Contents of this issue:
- Eastern Michigan University violated law in crime investigation
- Fraser schools may contract for substitute teachers, custodians
- Pine River support staff contributes more to health coverage
- Health care holds up contract negotiations in Grand Blanc
- Comment and win book money
EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY VIOLATED LAW CRIME INVESTIGATION
YPSILANTI, Mich. — The U.S. Department of Education reports that
Eastern Michigan University violated the law on "numerous"
occasions by not reporting a dorm room homicide accurately and
underreporting criminal sexual conduct for the past three years,
according to The Detroit News.
Laura Dickinson, 22, was found dead in her dorm room on Dec. 15,
2006. Within three days, investigators knew she was raped and
murdered, yet university President John Fallon told students that
"there is no reason to suspect foul play," The News reported. The
crime report was not updated until Feb. 23, when another student
was charged with the crime, according to The News.
"Not only did EMU fail to disclose information that would enable
the campus community to make informed decisions to protect
themselves, but it issued misleading statements from the outset,
providing false reassurance that foul play was not suspected, and
that it had no knowledge of an ongoing criminal/homicide
investigation prior to the arrest of the suspect," the Department
of Education report stated according to The News.
The Department of Education has since clarified its claims,
stating that Fallon didn't know about the criminal investigation
until March, The News reported. Many members of the faculty are
calling for Fallon's resignation. Howard Bunsis, President of
EMU's professors union, thinks the Department of Education
correction makes no significant difference.
"If he didn't know this was a homicide from Day One then he is
incredibly incompetent," Bunsis told The News.
As previously reported in Michigan Education Digest, the EMU
professors union went on strike for two weeks last fall as
classes were starting due to difficult contract negotiations,
finally reaching a five-year deal in April that calls for faculty
to pay about $1,000 each toward the cost of their own health
insurance.
SOURCES:
The Detroit News, "Feds: EMU misled students," July 4, 2007
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070704/SCHOOLS/707040363/1003/METRO
The Detroit News, "Feds clarify EMU crime report," July 6, 2007
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070706/SCHOOLS/707060391/1026
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "State to grade safety of schools,"
Nov. 19, 2002
http://www.educationreport.org/4859
Michigan Education Report, "Tragedies spur action on school
safety," May 12, 2000
http://www.educationreport.org/2887
Michigan Education Digest, "Eastern Michigan University, union
settle on tentative contract," April 17, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8378
FRASER SCHOOLS MAY CONTRACT FOR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, CUSTODIANS
FRASER, Mich. — The Fraser schools may be able to save $718,000
through a variety of cost-saving measures, including contracting
for substitute teachers, custodial services and non-faculty
coaches, according to The Macomb Daily.
Contracting will allow the district to keep many of its same
employees and will use the private company to administer
benefits, saving the district 17 percent of the cost to hire
these employees, The Macomb Daily reported.
The district will not replace two retiring teachers and two
retiring custodians, while also re-using textbooks, cutting
benefits for classroom aides and using copies instead of
workbooks, according to The Macomb Daily.
Some employees are concerned about the cuts, but the district has
not heard the community voice any opposition.
"Most of the people who came to the hearing were employees,"
Assistant Superintendent Joanne Johnson told The Macomb Daily.
"With parents, as long as we do what we need to do for their
children, they're happy."
SOURCE:
The Macomb Daily, "Fraser schools outlines cuts to trim budget by
$718,000," July 5, 2007
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/070507/loc_fraser001.shtml
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "West Michigan schools contract for
substitute teachers," Nov. 21, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8087
Michigan Education Report, "Beyond brooms, burgers and buses,"
Nov. 21, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8032
PINE RIVER SUPPORT STAFF CONTRIBUTES MORE TO HEALTH COVERAGE
LEROY, Mich. — The Pine River schools support staff voted
unanimously to ratify a proposed contract that includes a pay
increase, increase in certain benefits, no layoffs, and a measure
that will save the district $30,000 through a new prescription
drug program, according to the Cadillac News.
Support personnel will receive a 1 percent pay increase, a life
insurance benefit increase from $30,000 to $45,000, and an
additional paid sick day, the News reported. Members of the Pine
River Education Support Personnel Association union also will now
pay $10 for both brand name and generic prescriptions, according
to the News.
"They are professionals in everything they do day in and day out
-- even things we don't see — whether it's a bus driver or a
parapro working with an at-risk-kid, they are key to keeping the
district afloat," Superintendent Jim Ganger said in response to
the contract negotiations.
SOURCE:
Cadillac News, "Pine River schools support staff contract off
critical list," July 6, 2007
http://www.cadillacnews.com/articles/2007/07/06/news/news11.txt
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "MESSA reports $65 million revenue
gain in one year," May 24, 2007
http://www.educationreport.org/8493
Michigan Education Report, "Growing number of districts seek
solutions to costly health insurance," Dec. 15, 2005
http://www.educationreport.org/7479
HEALTH CARE HOLDS UP CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS IN GRAND BLANC
GRAND BLANC, Mich. — Teachers in Grand Blanc are at odds with the
district over health insurance coverage and have been negotiating
for over a year, according to The Flint Journal.
The district is asking teachers to help pay a share of the cost
of their own health insurance, but teachers, who have never had
to contribute to their own insurance, are standing firm against
the idea. Dianne Bregenzer, a Michigan Education Association
negotiator, said the district can afford to continue paying for
teachers' health coverage, according to The Journal.
"A place as big and as rich as Grand Blanc, and all they want to
do is cut, cut, cut," Bregenzer told The Journal. "They grow in
students every year and that brings them additional revenue. They
should spend their money."
Superintendent Michael Newton said the district is trying to look
ahead and has already seen the district's fund balance drop from
23 percent to 16 percent. The rate of enrollment is also
decreasing slightly, The Journal reported.
Goodrich teachers recently settled a contract that includes a 2
percent salary increase for three years, while also having
teachers contribute $50 per pay check to their own health
insurance, according to The Journal.
SOURCE:
The Flint Journal, "Health-care issue holds up teacher contract"
July 8, 2007
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-44/1183870921155320.xml&coll=5
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Collective Bargaining
Primer For Michigan School Board Members," Feb. 28, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8258
Michigan Education Digest, "Flint area schools battle over health
insurance," May 22, 2007
http://www.educationreport.org/8617
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