FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
Call to Order: F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to
order at
Present: Nickie Alexander, Jennifer Batten, C. Lee
Brown, Lyttron Burris, Mike Campo, Jim Chesla Frank Conner, Anita Cook, Katie
Danko, Mike Devivo (for Carolyn Grin), Beth Foster, Dick Godfrey, Dan Hearn,
Stacey Heisler, Amy Kerkstra, Robert Long, Bernie Manker, Bob Monaldo, Jeff Neumann,
Kathleen Owens, Wayne Rodgers, Jonathon Russell, Mark Saur, Marilyn Smidt, Jeff
Spoelman, Joel Swets, Fred van Hartesveldt
Absent: Larry Crossman, Brian Morris, Douglas Wabeke,
Visitors: Fred Garbowitz, Pat Ingersoll
Agenda: Today’s agenda was approved as printed.
Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the
Faculty Presentations from the Floor.
§ F. van Hartesveldt made the following announcements:
o The deadline for submitting nominations for the Excellence in Education award has been extended to May 13.
o Musical Moods is performing this evening in the Forest Hill Fine Arts Center.
o F. van Hartesveldt’s son Noah is accepting donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and has placed donation envelopes in department offices for this purpose.
§
Secretary’s Report. C. L. Brown read thank-you cards from Katie Budden (Visual Arts) for the fruit basket following the birth of her son and from Penny Folsom (Lab Preschool) for the dish garden during her recovery.
Treasurer’s Report. .D. Godfrey indicated that Carolyn Grin and Mark Mulder have completed the annual internal audit and found the books to be in order.
Grievance Report. F. Garbowitz reported grievance updates as follows.
o Grievance #155—Unit determination of law enforcement program director. Administration categorizes it as an administrative position while the Association contends it’s similar to other program directors. The Negotiation Team will work on resolution.
o Grievance #152—Grievant denied a 42-week schedule for retirement for lack of enough sick days. The number of sick days was in error and a favorable resolution is anticipated.
o Grievance #156—Advanced-training pay for adjunct. This grievance was denied at Level 2 and will be appealed to Level 3.
o Level 1—Faculty denied pay for grant work. The dean has approved compromise payment for which grievant must write an acceptable summary of accomplishments.
President’s Report. F. van Hartesveldt invited questions about
his year-end boogwabazh e-mail to faculty this week and presented or
facilitated these additional summaries and updates.
· Faculty Temporary Contracts. Faculty on temporary contracts are encouraged to seek review of their contracts by Association leaders to ensure accuracy and consistency with the current contract.
· Summer Class Loads. Reps are encouraged to monitor enrollment reports. Some have reported increased class sizes. Association leaders can help keep class sizes in check.
· Board of Trustees Meeting. At the meeting this past Monday, the discussion focused on the budget and pending tuition increases. Faculty made no presentations to the board. John Doan and Duane McIntyre are scheduled for faculty presentations in May, and another faculty member may present in June.
· Committees. The Student Allocation Committee, according to D. Hearn, is scheduled to meet the first week of June. The committee allocates college money to student groups. This year the committee is requesting over $80,000 for student groups; last year it requested $44,000.
· Committee for Faculty Voice. F. Connor reviewed the group make-up as members from the three primary faculty representative bodies—from Faculty Council, himself and B Manker; from Academic Leadership Team, M. Smidt and Sandi Andrews; from Academic Senate, Mike Light and Garrett Brand. He commented that the group has met and identified three issues: 1) absence of faculty voice, 2) lack of communication, and 3) lack of a consistent decision-making model. He indicated that he met as the group representative with President Olivarez who appears to be very receptive to the group. A meeting between the group, President Olivarez and Provost Green this summer is anticipated. F. Connor’s comments generated a brief discussion.
· Tutors and Lab Coordinators Request to Accrete. A response from administration has been promised, but yet to be received.
Discussion/Action
Council Meeting Relocation. Discussion on Council meeting relocation
resumed. N. Alexander reported that
breakfast service before
MOTION: Remain
in the ATC banquet room for one more semester.
M. Smidt; second, M. Saur.
Carried.
Faculty Credentials/Qualifications. Human Resources is doing a cursory review of faculty personnel files, after which they will meet with the deans to go over their findings. Faculty recommendations about qualifications and credentials are still with the deans. New developments during the summer will be communicated by F. van Hartesveldt to faculty via e-mail. J. Spoelman invited for the Negotiating Team’s consideration suggestions on how application of credentialing and qualifications might be made. F. van Hartesveldt suggested faculty continue to contact deans with comments and concerns.
Reorganization of Assistant Deans and Learner Resources/Technology Solutions. F. van Hartesveldt announced that Assistant dean of Workforce Development, John McGrail, is retiring at the end of August. A sub-team of ALT anticipates presenting a reorganization draft at the May 10 meeting and completing their work by summer’s end. Faculty are encouraged to contact faculty reps on the sub-team (Sandi Andrews, Gary Burbridge, Ron Higgins, Mike Light, Randy Sahajdack for input and/or details.
Faculty Association
Web Page (http://www.grccfaculty.com). A. Cook indicated hits on the Association
Web page have increased from 1,344 last March to 5,200 hits this year and that
overall use has increased by nearly a half. She noted that a team is also in the process
of developing a handbook or set of questions frequently asked by new faculty
and invited suggestions.
Constitution Committee. F. van Hartesveldt commented that the committee reviewed the constitution and by-laws last year and recommended extensive clarifications and revisions. In consideration of this year’s annual review as directed by the same document, the committee recommends a biennial review.
MOTION: Review
the constitution and by-laws every other year instead of every year. B. Foster; second, F. Conner. Carried.
Negotiating Report. J. Spoelman indicated the teams will meet today and will likely review memos of understanding (i.e. evaluation, overload selection, and calendar language).
Retirement
Coordinating Council. B. Foster
summarized proceedings at the April 18 meeting in
o The governor issued an executive order to address a $303 million budget shortfall for the current year. This results in a 1.5 percent decrease in current funding for universities and community colleges, but they would be get first preference for any additional revenue.
o The mail order pharmacy bill has moved out of committee in the House and a similar bill has passed in the Senate.
o On March 22 the RCC testified to the House Higher Education and Career Preparation Committee to oppose HB4074 which expands potential membership in a higher education Optional Retirement Plan to include part-time administrators and faculty. The committee did not act on the bill, given a number of issues raised by the RCC and others.
o Senate Bill 180 was reported out of committee last Thursday. The bill would allow MPSRS members who had taught on military bases but failed to purchase their service credits at the Out of System Rate before the cutoff date to now do so.
o Expect to see the issue of a constitutional amendment to ban affirmative action by colleges and governments on the ballot in 2006. The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative group has submitted enough valid signatures to state election officials.
o Raffle tickets ($1) for the RCC budget drawing are available from B. Foster, Ext. 3986.
Reminders.
o The final deduction for parking this year will be today’s pay date.
o Donations of sick days for Eleanor Scheifele will appear as sick bank deductions.
o Deadline for submitting paperwork for 4th year longevity training to be paid for 2004-05 is July 15.
NEW BUSINESS
Topics for future meetings should be forwarded to F. van Hartesveldt.
Next
Meeting. Association Meeting,
Adjournment. Motion to adjourn, A. Cook; second, M. Devivo. The meeting was adjourned at
Submitted by C. Lee Brown, Secretary