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Media contact: Liz Carroll
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Release date: October 27, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GCC trustees endorse principles of education, re-affirm landmark desegregation decision, and support back pay raises for MCCC & AFSCME workers

At its October 27th meeting, the Trustees of Greenfield Community College endorsed core values of higher education, and supported GCC workers who are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union and the Massachusetts Community College Council (MCCC) union in their on-going contract dispute with the Governor.

GCC trustee Patricia Crosson, Chairperson of the Curriculum and Planning Committee, sought the Board's endorsement of two statements prepared by faculty and staff that reflect implicit assumptions regarding teaching and learning at Greenfield Community College. "These are important statements not just for the whole campus,” said Crosson, "but for the whole community.”

The first was a resolution on the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision reversing the "separate but equal” doctrine that had governed public education, including community colleges. The statement reads, in part, that GCC is "fully committed to the community college values of open access and opportunity for all, …embracing all forms of diversity and inclusiveness.”

The second statement set forth Principles of Education that were developed throughout a year-long process by faculty and staff to provide a foundation for the daily, habitual life of all members of the college. The Principles describe a learning environment that values the process of learning as much as the knowledge taught, and that encourages independent thinking and divergent activities, with special emphasis on themes of diversity and community, literacy and communication, and knowledge and thinking.

The Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed both documents.

Trustee Sandra Sayers, who is liaison to the Alumni Association, reported that new officers elected September 29th were Regina E. Curtis, President; Jean Simmons, Vice President; Richard Knowlton, Treasurer; and Deb Klein, Secretary.

As part of his President's Report, President Robert L. Pura called on David Charbonneau, Cristin Carpenter, and Timothy Shippee to speak on behalf of the unfunded contract signed by Governor Swift and ratified by the state legislature in 2001, providing pay raises for higher education faculty, professional staff, clerical, maintenance and technical employees of the MCCC and AFSCME unions.

In response to their presentation, the Board of Trustees directed chairman Kevin Parsons to send a letter to Governor Mitt Romney urging him to honor the contract.

Martha Field, Interim Dean of Institutional Support and Advancement, presented a synopsis of recent grants awarded the college. They range from a major Title III federal grant worth $1.7 million over five years, designed to strengthen advising on campus and improve the information technology infrastructure, to a $2,000 MacNeil Lehrer Foundation grant that brings renowned speakers to the campus on Thursday evening at 7 p.m. for a lecture titled "Oil, American Energy, and Global Security: The People Speak.”.

In other business, the Board approved a motion by the Finance Committee to extend the authority of the president to expend funds through December, when the College budget will be put forward.

For more information, please contact the office of President Robert L. Pura at 413-775-1410.