Suffolk University Digital Collections @ Suffolk Suffolk Journal Suffolk University Student Newspapers 2015 Newspaper- Suffolk Journal vol. 76, no. 11, 12/9/2015 Suffolk Journal Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.suffolk.edu/journal Recommended Citation Suffolk Journal, "Newspaper- Suffolk Journal vol. 76, no. 11, 12/9/2015" (2015). Suffolk Journal. 619. https://dc.suffolk.edu/journal/619 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Suffolk University Student Newspapers at Digital Collections @ Suffolk. It has been accepted for inclusion in Suffolk Journal by an authorized administrator of Digital Collections @ Suffolk. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INTERESTED IN JOURNALISM? THE SUFFOLK JOURNAL INVITES YOU TO JOIN US EVERY TUESDAY AT 1 P.M. IN D535. THE SUmiKSUFFOLK UNIVERSITY • BOSTON THE AWARD-WINNINGOURNAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER VOLUME 76. NUMBER 11 SUFF0LK10URI1AL.NET @SUFF0LK10URNAL December 9, 2015 of: UP b sbKdards In the news Colleen Day Severed ties between university, Editor-in-Chief Beaeon Hill think tank Biri^itte Carreiro The Beacon Hill Institute, once recognized by Suffolk with an News Editor honorary degree given to its founder and political activist Ray --------------------------- Shamie, has split from the university after years of controversy. In an interview with the Journal, David Tuerck, director ^ of the institute and an economics professor at Suffolk, maintained that the institute severed ties due to the university’s recent fundraising restrictions and denied proposals, amongst other reasons. Tuerck said Suffolk’s reasoning for these _ . restrictions comes froma misreading of its academic standards, and he launched a scathing attack against the university’s administration, directed particularly at'President Margaret McKenna. “What’s going on now Is worrisome and '' incomprehensible," said Tuerck. “If the president is saying that times are tough and we have to cut back, well it might not be a good idea to drive away a guy who has connections.” The facility, which employs Suffolk interns, isn’t going away, according to Tuerck, i. ’» .. .. despite his strong opinions that the university’s actions have limited student exposure to different perspectives and claims ^ I Adjuncts “diversity has been damaged by the expulsion of the BHI from Suffolk.” In a statement released gain new to the Journal, McKenna did not directly address ' . j ■'rX-'Si Tuerck’s charges, but said the university t* i ? • ^ encourages a wide range of perspectives. £ ground “Suffolk is welcoming to all views, '3 *;' ■>; S# philosophies, ideologies and politics," ^ '/ Jacob Geanous '* bSt'" stated, adding that the only way ' *. i, Journal Contributor to educate students is “by exposing,|- them to the broadest possible . '•range of perspectives, values Suffolk’s adjunct lecturers have a new contract calling for improved pay and better benefits. This is the result of collective bargaining with the university that has recently come to a resolution. This contract will be in effect until June 30, 2018. It will then be eligible for termination. Suffolk Affiliated Faculty- American Association of University Professors (SAF-AAU) is the union that represents Suffolk’s adjunct professors. They have been working hard over the past year to improve the conditions that they faced in their previous contract. It has been in effect since 2009 and was used as the framework for the new contract, but it includes many improvements. Under the old contract, adjuncts were considered See ADJUNCT page 2 PAGE 2 T he Suffolk Iournal December 9 2016 Academic integrity a priority for university From INTEGRITY page 1 reason for this meeting is Suffolk’s academic standards, that the assertion that the everybody else doing to meet to discuss the nature of our ultimately agreeing with the institute does not meet them is standards just fine, but our transition out of Suffolk,” said university’s claim that the unfair. work does not?” Tuerck. The institute is slated standards weren’t being met by “It’s ludicrous to suggest Many professors and to leave Suffolk officially the institute. that our work isn’t sophisticatedscholars work with the Beacon by December 2016 after tax Hill Institute, a factor that committed to that.” modeling jobs on the national Tuerck said attributed to the After appealing to tax policy contracts are facility’s initial credibility. administration about the complete. “It seems to me that it disagreements, Tuerck was The Beacon Hill Institute would be difficult to say people unable to connect directly receives funding from private “How do we not meet involved in this project don’t with McKenna, leading him donors, including the Koch qualify for academic integrity,” to a resignation that the only Foundation. these standards but he said. solution was to part ways. In recent years, the institute Rejecting the university’s Communicating solely with has drawn criticism from everybody else does? assertion that financial deficits Provost Marisa Kelly after