GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING

http://www.grccfaculty.com

September 10, 2004

 

Call to Order:  F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to order at 6:47 a.m., 120ATC

 

Present:  Nickie Alexander, Jennifer Batten, C. Lee Brown, Lyttron Burris, Mike Campo, Jim Chesla, Anita Cook, Larry Crossman, Katie Danko, Beth Foster, Fred Garbowitz, Dick Godfrey, Carolyn Grin, Stacey Heisler, Amy Kerkstra, Robert Long, Bernie Manker, Bob Monaldo, Brian Morris, Jeff Neumann, Kathleen Owens, Wayne Rodgers, Jonathon Russell, Mark Saur, Marilyn Smidt, Jeff Spoelman, Joel Swets, Fred van Hartesveldt, Douglas Wabeke, George Zeeff

 

Absent:  Troy Walwood, Cedric Williams

 

Visitor:  John Doane

 

Agenda:  Today’s agenda was approved as printed.

 

Approval of Minutes:  Minutes of the April 23, 2004, and August 30, 2004, Faculty Council meetings were approved as printed.

 

Faculty Presentations from the Floor.  F. van Hartesveldt announced the death this summer of Barbara LaBelle, retired English instructor.  He also reminded reps to notify Nickie Alexander (Ext. 4272), the new vice president and Flower Fund administrator, of hospitalizations and bereavements within their departments so that she can respond on behalf of the Association.

 

 

REPORTS

 

Secretary’s Report.  C. L. Brown  read nine thank-you cards and a letter of acknowledgement received during the summer for the Association’s responses to deaths, illnesses, and retirements within the membership. 

 

Treasurer’s Report.  D. Godfrey distributed the attached annual report for the September 1, 2003, to August 31, 2004 fiscal year.  As of August 31 the checking account balance is $52,833.42;. money market/savings balance, $52,442.14.  L. Crossman suggested reducing the checking account balance with a transfer to the money market account.

 

Negotiating Team Report.  (N. Alexander)  As the next step each team will meet to put finishing touches on the contract, which faculty ratified at the Association meeting on August 30.  The Association team meets today for that purpose and anticipates that the new contract will be distributed soon.  Readers are needed for proofing the contract.  Volunteer readers should e-mail J. Spoelman or F. van Hartesveldt.

 

C. Grin suggested that the next voting process be handled more rigidly to ensure that adjunct ballots and full-time ballots are distributed appropriately. 

 

 

 

 

 

President’s Report.  F. van Hartesveldt gave the following reports and updates:

 

Ø      F. van Hartesveldt met this summer with a group of retirees who are seeking more involvement with the College.  Those interested in joining the group should contact F. van Hartesveldt.

 

Ø       Board of Trustees Meetings.  The Board of Trustees has expressed an interest in learning about faculty work at GRCC from faculty and encourages faculty to attend its meetings.  F. van Hartesveldt noted that the agenda always includes opportunity for public comment during which faculty may speak.  The Board has an upcoming work session focused on communication with faculty.  Major business decisions this summer included raises for exempt staff—2% for meet and confer staff and 2% for the president.  Retirements of Fran Pepper and Peg Burns were announced.

 

Ø      Sick Leave Banks.  All members are encouraged to verify the accuracy of their sick leave banks.  N. Alexander will again prepare a pay calculation sheet with a reminder and formula to check sick days.

 

Ø      Reimbursements.  Professional expense reimbursement requests submitted outside of the 6-month limit may be denied contractually.

 

Ø      Dental, Vision and Medical.  Members with a different primary insurance carrier (i.e. through spouse) may be required to provide ASR with various documents about their primary insurer.

 

Ø      Degree/Longevity Pay.  September 30 is the deadline for changes in salary related to degree or longevity pay. .  Course reimbursement for longevity training is limited to eight credits per year and requires a 10-day pre-approval and documentation upon completion of the course. 

 

Ø      Adjunct Concerns.  Several adjuncts are still opting for the insurance benefits, which begin the month after employment starts.  Because employment didn’t start this year until September, insurance benefits for those persons begin this year in October.

 

Ø      Evaluation.  The College, through a grant-funded outside evaluator, is looking at its systems of professional development.  The outside evaluator has concluded that most people are fairly ignorant of and uninvolved with FGIP, viewing it as documentation, not as a development tool.

 

In separate action and at President Olivarez’s direction, the College has engaged an outside entity, Campus Works, to review the College IT function.

 

Ø      Faculty Evaluation of Administrators.   Faculty will have the opportunity to evaluate administrators again this year.

 

Ø      Faculty Evaluations.  About one-third of the faculty evaluated last year received letters advising that they did not complete faculty evaluation activities and warning of the consequence if not completed.  Several of those faculty members have indicated to F. van Hartesveldt that they had followed each step of the process or that their attempts to follow each step of the process were hindered by their deans.

 

Ø      Parking.  Numerous members have voiced problems with parking over the last week.  The problem seems to stem from a combination of factors, such as a loss of parking spaces on Barclay and at Butterworth and increased numbers of adjunct and full-time faculty.  The problem is being addressed, but not yet resolved.  All questions about parking should be directed to Cindy Kennell, Campus Security.

 

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

Committees, start-up problems and successes, and Retirement Coordinating Council report and other remaining agenda items will be carried over to the September 24 agenda.

 

 

Next Meeting.  Friday, September 24, 2004.

 

Adjournment.  Motion to adjourn, B. Manker; second, J. Batten.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:08 a.m.

 

 

Submitted by C. Lee Brown, Secretary


TREASURER’S ANNUAL REPORT

 

SEPTEMBER 1, 2003 TO AUGUST 31, 2004

 

 

 

ASSETS SEPTEMBER 1, 2003.................................................................. $111,584.88

 

REVENUE:      DUES.................................................................................. $138,918.76

                        INTEREST................................................................................ 1,506.31

                       

 

EXPENSES:    DONATIONS/FLOWERS/FRUIT.............. $    1,604.50

                        FOOD............................................................... 5,232.09

                        GRIEVANCES.................................................. 2,962.10

                        GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT.......................... 6,227.60

                        INSURANCE.................................................... 1,162.74

                        LEGAL.............................................................. 9,075.00

                        NEGOTIATIONS/JCC................................... 36,009.45

                        OFFICE:      POSTAGE....................................... 112.40

                                             PRINTING...................................... 576.92

                                             SUPPLIES....................................... 259.29

                                             TELEPHONE.................................. 271.73

                                             WEBSITE........................................ 168.32

                        PUBLIC RELATIONS............................................. 0.00

                        RETIREMENT COORDINATING CO............ 1,009.60

                        SALARY:     OFFICERS................................. 51,565.00

                        SPECIAL EVENTS.................................................. 0.00

                        SUBSCRIPTIONS................................................... 0.00

                        TAXES AND RETIREMENT......................... 30,497.65

                        TOTAL EXPENSES........................................................... $146,734.39

 

NET ASSETS AUGUST 31, 2004.............................................................. $105,275.56*

 

*CHECKING ACCOUNT= $52,833.42

*MONEY MARKET/SAVINGS= $52,442.14

 

Submitted September 10, 2004, by Dick Godfrey, Treasurer