administrative Vice-President,
unilaterally broke off contract
negotiations with FWC, in
violation of the faculty's 1992-
1993 contract and breaking a 23-
year-old tradition of good faith
negotiations.
According to Miles, the
administration is not required to
"negotiate," merely listen to the
concerns of the faculty and then
hand down a compensation
agreement, or contract. "The
process is not the problem because
we did nothing drastically
different this year" he said. "The
process, or what they are upset
about is money and the offer I
gave was more than fair."
The faculty has
responded by filing a grievance
and is considering such actions
as, contacting local media,
informational picketing, a boycott
of Freshman Orientation and a
"dignified demonstration at
graduation in coordination with
students," according to professor
Don Greenberg, chairman of the
FWC.
Since last November,
there have been nine meetings Grossman
Megan Harvist
News Editor
After a year ofhard work
and contributions to the
University, Dr. Orin L. Grossman
has been named dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Grossman is a
graduate of Harvard College
where he received his A.B. magna
cum laude; Yale, master's degree
in philosophy and Ph.D. in music.
He came to Fairfield in 1975 after
teaching at Yale and Brooklyn
College. A concert pianist, he has
performed in major concerts
around the country and is well
known in this area for
performances.
Since he first came to
the University, Dr. Grossman has
made many contributions. During
his term as chair of fine arts, the
department has grown to include
separate divisions in art history,
studio art, and theatre and music.
Dr. Grossman organized
the Fairfield University Chamber
Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble and
Flute Choir and developed new
between the Faculty Salary
Committee and the administration
during which the faculty made
four proposals and the
administration made none. Shortly
after the last meeting, Miles sent a
letter to the Salary Committee
declaring "negotiations"
concluded and put forth an
unnegotiated contract. This
contract omitted several important
provisions from past contracts
including maternity and
dependent care policies. Miles
asserts that there was no need to
re-state these benefits because
they have become policy.
According to the FWC
termination of negotiations is in
violation of the present contract
which states that administration
and faculty will meet in
"discussions leading to a successor
agreement."
"The issue is not the
difference between the contract
handed down by the Named As
administration and that proposed
by the faculty, the issue is that a
tradition of collegial negotiations
have been abrogated," said
Greenberg. On March 26, the
General Faculty voted
unanimously to reject the
administrations behavior as
unacceptable and insisted that
negotiations resume immediately
Miles insists that he will
negotiate the agreement, except
for economic issues. The contract
he proposed would provide for a
total 4.8 percent increase in salary
and benefits for the faculty. This
would put the faculty in the 95
percentile in the nation and
includes a 3.5% salary increase,
the same as last year.
The grievance was filed
on March 24, and if it cannot be
settled internally by April 8, the
faculty will call for an outside
arbitrator.
Greenberg said, "We
hope it will not reach the point
where we need outside arbitration,
but if we have to, we think we
have a strong case."
The faculty are
determined that this situation
should have not adverse effect on
their teaching responsibilities but
Greenberg said everyone is
effected because it is drawing
energy and time from more fruitful
pursuits.
Greenberg said, "We
don't want to 'win', we just want
successful negotiations as
stipulated in our agreement." New Dean
Dr. Grossman Photo by: J. McMullen
courses in American popular
music andjazz as well as in theory
and history.
As acting dean, Dr.
Grossman was a member of the
teams that developed a major in
International Studies, a minor in
Women's Studies and negotiated
an exchange program with
Doshisha Women's College of
Japan.
"Faculty are developing
new programs and I need to help
them realize their objectives in
adding to the cirriculum," he said.
Dr. Grossman enjoyed
being acting dean. "My job, at the
center of the intellectual life of the
college, put me in contact with
every discipline and major. The
decisions I made had an impact
on the University," he said.
"I was very honored that
the school felt I did a good job as
acting dean and wanted me to
continue as dean. Hopefully, in a
few years, they will look back and
think they made a good decision."
Day-Long Festival Held For
Women fs History Month
Caitlin Whelan
Staff Writer
A day long book fair
and festival to mark Women's
History Month was held in the
Oak Room on Wednesday, March
31. The event, which ran from 10
AM to 9 PM, included talks by
members of the faculty, a panel
discussion centering on career
women in male-dominated fields,
and a performance by the
University Dance Ensemble. In
addition, information tables
organized by campus and
community organizations were
available throughout the day.
Among the organizations were
representatives from the American
Association of University
Women, League of Women
Voters of Connecticut, 50/50 by
2000, and a table dedicated to all
students interested in pursuing the
new women's studies minor.
The series of short talks
baby wrapped in pink is said to be
sweet and delicate." Such
perceptions, Rakowitz said,
among others, "send messages that
a daughter should be dependent
and a son should be independent."
These messages can penetrate
society and become stereotypes.
Following the faculty
talks, a panel offour career women
spoke about their experiences
working in "male-dominated
fields." The representatives
included an advertising manager,
and environmental engineer, and
entrepreneur, and a partner in an
accounting firm. The major
problems the women faced in
achieving their career status
included inequality in wages and
compensation, lack of credibility,
and "conventional male-female
stigmas." One panel members aid
that although she is in a
supervising position, callers
"think I am a secretary whenever
I pick up the phone.. .Men expect
by faculty members ran from 10
AM to 5:30 PM, and focused on
the role of women, in various
societies, from Ancient Greece to
the present. Dr. Katherine
Schwab, Assistant Professor of
Fine Arts, spoke on "Goddesses
and Mortal Women: Ancient
Greek Representations and
Perceptions." Her aim was to
discuss "the idea of representation
and perception of women, since
there have been so many
misrepresentations."
The colossal statues of
goddesses such as Athena,
Artemis, and Hera in Ancient
Greece, said Dr. Schwab,
displayed women with both
authority and power. The problem
which then arises, Schwab said, is
that women may acquire power,
but do they have authority?
Dr. Susan Rakowitz,
Assistant Professor of
Psychology, also spoke during the
festival on "Sex and Psychology."
In her talk, she aimed to point out
the differences in behavior toward
males and females and how such
differences can affect a person's
outlook. "There are many
perceptions of males and females
from the start," said Rakowitz, "A
baby wrapped in a blue blanket is
perceived as being strong, while a
women, no matter what positions
they are, to take messages."
On the issue of
professional competency, she said
that "a woman has to work ten
times harder, even though she may
have the same education and work
experience as a man." Sharon
Driscoll, Advertising Managerfor
IBM, gave the audience the advice
she has learned throughout her
career: "Use the skills inherent to
you as a woman, but do not let
them block you as a woman. Do
not let gender get in the way, but
use it as a positive."
The festival appeared a
modest success, drawing members
of faculty, students, and the
general public throughout the day.
The table distributing
information about the new minor
in Women's Studies did not draw
as many people as they hoped,
said Monica Chelchowski, '95,
was at the table, but some people
did show interest. Simply having
the information available seemed
to be an asset to the festival.
"We're trying to
promote awareness, not
feminism," Chelchowski said.
"There needs to be more
awareness of the achievements of
women, both in the classroom and
on the campus in general."
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