GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING

http://www.grccfaculty.com

September 8, 2006

Call to Order:  F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to order at 6:30 a.m. 120 ATC.

Present:  Wanda Acevedo-Ferrer, Nickie Alexander, Rick Barnhart, Jennifer Batten, Lyttron Burris, Mike Campo, Jim Chesla, Frank Conner, Larry Crossman, Brian Daily (for Tim Hoving), Katie Danko, Mike Devivo (for Carolyn Grin), John Doane, Beth Foster, Fred Garbowitz, Dick Godfrey, Jim Hayes, Brian Keelean, Robert Long, Bernie Manker, Robert Monaldo, Brian Morris, Jeff Neumann, Kathleen Owens, Melissa Parsons, Ron Ralya, Wayne Rodgers, Jonathon Russell, Mark Saur, Pam Scott , Jeff Spoelman, Dorothy Terhune (for Anita Cook), Fred van Hartesveldt, Doug Wabeke, Troy Walwood, George Zeeff. 

Absent:  Marie Burns, Joel Swets.

Approval of Agenda:  Agenda was approved with the addition of the Treasurer’s Report.

Recognition of New Representatives: 

Approval of Minutes: 

·         Minutes from the April 24, 2006 Faculty Council meeting were approved as printed.

·         Minutes from the May 5, 2006 Faculty Association meeting were approved with clarification on page 2, Negotiations Report.  This is the last year for those with more than 9 years of service to qualify for 4th year longevity pay.

Faculty Presentations from the Floor

·         F. Schrader, B. Schrader’s husband passed, F. Alalo, 1975 retiree passed, H. Olson, Emeritus faculty passed.

Secretary’s Report:

·         Thank you cards were received from the following:  Karin Burrell, Adjunct in the Math Department, for flowers sent after the passing of her father; St. Charles School for the donation made in the memory of Virginia Saur, mother of Mary Bayer in the English Department; Dorothy Mapes, Social Sciences, for flowers sent after the passing of Dorothy Barnard; Bob DiNallo, Criminal Justice, for flowers sent after the passing of his father. 

Treasurers Report:

·       D. Godfrey distributed the Annual Treasurer’s report (attached) from September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006.  Total expenses for the year were $107,510.91.  August 31 checking account balance was $69,040.68, and the money market/savings balance was $113,840.73.

President’s Report

·         Committee Membership

o       New Adjunct Representatives are needed for Faculty Council.  No responses from the School of Workforce Development.  Several are interested in representing the School of Arts and Sciences.

o       L. Burris will join F. Garbowitz as a grievance officer to help with workload.

o       P. Ingersol will help with Faculty Association website. 

o       J. Neumann is stepping down from Faculty Evaluation Team.

o       The membership of the Faculty Voice Committee may change for the purpose of hearing others’ voices. 

·         Faculty Council has a new student worker. 

·         Accretion of Lab Technicians

o       P. Scott and J. Colvin are new Faculty Council Representatives. 

o       Settlement over accretion was reached in Lansing on the day of hearing before the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.

o       The contractual Recognition Clause will be reviewed.

·         Faculty numbers

o       Faculty employment numbers are forthcoming from Administration.

o       Discussion took place around the full-time/adjunct ratio and future hiring.   

·         General Reminders

o       Don’t overload your classes for any student, including fellow faculty members.

o       Don’t allow students to sit in your class without tuition receipts if they are not on your class list.

·         Enrollment numbers

o       http://web.grcc.cc.mi.us/IR/scoreboard.htm shows current enrollment numbers.

·         Early Notice Incentive Plan for Retirement

o       Administration offers faculty incentive for early notification of retirement.

o       1 year notice = $2,000; 2 year notice = $3,000; 3 year notice = $4,000.

o       You must fill out your retirement papers prior to accepting the Early Notification Incentive Plan for retirement. 

·         Faculty Evaluations

o       13 faculty members have received letters from Administration because last year’s evaluation process is incomplete.

