FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
Call to Order: F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to
order at
Present: Nickie Alexander (for Julie Hess), Jennifer
Batten, C. Lee Brown, Lyttron Burris, Mike Campo, Anita Cook, Frank Connor,
John Cowles (for Kathleen Owens), Larry Crossman, Katie Danko, Beth Foster, Dick
Godfrey, Dan Hearn, Stacey Heisler, Amy Kerkstra, Robert Long, Bernie Manker, Bob
Monaldo, Brian Morris, Jeff Neumann, Wayne Rodgers, Jonathon Russell, Mark
Saur, Roger Schlosser (for Carolyn Grin), Jeff Spoelman, Joel Swets, Fred van
Hartesveldt, Douglas Wabeke, George Zeeff
Absent: Marie Burns,
Visitors: Fred
Garbowitz
Agenda: Today’s agenda was approved as printed.
Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the
Faculty Presentations from the Floor. F. van Hartesveldt commented briefly on three items.
1) He retracted his suggestion at the November 5 Council meeting that council members treat leftover breakfast buffet items as carry-outs.
2) He also announced the Wednesday evening theft of three Financial Services laptop computers containing financial information about GRCC employees and student Social Security numbers. The administration has advised employees to consider closing accounts with electronic payroll activity during administration’s investigation of the incident.
3) Honoring a faculty member’s request, he informed faculty of a petition asking MSU to prevent MSU apparel from being made in foreign sweatshops. He will provide further information and a contact person upon request.
Secretary’s Report. Council received thank-you cards from Mike Kasperlik (former Association vice-president) for his retirement gift and Sherry Rhoden (Upward Bound) for flowers during her illness.
Retirement Coordinating Council. B. Foster highlighted topics of the November 15 RCC meeting.
· Statewide elections resulted in 40 new legislators, many of whom have no public pensions experience.
· There will be no re-vamping of term limits or controversial issues in the remaining legislative lame duck session.
· With a $140 million shortfall for fiscal year 2003-2004, state budget concerns continue.
· RCC’s post-retirement benefit increase bills, HB 6324 and HB 6325, have been introduced and referred to the House Senior Health, Security and Retirement Committee. These bills increase older retirees’ pensions (inversely) from 4 percent to 30 percent.
· The Citizen’s Research Council Report (a copy of which B. Foster and F. van Hartesveldt have on file) has not been helpful regarding the graded scale premium issue. The RCC opposes this concept but feels it may not advance in the lame duck session.
President’s Report. F. van Hartesveldt gave the following
summaries and updates:
· Scholarship Committee. A meeting date for the committee was finally identified and scheduled, but was cancelled because of a faculty member’s unavailability. Another meeting will be scheduled.
·
Evaluation
of Administrators. Jonathon Russell
has worked on this issue on behalf of the Association with Academic Senate. Faculty desiring involvement with that
process are invited to contact F. van Hartesveldt.
·
·
Faculty
Work Loads. A report of faculty work
loads shows 8 fulltime faculty above
28 hours, 12 at 28 hours, and 16 at 27 hours.
The top 60 fulltime incomes are earned by 47 men and 13 women.
· GRCC Foundation Board. Leaders of the 90th anniversary $10 million campaign plan a kick-off this spring for four groups—faculty and staff, retirees, alumni, and community and friends. The campaign pitch is “Give to the future.”
Constitutional
Changes
· Name Changes. K. Danko cited 250 “yes” and 10.5 “no” votes for updating the Association constitution appropriately for name changes without membership vote. Votes were cast by 194 fulltime faculty and 134 adjunct faculty.
MOTION: M. Saur moved to accept
new amendments language (below) proposed by the Constitution Committee; second,
W. Rodgers. Motion carried.
(ARTICLE IV, Section B, Paragraph 4) By a simple majority vote of a Council quorum if, and only if, the amendment involves a simple name change.
Discussion generated the following revision to which the makers of the motion agreed:
(ARTICLE IV, Section B, Paragraph 4) By a simple majority vote of a Council quorum if, and only if, the amendment involves only a name change of a represented group.
· Duties of Vice President. F. van Hartesveldt stated that the Association Negotiating Team has suggested separating treasurer responsibilities for Association money from Political Action Committee (Concerned Citizens for GRCC) monies. The vice president is willing to carry the PAC responsibility.
MOTION: Amend duties of
the Association vice president to include administering
Budget for Law and Higher Education Conference. F. van Hartesveldt summarized the benefit of his attendance at the conference last year and recommended annual attendance by an Association representative at an approximate cost of $1,900. A lengthy discussion ended with a suggestion by L. Crossman to form a committee for further study of the topic.
Health Care Alternatives. F. van Hartesveldt referenced a report on GRCC health care costs and "Financing Michigan Retired Teacher Pension and Health Care Benefits" from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, which he sent electronically to Council members recently, and then opened discussion on a topic re-introduced by J. Spoelman: How vigorously do we want to negotiate over health care issues? J. Spoelman reviewed the Association’s table agreement to research alternatives over the next couple of years and commented on health care plans and their advantages. A lengthy discussion concluded with the following motion.
MOTION: Authorize
J. Spoelman to move along on pursuing alternatives to health care. M. Saur; F. Garbowitz. Carried.
Grievance Report. F. Garbowitz gave the following updates on grievances:
· Level 1, denial of adjunct bereavement absence—adjunct docked for bereavement absence approved verbally by administrator. A meeting is scheduled.
·
Level 1, overload rotation—Two faculty missed normal
rotation pick for overload when retiree’s classes were reassigned. One faculty has been promised extra work, but
agreement has yet to be reached.
· Level 3, denial of base load—Grievant was awarded the base load originally requested.
·
Grievance #151—Faculty taught 400 extra minutes
during first summer session 2004 due to error in scheduling. Met at Level 2; still awaiting a response.
·
Grievance #152—Faculty denied a 42-week contract
for lack of sick days and service time. Meeting
with administration scheduled for January on service years.
NEW BUSINESS
Topics for the next Council meeting: Food Service Appreciation and Meeting Location
Next
Meeting.
Adjournment. Motion to adjourn, D. Hearn; second, J. Swets. The meeting was adjourned at
Submitted by C. Lee Brown, Secretary