Why This Workshop is Important

Everything is Negotiable

Why This Workshop is Important

“Every desire that demands satisfaction and every need to be met is at least potentially an occasion for negotiations; whenever people exchange ideas with the intention of changing relationships, whenever they confer for agreement, they are negotiating.” - James N. Mills, Ph.D.

Superintendents, building administrators, board members are continually involved in trying to meet needs, change relationships, and get agreements. Almost all interactions involve some form of negotiations. This workshop is design to provide participants with an understanding of the art of negotiations, enhance basic negotiating skills, and appreciate the dynamics of collective bargaining in the public sector.

Participants will learn the stages of concession; how splitting the difference is a bad move; why listening is more important than talking; how to play to people’s fantasies; and knowing when to close the deal. Participants will also learn about the stages of collective bargaining; techniques at the table: why hard bargaining is costly; why the Taylor Law is outdated; and what to expect from PERB.

This workshop will be of value to every educator because of its practical everyday value. It will be of considerable value to school administrators, superintendents and board members because of it application to and focus on public sector bargaining.

Workshop Faculty

James N. Mills, PhD, Superintendent of Schools

Dr. James Mills is a highly regarded professional negotiator and school superintendent. He has a rare combination of administrative and negotiating experience. He has been a school superintendent in New York State for fourteen years. He is currently President–Elect of the New York State Council of School Superintendents.

During his career as a professional negotiator he has represented twenty-two western New York school districts in collective bargaining and has personally negotiated over one hundred and twenty agreements. Dr. Mills has taught graduate courses in collective bargaining at SUNY Fredonia and is currently an adjunct professor at Niagara University were he teaches Employer-Employee Negotiations in the Educational Administration Department.

Dr. Mills is an outstanding presenter that holds interest by sharing practical knowledge and meaningful anecdotal experience. His presentations in the workshop series Fiscal Navigation for Superintendents continues to be well received throughout New York State. Dr. Mills is an advocate for the use of technology in instruction and is currently on the Board of Directors of The Virtual High School, Inc., a Massachusetts based, international company, providing high school courses over the Internet.

James M. Merrins, EdD, Program Administrator

Dr. James Merrins is program administrator for the Cycles of Success and Statewide Superintendent Development Programs He has sixteen years experience as Superintendent of Schools, twelve in the Fredonia Central Schools and four years as Superintendent and Business Administrator in Honeoye Central Schools. During his career as a school administrator he has represented his school districts in collective bargaining and has personally negotiated over twenty agreements. Dr. Merrins is New York State certified as a School District Administrator (SDA) and School Business Administrator (SBA), and has taught school finance and school law at SUNY colleges.

Workshop Sponsors

Educational Administration Department, Oswego State University
Superintendent Support Programs, Steuben-Allegany BOCES (LEA)