TO:   Board of Regents

FROM:  Sue Hill, Director, Labor Relations and Personnel

RE:   Approval of Tentative Agreement with Montana State University-Billings Faculty Association

DATE:   March 21-22, 2002

Attached is a summary of the tentative agreement with the Montana State University-Billings Faculty Association. The summary only includes the sections of the agreement where changes were made. The entire contract is available for review on line at https://mus.edu/hr/cba/collbarg.html.

Only compensation issues and other sections mutually agreed upon were open for negotiations. The tentative agreement provides for a 3.95% increase for 2001-2002, retroactive to November 1, 2001. The method of calculating summer session compensation was changed. Effective with the 2001 summer session, salaries will be calculated based on the preceding years salary instead of on the following years salary.

A minor change was made to section 10.120 to include reference to online or electronic copies of course outlines. The option for faculty to receive their pay over 26 pay periods which was piloted last year was made permanent. The timing of the implementation of the new schedule for faculty reviews was clarified.

I recommend approval of the tentative agreement with the Montana State University-Billings Faculty Association. Faculty are scheduled to ratify the agreement prior to the date of the Regent meeting. If the ratification vote does not pass, this item will be withdrawn.