GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
http://www.grccfaculty.com
October 6,
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, Joe Berlin, Mike Campo, Jim Chesla, Anita Cook,
Larry Crossman, Katie Danko, John Doane, Beth Foster, Fred Garbowitz, Dick
Godfrey, Jim Hayes, Brian Keelean, Robert Long, Bernie Manker, Robert Monaldo,
Brian Morris, Jeff Neumann, Melissa Parsons, Ron Ralya, Jonathon Russell, Mark
Saur, Roger Schlosser (for Carolyn Grin), Pam Scott (for Tim Hoving), Jeff
Spoelman, Fred van Hartesveldt, Doug Wabeke, George Zeeff, Fred Zomer (for
Kathleen Owens).
Absent: Marie Burns, Frank Connor, Joel Swets, Troy Walwood.
Approval of Agenda: Agenda approved with the addition of the
United Way Campaign.
Recognition of New Representatives: J. Berlin will serve as the Adjunct Faculty
Council Representative for the School
of Workforce Development.
Approval of Minutes
from September 22, 2006: Minutes approved with the following
clarifications:
- RCC
report should read as B. Foster rather than R. Foster.
- Marie
Burns was present.
Treasurers Report: D. Godfrey distributed the Treasurers
report for September, 2006. Total
expenses were $31,379.41. Checking
account balance is $25,443.48 and Money Market balance is $134,214.70. Full report is attached.
Negotiations Report: J. Spoelman reported on the JCC meeting held September 22, 2006.
- Administration
made a proposal to roll over the current contract for an additional year
in order to focus resources on the upcoming millage. Issues to consider include how this
might affect recent accretion groups, language changes, adjunct issues,
and the financial package. While
mutual interest exists in postponing negotiations, nothing has been
decided and discussion continues.
- The ESP
(Executive Support Personnel) group has requested that the Faculty
Association help them financially after a recent increase in their MEA
dues of $214 per person. Faculty
members are eligible for MESSA coverage only if ESP continues their
association with the MEA.
Discussion included:
- Creating
a one-time only deal with ESP.
- Donation
could come from the Faculty Association funds, not individual faculty
members directly. Funds would go
to ESP and not the MEA.
- The
number of faculty members with MESSA coverage is about 150.
- Suggestion
was made to examine other health care options during Open Enrollment in
the event that MESSA is not available to faculty members.
- Suggestion
was made that donation be based on individual contributions from those
who have MESSA coverage.
- R.
Long made a motion that we support the contribution and direct our leadership
to negotiate a fair amount with ESP; M. Campo seconded. Motion carries
with 21 in support.
- Amount
will come back to Faculty Council for approval after our team negotiates
an amount with ESP.
Grievance
Report:
- Grievance
#167 was filed, which relates to Administration denying overload to faculty
members. In this case, Administration
would not overload a telecourse by 10 students because it would put the
faculty member at 28.5 credits. The
contract allows for a maximum of 27 credits or 28.5 to avoid the splitting
of classes.
RCC Report:
- A. Cook
will serve as the alternative RCC representative.
- F.
van Hartesveldt announced that State Representative Michael Sak will speak
on pension funding at the Calkins
Science Center
on Friday, October 20,
2006.
- B. Foster
reported on SB 1017 (childcare bill), which passed on September 12, 2006. The bill includes wording changes that
update language such as parental leave rather than maternal leave;
clarification that no other full-time employment can be maintained while
on childcare leave, however part-time employment is allowed; and up to 5
years of leave may be purchased to cover the missed time toward retirement
years of service. More information
will be provided on the ORS website after bill is signed into law.
Presidents Report:
- The College
is reviewing the hiring process.
Administration is requesting that faculty members join this team to
help redefine the hiring process. If
youre interested contact F. van Hartesveldt.
- Faculty
members must submit leave forms far in advance to allow for processing time.
Be sure to get a response prior to your leave.
- If
you have MESSA coverage, your pre-tax election form must be completed by Friday, October 13, 2006. Form is available at http://www.grccfaculty.com/forms/pre-taxpremiumelectionform.doc
.
- C-3
funds for all three years of the current
contract will not roll over, so be sure to spend your money before June
2007. Contact C. Scaturro to
find out how much you have left.
- Parking
fee from previous paycheck was not correctly accounted as pre-tax, so
faculty members will receive a free month of parking.
- The
Faculty Association can now withhold faculty dues without having new faculty members sign a separate form. A notice that faculty dues will be
withheld will be included on the hiring application.
- An
online election will take place next week for the Adjunct Faculty Council
Representative for the School
of Arts and
Sciences. All SAS adjunct will
receive an emailed ballot to their GRCC email account during the week of October 9, 2006.
- October
is Open Enrollment period for health care coverage. The Faculty Association has requested
that representatives from the health care providers come to campus to
discuss alternatives.
- F.
van Hartesveldt met with new full-time faculty members, who expressed
concerns about their retirement plan selection and the hiring process. New
full-time faculty members have a 90 day window to change their retirement
plan.
Discussion and Action
Items:
- United Way letter of support
- R. Long made a motion to approve a
letter that supports the United
Way campaign this year; J. Batten seconded. Motion carried.
- Presentation and approval of negotiating
team members
- D. Godfrey will serve on the
Negotiating Team as an emeritus member, opening a position for a new
regular member.
- L. Crossman made a motion to approve
the current team members to include J. Spoelman, N. Alexander, L. Burris,
and J. Doane; R. Barnhart seconded.
Motion carried.
- Thank-you letters to Foundation donors
- Discussion took place surrounding how
to appropriately thank donors.
This included sending personalized thank you letters to major
donors; definition of a major donor; thanking those who donate any
amount; and multiple verse one-time donors. The number of donors will be determined
and item will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
- Recognition Clause
- Discussion continued over redefining
the Faculty Associations Recognition Clause. Current clause is very broad and could
include all campus groups.
Discussion included the following:
- State law allows employees to form or
join (accrete to) a bargaining group and allows bargaining groups and
the administration to define the group membership. The definition is the recognition
clause.
- The current clause defines membership
as instructional, instructional support, and student support.
- The Faculty Council incurs costs during
the accretion process.
- More special interest groups and
increasing the size of the group would make it more difficult to
negotiate and to represent the whole group.
- Bargaining groups and interests within
groups compete for resources.
- Items
for the next Faculty Council meeting should be submitted to F. van
Hartesveldt.
- Friday, October 20, 2006,
at 6:30 a.m., 120 ATC.
- Motion
to adjourn, B. Morris; J. Hayes seconded.
Adjournment at 8:01 a.m.
Submitted by K. Danko, Secretary
GRCC
Faculty Association
Treasurers
Report
September
2006
Checking account balance September
1
.
.$69,040.68
Deposits: Dues
...
.$7,782.21
Expenses: Donations/Flowers/Fruit
...
.$100.00
Grievances
...
.
...
....520.99
JCC
..
..4386.50
Legal
.
3,400.55
Office:
Telephone
93
Officers
pay...
.
15,236.77
RCC
..
780.00
Taxes & Retirement
.
.
.6,953.67
Total Expenses
...
.
$31,379.41
Transfer to Money
Market
..
$20,000.00
Checking account balance September
30
$25,443.48
Money Market Balance September
30
..$134,214.70
Submitted October 6, 2006, by Dick Godfrey,
Treasurer