FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
Call to Order: F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to
order at
Present: Nickie Alexander, Jennifer
Batten, Lyttron Burris, Mike Campo, Jim Chesla, Frank Connor, Anita Cook, Beth
Foster, Dick Godfrey, Carolyn Grin, Dan Hearn, Stacey Heisler Ron Higgins (for
Katie Danko), Amy Kerkstra, Randy Lee (for Jeff Neumann), Robert Long, Bernie
Manker, Bob Monaldo, Brian Morris, Kathleen Owens, Wayne Rodgers, Jonathon
Russell, Mark Saur, Jeff Spoelman, Joel Swets, Fred van Hartesveldt, Troy
Walwood, George Zeeff
Absent: C. Lee Brown, Marie Burns, Larry Crossman,
Douglas Wabeke
Visitors: John Cowles, Fred Garbowitz
Agenda: Today’s agenda was approved with two
additions—the secretary’s report and treasurer’s report.
Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the
Faculty Presentations from the Floor. F. van Hartesveldt relayed Eleanor Scheifele’s thanks for donations of sick days.
Secretary’s Report. B. Foster read thank-you notes from Tim McMorrow for the response to his father’s death and from Dennis Allen (Business Department) for his retirement gift.
Treasurer’s Report. D. Godfrey distributed the treasurer’s report
for February, 2005. The
President’s Report. F. van Hartesveldt gave the following
summaries and updates:
· Computer Theft. The theft remains under investigation. N. Alexander will send out numbers for the fraud alert as they expire in 90 days.
· GRCC Foundation. The board met on March 4. A portfolio report revealed a four percent return on investments by one of the money managers, which prompted action to seek new avenues for higher yield. The investments by Fifth/Third are adequate. A job search for a new College Advancement Executive Director has been undertaken because Vicki Janowiak has been reassigned in the administration’s new reorganization, Learning Resources in Technology Solutions.
· Board of Trustees Meeting. Mike Kasperlik attended the last meeting in place of F. van Hartesveldt. Frank Connor and Linda Spoelman presented material at the meeting. The next meeting is April 18. Faculty presentations are encouraged.
· Payroll Concerns. 1) The posting of YTD payroll information is being investigated; IT hopes to get a system upgrade that will enable the posting of YTD data. 2) Any change in automatic deposit accounts must be carefully processed through GRCC payroll and faculty members’ financial institutions. Faculty members are encouraged to inquire about the details. 3) A faculty member’s annuity contribution was erroneously withheld by payroll for fear of exceeding the contribution limit. Faculty members are, therefore, encouraged to educate themselves on annuity contribution limits and to monitor their automatic deposits to annuities as a protection against tax penalties.
·
Student
Concerns. 1) A student tape-recorded
two faculty members in classes without the faculty members’ knowledge. HR has become involved. The student has been dismissed from the class
and is in disciplinary review for reasons including this incident. Faculty members are encouraged to include in
their syllabi a policy about classroom taping. 2) A faculty member issued a WF
grade for a student after count date, but the student’s name and grade did not
appear on the final class list. F. van Hartesveldt
will discuss this concern with the registrar.
·
Air
Quality at
·
Evaluations. Three different surveys are underway—1) an
internal student survey as part of faculty professional development, 2) a
national survey for students on satisfaction, and 3) the Baldridge survey for
faculty.
· Department Head Elections. Elections are due in four departments—Biological Sciences, Math, Social Sciences, and Wellness. Reps in those departments are reminded to help ensure that the elections proceed as required.
· Committee Reports.
o Scholarship. Jill Nutt has yet to schedule a meeting.
o Conflict of Interest Policy. Mike DeVivo has had two meetings and the process is underway for developing a policy that will conform to AAUP guidelines.
o Student Allocations Committee. F. van Hartesveldt has forwarded the Student Congress proposal for increased student group funding to this committee.
Discussion/Action
· Faculty Credentials/Qualifications. Discussion of this issue continued among reps and centered on credentialing of all areas of the college—administration and faculty. B. Manker and F. Connor volunteered to work with F. van Hartesveldt on this issue.
· Reorganization. Reallocation of the work load of the assistant deans remains in discussion. Learning Resources in Technology Solutions reorganization has led to employees in that area inquiring about accreting to the faculty work unit. Discussion of the process and its implications continued among reps.
Council Meeting
Location. N. Alexander reported that
only two campus locations are available for council meetings—Multipurpose Room
of the
Grievance Report.
F. Garbowitz gave updates on the following grievances:
· Grievance 151—Extended work load for Summer 2004 M/W classes. The grievance has moved through Levels 1, 2, and 3. Administration contends that any scheduled class time beyond the 800 state-required minutes should be considered break time and that the extra minutes scheduled in error for that summer did not impose extra classroom time on the faculty. Legal counsel indicates that failure to object to the extra hours at the time of signing the FIF (Faculty Information Form) makes it an unlikely win.
·
Grievance
152—Service and sick time. This
grievance is near resolution. Adjunct faculty
service years count toward retirement, including years of adjuncts employed
during the Junior College (GRJC) years. The
separation agreement between Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) and GRJC
requires that GRPS make records available.
· Grievance #154—Faculty denied overload selection. This grievance has been resolved. The grievants will receive compensation for extra work in lieu of classes they didn’t have the opportunity to select because the classes were not put into the overload pool.
· Grievance # 155—Unit determination. A date has yet to be set.
· Grievance #156—Adjunct advanced training. Denial at Level 1 is expected.
Negotiations Report. JCC is scheduled to meet this afternoon.
RCC Update. B. Foster summarized the following topics from
the
· Budget concerns continue. RCC is making presentations before various committees. The Optional Retirement Plan allows one to join a defined benefits program (TIAA-CREF). It would expand the option to part time faculty and administrators, which RCC opposes.
·
The House appears ready to lift the ban on
mail-order pharmacies locating in
· The retirement system continues to come under attack.
· Senate Bill 287 would require school employees who purchase service credit to have ten years of service prior to purchase.
· The February 16 RCC Legislative Day at the Capitol was a success with 31 legislators from the House and Senate visited. RCC participants rated it highly effective.
·
Tickets for RCC’s Budget Drawing are available
for $1 from Beth Foster, ext. 3956.
NEW BUSINESS
Topics for the next Council meeting agenda should be forwarded to F. van Hartesveldt.
Next
Meeting.
Adjournment. Motion to adjourn, M. Saur; second, B. Morris. The meeting was adjourned at
Minutes recorded by
Beth Foster
Submitted by C. Lee Brown,
Secretary