Campus
Employees to receive 2 percent salary increase
United Staff-UNM and University management have agreed to give more than 1,000 staff employees interim salary increases of 2 percent plus $350 a month while the two parties work with a federal mediator on a new contract.
The increase will take effect Jul. 26, and will be reflected on paychecks employees will receive on Aug. 15.
UNM and the union reached an impasse on June 17 after more than two months of contract negotiations. The union's proposal is for a step-in-grade system, which would provide an automatic annual raise for its members. The University's offer includes three options - one based on continuous employment and the others on an annual percent increase.
Harry Norton, president of the union, said a specialist from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will officially begin working with the two sides on Aug.1.
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Staff members have formally requested that the contract issue be included on the agenda for an Aug. 12 Board of Regents meeting, Norton said, "in case mediation fails."
UNM departments push for pollution prevention
Four departments at UNM were recently honored for their efforts in pollution prevention by the City of Albuquerque.
The University Automotive and Fleet Services Department received a P2 Pollution Prevention Award for its efforts to recycle and reduce waste and use environmentally friendly products to reduce emission output from University vehicles.
The city's Pollution Prevention section of the Albuquerque Public Works Department also gave a P2 Award to the UNM general chemistry undergraduate lab for efforts to remove all mercury thermometers from use and minimize the amounts of chemicals used in experiments.
Safety, Health and Enviromental Affairs Pollution Prevention Specialist Linda McCormick works with departments across the UNM Campus to reduce and recycle their waste and create a safer and more environmentally friendly work place. "(The efforts) don't have to be earth shaking, but it has to be real," McCormick said in a University news release. "As a university, we're generating less hazardous waste, so it's a win-win situation."
In addition, the University dental clinic was given a P2 Award in May for its pollution prevention efforts.
"The University is doing some really wonderful things," City of Albuquerque Pollution Prevention Specialist Brynda Gutierrez said. "We're amazed at how they're constantly pushing the envelope regarding pollution prevention."
UNM faculty asked to attend AAUP seminars
The American Association of University Professors, the national organization representing college and university professors, will come to UNM July 24-27 for its annual Summer Institute.
The institute is meant to provide direction and advice to university faculty members in creating strategic plans, information regarding trends in university education and a chance to meet with other professors to network and establish contacts.
UNM professors who are interested in attending the institute and who want more information about its seminars should register as soon as possible on the association's Web site at aaup.org.
All fees, including late registration fees, will be waived for UNM faculty members. Institute registration is necessary for all faculty members who plan to attend any workshops or seminars.
UNM Faculty Senate President Beverly Burris and University faculty members Richard Wood, Mark Peceny and Margaret Montoya will be presenters in "The University and Society in New Mexico," one of the institute's seminars scheduled for the weekend.
All seminars and institute workshops will take place at the new SUB. Some topics addressed during the weekend include collective bargaining, faculty and higher education organizations, sexual harassment in the university setting, union representation as well as an orientation seminar for professors who are new to the association.