·         Board of Trustee meetings

o       May – Positive evaluation of President Olivarez. 

o       June – Meet & Confer received 1% salary increase.

o       July – CEBA settled 3 year contract.   Personnel report included hiring of full-time faculty.  Nine out of ten of the newly hired previously served as temporary or adjunct faculty members.  New FT faculty who were previously adjunct should check their longevity service credits.

o       August – Future funding report suggested we are not meeting the growing expectations and demands of the community.  An adjunct faculty member addressed the board regarding adjunct faculty issues.

o       Faculty members are encouraged to address the Board. 

·         Foundation

o       The $10 Million Campaign is over the $5 million mark, most of which has been pledged by major donors and restricted to specific purposes.

Discussion and Action Items: 

·         Start-up Issues

a.       Concern was expressed over lack of communication between LRTS and what all faculty members actually need in terms of teaching.  Primary concern is the removal of computers and projectors from the Main Building and Cook Hall and replacing them with stations ready for laptops.  Not all full-time faculty members, especially adjuncts, have laptops.

b.      There was a significant effort to improve classrooms but, nonetheless, a few issues.  Communication with LRTS is main issue. 

c.       Students are confused about the name changes from North building to Cook Hall.  There seems to have been little thought given to the timing and effects of the name change on students.

Negotiations Report: 

·         J. Spoelman reported that due to the trying times JCC faced last year, he requested that interest-based bargaining be temporarily suspended.  He has requested that administration communicate via written proposals, specifically for the issues of accretion and credentials audit. 

·         Issues addressed over the summer include the Timing of Overload Selection MOU, disbursement of $40,000 in retroactive release time pay, and signing of calendars.

RCC Report: 

·         B. Foster reported information from the last RCC meeting on Monday, June 26, 2006. 

·         Budget problems facing RCC caused them to reduce the amount they paid for services of the lobbyist group, Capital Services. 

·         Legislation is still pending that would require all future teachers to be part of a defined contribution pension plan and to have a graded scale premium plan for retirement health coverage.  Another bill is in the works, supported by the RCC, seeking to grant a one-time retirement benefit increase to older retired state and school employees. 

Grievance Report: 

·         #163 regarding individual negotiation:  A MOU was drafted that addresses individual meetings between faculty members and administrators in the event of discipline.  Not completed.     

·         #164 regarding faculty improvement plan:  Negotiation is ongoing.

·         #165 regarding administration eliminating benefits during sabbatical leaves.  3rd party neutral hearing scheduled for Monday, September 11, 2006. 

·         #166 regarding overload caps:  Grievance was not filed in time, but another possible grievance on similar issue may be filed shortly.  

New Business: 

·         Items for the next Faculty Council meeting should be submitted to F. van Hartesveldt.

Next Meeting: 

·         Friday, September 22, 2006 at 6:30 a.m., 120 ATC.

Adjournment: 

·         Motion to adjourn, J. Hayes; second M. Devivo.  Adjournment at 8:14 a.m.

Submitted by K. Danko, Secretary

Treasurer’s Annual Report

September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006

Assets September 1, 2006…………………………………………………..$131,508.75

Revenue:  Dues……………………………………………………………...$154,891.25

                 Interest………………………………………………………………..3992.32

Expenses:  Conferences……………………………………………….…..$3722.61

                  Donations/Flowers/Fruit…………………………………...…..1930.72

                  Food………………………………………...…………….....…5,800.70

                  Grievances………………………………………………...…....2,367.83

                  Insurance………………………………………………………..3870.50

                  Legal………………………………………………………….…3600.00

                  Negotiations/JCC……………………………….………………6118.84

                  Office:  Postage…………………………………………...……… 39.00

                               Printing……………………………………………………98.15

                               Supplies……………………………………………...…..621.68

                               Telephone………………………………………………..235.22

                               Website…………………………………………..………162.47

                 Public Relations……………………………………………….……..0.00

                 Retirement Coordinating Co. …………………..…………………466.40

                 Salary:  Officers………………………………..………………59,171.08

                 Special Events……………………………………………….……….0.00

                 Subscriptions…………...…………………………………………….0.00

                 Taxes and Retirement…………………….…………………….19,305.71

                 Total Expenses………………………………………………….………$107,510.91

Net Assets August 31, 2006……………………………………………...……..$182,881.41*

*Checking Account = $69,040.68

*Money Market/Savings = $113,840.73

Submitted September 8, 2006, by Dick Godfrey, Treasurer