a some of its types of research What is everybody were the reason for the split, in brief e-mail exchange with and funding sources, putting the upcoming months Tuerck McKenna, Tuerck remains their academic integrity into else doing to meet plans to partner with a new uneasy. question. company and assemble a board “I have to imagine that Alumna Kalin Jordan, standards just fine, but of trustees to raise money. [McKenna] doesn’t particularly founder of UnKoch MyCampus, The university remains care much. If it were important who had worked to oppose our work committed to academic to her, she would have talked the involvement of the Koch does not?” freedom, the intellectual to me long before,” he said. Foundation at Suffolk, said this exchange of ideas and the McKenna could not be week that she believes the split development of knowledge, reached directly for a comment, is “a good move for both the Courtesy of Suffolk University which can only be achieved but Tuerck reported a meeting institute and university.” when academic integrity is between the twowill take place The Journal reported two David Tuerck present, according to their early next week regarding the years ago that the institute had website. next steps and several recent raised nearly a million dollars “Margaret McKenna is not news reports surrounding the from 2006 to 2011 from the Tuerck told the Journal that enough,” he said. “How do we responsible for this, she’s just split. foundation. the standards the university is not meet these standards but responsible for this latest “Right now, the official Jordan, however, referenced referencing are unclear, and everybody else does? What is episode,” Tuerck said. New contract, improved conditions From ADJUNCTpage 1 using a per-credit-hour Salvi said her goals for the basis, replacing an extremely future include bridging this complicated and outdated gap between compensation for pa5unent method that was differently-credited classes. lecturers once they based on student enrollment. “I have hopes for our next completed 10 continuous “I’m pleased with the new contract that we will be able to semesters. This timeline has contract and the gains that equalize it,” she said. been shortened. Seniority will have been made,” said Kenneth Another new clause in the be attained when a professor Martin, current treasurer and contract will allow adjunct teaches eight of the previous former president of the union lecturers to teach up to four 10 semesters. The title of and Suffolk senior lecturer. classes per semester. This is senior lecturer is accompanied “Especially with the pay a substantial improvement, by a significant pay raise, as raise that will make it possible compared to the two class per well as eligibility for university for adjunct lecturers without semester cap that adjuncts medical and dental care. other full-time jobs to bring in faced before. Furthermore, Suffolk currently employs a bit moreincome during trying if the adjunct is qualified in over 300 part-time lecturers, economic times,” he said. multiple fields, they can now, Courtesyof Ken Martin accounting for roughly half This transition in under the new contract, teach of the university’s professors, compensation is due to the courses in more than one according to SAF-AAU’s university’s intentions to begin department or program. website. The majority of these offering one- and two-credit When a class is cancelled L to R: Treasurer Ken Martin (CJN), adjunct professors must also courses. at the last minute, the lecturer President Bob Rosenfeld (Philosophy), work other jobs to supplement The result is a nearly is the one that suffers. Now, if and Chief Negoiator Carolyn Salvi their meager income. 20 percent pay increase for a professor’s class is cancelled “I could not afford to do my professors that teach four- within 21 days before the class (Women & Gender Studies) hold up voting job if I didn’t have a spouse credit courses over a three- begins, they will now beeligible ballots submitted by SAF bargaining with a full-time job,” said year span. However, professors to receive a cancellation fee of unit members in celebration of their Carolyn Salvi, head of the SAF who teach three-credit courses $300. This may aid financial negotiations team and adjunct will observe a disparity in loss associated with a lecturer’s ratified contract. professor. compensation, gaining only class being cancelled. “Most adjuncts work at a five percent pay increase Adjunct lecturers will multiple schools, and I am no during this three-year period. also now be involved in for their attendance. As far as the union has come, exception,” she said. “I wish we would have university governance. They While these changes Martin still feels that there is a Salvi currently teaches two been able to do better for our are now permitted to attend will prove advantageous to ways to go. courses at Suffolk, works for a colleagues who teach three- departmental meetings and professors, the union also “We still have a long way tutoring agency, and teaches credit courses,” said Salvi.