The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding between the United Faculty of Evergreen (“UFE”), and The Evergreen State College (“Evergreen”) is to memorialize an agreement reached between the parties relating to summer school.

Recitals

1. In September 2007, Evergreen announced to faculty submitting proposals for courses for the 2008 summer session that it would prioritize courses/programs offered for fixed as opposed to variable credit. In selecting among proposals for summer courses, Evergreen identified eight courses (7 persons) submitted as “variable credit.” Dean Theresa Aragon spoke with the faculty proposing these courses, and in most cases identified with the faculty member a portion of the course that will be offered as classroom instruction and a portion of the course that will be available for independent student contracts.

2. UFE objected that Evergreen’s approach to “variable credit” courses for the 2008 summer session constituted a change to a mandatory subject of bargaining. Evergreen acknowledges that wages, hours and working conditions associated with summer school are mandatory subjects of bargaining. The parties agree that a dispute over whether Evergreen has changed a working condition for the 2008 summer session would be counterproductive, and reached this agreement to clarify an approach to “variable credit” courses for summer session 2008, after which the issue can be addressed as part of the parties’ upcoming contract negotiations.

Agreement

Now, therefore, the parties agree as follows:

1. Those faculty members whose variable credit course proposals were selected for the 2008 summer session will be given the choice to (a) offer the course for a prescribed credit, and provide any interested students with additional study opportunities through independent student contracts; or (b) offer the course with a variable credit option by defining (in a form suitable for the course catalogue) the course work necessary to earn the different credit options. Faculty members will be informed of compensation differences between the two options and compensated according to existing Evergreen policy for classroom instruction and independent student contracts.
2. Issues concerning the wages, hours or working conditions associated with summer session, beginning with Summer 2009, will be addressed by the parties as part of negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement. However, prior to reaching that agreement, Evergreen, according to existing policies, may increase salary levels for Summer 2008 above those of Summer 2007.

Signed and Dated this 20th day of February, 2008.

The Evergreen State College

By____________________________
Its____________________________
United Faculty of Evergreen

By____________________________
Its_____________________________