FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
Call to Order: F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to order at 6:45 a.m., 120ATC
Present: Nickie Alexander, Jennifer Batten, C. Lee Brown, Marie Burns, Lyttron Burris, Mike Campo, Anita Cook, Larry Crossman, Katie Danko, Beth Foster, Fred Garbowitz, Dick Godfrey, Carolyn Grin, Dan Hearn, Stacey Heisler, Amy Kerkstra, Robert Long, Bernie Manker, Bob Monaldo, Brian Morris, Jeff Neumann, Kathleen Owens, Wayne Rodgers, Jonathon Russell, Mark Saur, Jeff Spoelman, Joel Swets, Fred van Hartesveldt, Douglas Wabeke, Troy Walwood, George Zeeff
Absent: Jim Chesla, Cedric Williams
Visitor: Keith Longberg
Agenda: Today’s agenda was approved with the addition of Request to Support GRCC United Way Campaign.
Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the September 10, 2004, Faculty Council meeting were approved with the following correction: Reference to Campus Security in the Parking paragraph of the President’s Report should be changed to GRCC Police Department.
Minutes of the August 30, 2004, Association meeting were approved as printed.
Faculty Presentations from the Floor. F. van Hartesveldt thanked K. Danko for locating the ASR website (asr.corp.com) which allows tracking of claims through ASR. He also announced that Gary Burbridge is stepping down as Academic Senate chair. The vice-president, Gary Brand, will assume that responsibility.
Secretary’s Report. C. L. Brown indicated no new correspondence has been received.
Discussion/Action
Items
Request to Support GRCC United Way Campaign. F. van Hartesveldt said the administration has again asked the Faculty Association to endorse the United Way Campaign and to encourage faculty support. He read a proposed endorsement letter from the Faculty Council which encourages support through payroll deduction or a one-time cash/check gift and invites faculty volunteers to help conduct the campaign.
MOTION: Consider support of the GRCC United Way campaign as presented. R. Long; second, D. Hearn. Motion carried.
Start-up Problems
Parking. F. van Hartesveldt said it appears the parking shortage has been resolved. He’s aware of additional spaces in the Bostwick ramp. Faculty whose primary worksite is off-campus and who desire free parking when they come on-campus should contact Cindy Kennell, GRCC Police Department, with days and times of anticipated parking need.
Adjunct Communication. F. van Hartesveldt is trying to build support to allow adjunct faculty access to the computer system for a year at a time. Currently about half of our adjunct are in the e-mail system, which is virtually the only way to communicate with them as a group.
New Faculty Breakfast. F. van Hartesveldt indicated that the negotiating team and officers had a successful meeting with about half of the new faculty to hear their suggestions and questions about new faculty orientation.
Late-entering Students. K. Owens expressed concern that the self-enrollment process allows students to bypass the enrollment policy and enter classes after the second class meeting. F. van Hartesveldt indicated that he has contacted the registrar and Institutional Research to determine the frequency of such enrollments. He has also learned from ten responses to an informal survey of the English department that 17 students started class after the second class meeting; one faculty member had five students. Several others voiced their experiences with late-entering students and those misplacing themselves in courses.
Proposal for Building Name Change. Keith Longberg (retiree) asked the Council’s support for a proposal to rename a campus building. He presented a rationale which generated discussion about the procedure for doing so and other options to consider. F. van Hartesveldt referenced the Board of Trustees policy for naming buildings. Following discussion, reps were asked to poll their departments about the building renaming proposal in preparation for further consideration at the October 8 Council meeting.
Committee Memberships. F. van Hartesveldt encouraged committees to reactivate themselves for the 2004-2005 school year. He mentioned several committees (Ethics, Finance, Allocations Review, Constitution and Bylaws, Communications, and Faculty Evaluation) that have pending activities from last year. He also noted that the College-Wide Strategy Team is seeking more faculty participation and directed interested faculty to contact Donna Kragt.
President’s Report. F. van Hartesveldt referred to a reported case in which a dean required faculty to include on their leave requests an explanation of how missed classes would be covered. Council was assured that such a requirement can safely be ignored.
Negotiating Team Report. N. Alexander distributed for review a Sick Day Calculation sheet and a Pay Calculation Worksheet that will assist faculty in verifying their semester’s pay amounts and sick banks. Council suggested revisions that N. Alexander will incorporate and then redistribute the sheets to reps via e-mail.
F. van Hartesveldt said the 2004-2007 employment contract is at the printing and proofreading stage.
Grievance Report. F. Garbowitz summarized grievances as follows:
· Grievance #146—a laid off faculty member’s work given to a non-association member. The Board offered a minimum compensation, which grievant refused. Arbitration is scheduled for December 2, 2004.
· Grievance #150—faculty submitted base load which included a class previously taught, but denied for lack of qualifications. Denied at Level 2 and appealed to Level 3. Upon receipt of written denial, appeal will pursue to next level.
· Grievance #144—adjuncts assigned accelerated classes who opted for cash in lieu of insurance. Settled in favor of Association.
· Grievance #151—faculty with Monday/Wednesday classes during first summer session of 2004 worked 400 extra minutes of instruction. Administration’s response is that the Association missed the deadline for rectifying the error. Association will pursue the grievance.
· Several other concerns have been voiced informally, primarily by adjunct faculty, for denial of call-back at Level 4 of overload selection.
· Department faculty denied choice of overload from classes returned to pool by a late-summer retirement. Grievance is at Level 1.
Retirement Coordinating Council. B. Foster’s update on RCC activity included several changes in the health plan:
· Effective July 1, 2004, a new dental provider network grants nation-wide access to dental providers; higher percentage paid with DeltaPreferred Option dentists.
· Effective January 1, 2005, prescription drug benefits will change, annual deductible for health benefits will increase, organ and bone marrow transplants coverage will be expanded; vision benefits will be modified.
The next RCC meeting is October 28, 2004. B. Foster asked that a substitute attend that meeting in her absence.
NEW BUSINESS
Association involvement with Lake Michigan Credit Union converting to a bank will be placed on the agenda for the next Council meeting.
Next Meeting. Friday, October 8, 2004.
Adjournment. Motion to adjourn, B. Manker; second, J.
Swets. The meeting was adjourned at
Submitted by C. Lee Brown, Secretary