FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
Call to Order: F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to
order at
Present: Nickie Alexander, Rick Barnhart, C. Lee
Brown, Marie Burns, Lyttron Burris, Mike Campo, Jim Chesla, Frank Conner, Anita
Cook, Larry Crossman, Katie Danko, Beth Foster, Dick Godfrey, Jim Hayes, Dan
Hearn, Stacey Heisler, Brian Keelean, 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, Doug
Wabeke, George Zeeff
Absent: Jennifer Batten, Carolyn Grin,
Visitors: Fred Garbowitz, John Cowles
Agenda: Today’s agenda was approved with the
addition of 1) Search Committees, and 2) Clarification of 800 Minutes.
Approval of Minutes: Minutes
of the
Faculty Presentations
from the Floor.
· Bill Dix (English) is home and recovering.
· Jack King (former instructor) passed away.
· The wife of Gary Schenk (Board of Trustees) is scheduled for a biopsy.
·
W. Rodgers announced the Welding Department’s
year-end ice cream social,
Secretary’s Report. The
secretary received a thank-you note from Bill Dix (English) for a fruit basket
following surgery.
Treasurer’s Report. D. Godfrey distributed the November 2005 treasurer’s report and noted that the month’s activities were typical. Total expenses for November, $4,046.80. The November 30 checking account balance was $40,702.19; money market/savings, $100,715.82.
Grievance
Report. F. Garbowitz reported
the following:
·
Grievance #157—Adjunct hired for summer class
and subsequently fired. Meetings with
the attorneys and a third neutral party have resulted in a likely compromise
which awaits final approval by the administration.
· Grievance #160—Faculty on extended contract denied assigned hours. This grievance has been resolved with the administration agreeing to let the grievant teach hours above and beyond the cap to make up for the loss.
· Grievance #162—Faculty removed from class due to order of the state agency overseeing the class. A second meeting is pending.
· Level 1—Faculty member refused 28.5 hours to avoid splitting a class. A mutual agreement has been reached.
President’s Report. F. van Hartesveldt’s report covered the
following items:
· Credentials Review. Resolution of the ten full-time faculty credentials concerns is pending negotiation between the administration and the Association.
·
Legislative
Action. Michigan Senate passed
legislation aimed at lowering health insurance costs to K-12 schools. The Republican-controlled house voted 55-52
to change the way health benefits are calculated for retirement education
personnel—(HB 4947).
·
Accretion
of Lab Coordinators. Computer lab coordinators
will be accreted into the faculty group pending signing of the official paper
work. A faculty Council rep will likely
be elected by January. Faculty
negotiating team will be J. Spoelman, L. Burris, and N. Alexander. Negotiating team for the administration will
be Tina Hoxie, Cynthia Springer, Judy Stark and Kathy McKimmy. The negotiating sub-team will meet payday
Fridays beginning
· Department Meetings. F. van Hartesveldt has met with several departments during their department meetings and has offered to meet with others.
· Board of Trustees. F. van Hartesveldt recently sent the board meeting schedule to faculty for those interested in presenting to the board. He reminded reps that faculty presentations are invited at the start and at the end of meetings and encouraged a courtesy contact with himself or President Olivarez to announce intentions to present.
· Adjunct Faculty Meeting. F. van Hartesveldt and N. Alexander met with 12-15 adjunct faculty this week who were glad to express their concerns and suggestions. They also expressed gratitude for the dialogue opportunity. Two additional meetings are intended this year.
· Enrollment Report. F. van Hartesveldt recently sent to reps the college enrollment report and will also send the average class size report. Several reps questioned the accuracy of the class-size report after citing instances of inflated section counts.
·
Assistant
Dean and Exempt Employee Reports. In
addition to the enrollment report, F. van Hartesveldt also referenced other. A report of the assistant deans listed all of
the deans since 1996, a copy of which reps requested. The second item reported contracts of exempt
employees (president, vice presidents, assistant to the president, executive
secretaries). Comparisons of last year’s
and this year’s contract benefits (i.e. salary, vacation days) were cited for several
administrative offices.
· Meeting on Collaboration. F. van Hartesveldt, J. Spoelman, and N. Alexander met yesterday with two vice presidents and the Human Relations director about faculty frustration with collaboration between administration and faculty. The discussion revealed differing applications of the term. The topic generated discussion about the Association’s options for halting the pattern of cancelled or unproductive meetings resulting from administrators’ unavailability.
Motion: We support the president’s position on collaborative decision making. To that end we will only engage in meetings that include those individuals who are empowered to make decisions regarding topics of shared interest. F. Conner; support, B. Manker.
Following discussion of the motion, B. Foster moved to table the motion until wording has been agreed upon. Support, R. Barnhart.
· 800 Minute Clarification. B. Manker asked for clarification of the 800 minute rule—if an instructor has met his/her evening class for 800 minutes by December 15, is he/she required to meet during exam week? The consensus was that the instructor is expected to be on campus and available to meet with students through the class end date as printed in the schedule of classes.
Search Committee Reminder. J. Spoelman reminded council that each department head chairing a search committee is entitled to one-half contract hour of pay as committee chair. Request for pay must be made through the appropriate dean prior to start of the work.
Next
Meeting.
Adjournment. Motion to adjourn, R. Long; second, B. Foster. Adjournment at
Submitted by C. Lee Brown, Secretary