News and Events

APA Members:
This is a reminder that on Wednesday, October 20 from 8:00am – 4:00pm, you will be invited to vote on the Ratification of the 2020-2023 APA Agreement.
If you would like to review the details of the Memorandum of Agreement for this successor contract, please navigate to the APA website and read the documentation for this important vote (click here).

By 8:30am on Wednesday, you should receive an invitation via email to vote.   If you do not receive this invitation from “Electionrunner.com”, please let your local chapter President know.  Your President will verify your email address and we will get the ballot invitation to you.

Despite optimistic assurances that the funding for these contractual salary increases were to be included in the Supplemental Budget bill that was delivered last week, the October Supplemental bill did not include the funding for our contract because the Agreement “had not yet been ratified”.  If this ratification vote passes, we expect that the next Supplemental Bill, due out on November 17th, will include our funding as well as the MSCA’s contractual increases.  We will keep you posted.
Thanks for making sure your voice is included in this week’s important Ratification vote.
— 
Sherry Horeanopoulos, PresidentAssociation of Professional Administrators

Dear APA members, 
The APA and Management bargaining teams met on Friday, August 20 and Monday, August 23 to negotiate terms for both a Mask Mandate and a Vaccination Mandate, as proposed by the Council of Presidents and the Department of Higher Ed.  Both mandates have been supported by the NEA and the MTA as the safest measures taken to ensure that students can return to full in-person learning.  Safeguarding employees in their workspaces is of equal concern to management and the unions.  As you are likely aware, students were previously notified of the requirement to be vaccinated before returning to the campuses, and will also be required to wear face-coverings.

On August 19^th, Governor Baker announced vaccination requirements for state employees, however, his order did not include Higher Ed employees and allowed for these mandates to be negotiated with the appropriate union leadership.  Massachusetts State Attorney General has stated that these requirements are legally grounded.  The APA sought affirmation on the legality of these measures through MTA legal resources and have been informed that they are legally supported.  Of course, there will be challenges, and we will remain engaged if any actions result in reducing the scope of either mandate.

As of today, August 25, the APA and MSCA collective bargaining units have come to agreement with Management on Mask and Vaccination Mandates.  The overriding goals in approving the mask and vaccine proposals are threefold:

·      To provide the safest possible work environment for our APA members

·      To reopen our campuses, and provide a robust college experience to students

·      To instill confidence that our campuses are considering the health and safety of all constituents

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) documents for both requirements will be posted on the APA website and are attached here.  PLEASE look to these documents for the details of the mandates.  In short:

·      Face-coverings must be worn whenever members are indoors and in non-private spaces, unless an employee applies for and receives a medical exemption

·      If members forget, lose or have damaged masks, the institution will make new ones available

·      Employees can request heightened PPE if their duties require additional equipment

·      Employees are not expected to work with – or serve – students, visitors/guests or others who refuse to comply with the mask mandate

·      Employees are required to receive the appropriate one or two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, unless they apply for and receive a medical or religious exemption

o   They must have received the initial dose by approximately 9/7/2021

o   If required, the second dose must be administered within 4 weeks of the initial dose

o   Employees will comply with receiving a single approved booster, as recommended by the CDC 

·      Members who are not fully vaccinated or who receive an exemption must wear a mask at all times and are required to be tested weekly

·      Members who test positive for COVID will quarantine and not be allowed on campus until they test negative for the disease

o   If able, they may work remotely

o   If unable to work, employees will use sick, personal or vacation leave or take an unpaid leave of absence

·      Unit members without a medical or religious exemption, who refuse to be vaccinated, will not be permitted to work or be on campus

o   They may be allowed to utilize accrued vacation time or unpaid leave for no longer than 6 months.

·      Refusal to comply may result in progressive discipline per Article VIII of the APA Agreement.

The APA bargaining team acknowledges that our unit members are not in unanimous support of these mandates.  Local chapter Presidents communicated their members’ comments and questions on both sides of this very important issue.  Out of concern for the issues raised by those members who were not in favor of imposing mandates, we came close to declaring impasse on the negotiations, which could have resulted in imposing mandates without the Union’s final input.  Although we may be disappointing some of our members, we are confident that we are meeting our obligation to support the communities we represent in the best way we can.

Again, please review the MOA documents.  We thank you for your understanding in these unprecedented times.

On behalf of the APA Bargaining Team, 

Sherry Horeanopoulos

President, Association of Professional Administrators

The APA contract indicates the bi-annual administrator report is due on or around April 1^st. 

Bi-Annual Report Instructions

The bi-annual report shall be completed by the administrator and should highlight their accomplishments, challenges, updates, any professional development they are interested in or have completed, and any suggestions for such things as process improvements. After submitting the completed report to their administrative area supervisor for review, the supervisor and administrator should meet soon after to discuss the report.  Please note, this meeting may be conducted virtually.  

Following the meeting, a copy of the bi-annual report should be submitted to Human Resources via email to rboudreau@salemstate.edu.

Should you have any questions about the APA bi-annual report process please contact Rebekah Boudreau at rboudreau@salemstate.edu or x7458 or Siobhain Feeney at sfeeney@salemstate.edu or X2985.

Dear Campus Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that the university is able to limit the furlough program for FY21 to two (2) weeks. 

For the first half of FY21, revenues were higher than budgeted last spring and our expenses are within budget. As we had promised when we met with union leadership from both AFSCME and APA, based on this favorable news, we are reducing the total number of furlough weeks. 

Thank you to our administrators and the members of these unions for your support.

Sincerely,

Mark Quigley, Esq.

Assistant Vice President, Human Resources and Equal Opportunity