GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
http://www.grccfaculty.com
February 9,
2007
Call to Order: F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to
order at 6:30 a.m., 120
ATC.
Present: W. Acevedo-Ferrer, N. Alexander, R. Barnhart,
J. Batten, J. Berlin, M. Campo, J. Chesla, F. Conner, L. Crossman, K. Danko, M.
Devivo (for C. Grin), J. Doane, G. Ebels (for G. Zeeff), F. Garbowitz, J.
Hayes, H. Hoare, T. Hoving, B. Keelean, R. Long, B. Manker, R. Monaldo, R.
Montes-Sutton, B. Morris, J. Neumann, M. Parsons, R. Ralya, J. Russell, J.
Spoelman, D. Terhune, F. van Hartesveldt, D. Wabeke, T. Walwood, F. Zomer (for
K. Owens).
Absent: M. Burns, L. Burris, B. Foster, D. Godfrey,
J. Swets.
Approval of Agenda: Approved as written.
Approval of Minutes
from January 26, 2007: Minutes approved with the following
corrections:
- GRCC
Foundation publishes the Retirees Quarterly.
- Clarification
of a thank you note sent; D. Godfrey was ill and L. Godfrey had surgery.
- Association
President pay issue was not on the JCC agenda for February 26, 2007.
Faculty Presentations
from the Floor:
- D.
Godfrey and L. Godfrey are both doing well; D. Godfrey plans on returning February 12, 2007.
Secretarys Report:
- A
thank you note was received from Leigh Kleinert for the fruit basket sent
after the birth of her daughter.
- A
thank you note was received from Ron Weidenfeller for the donation to his
mothers church in consideration of her passing.
Treasurers Report: J. Spoelman (for D. Godfrey) distributed
the Treasurers report for January, 2007.
Total expenses were $1,181.24.
Checking account balance is $49,741.01 and Money Market balance is
$136,154.50. The full report is
attached.
Presidents Report:
- Thanks
given to A. Cook, now working as an Archivist for the Faculty
Association.
- Faculty
numbers for Winter 2007 include 428 adjunct and 246 full time
faculty. Load summaries include 12
teaching faculty at 28 credits or above, 23 teaching 27 to 27.59 credits,
and 12 teaching 26 to 26.98 credits.
- Concerns
were discussed about the handling of the bomb threat received on February 8, 2007, in
Cook Hall. Issues include delay of
evacuation and unsecured buildings.
- School
closing on Saturday, February
3, 2007, was not made until 7:50 a.m.
Closing decisions are suppose to be made by 5 a.m., but Administration stated that the weather
was changing rapidly so the decision to cancel classes was delayed.
- Recent
pay issues include Lab Coordinators and Technicians charged incorrectly
for the co-pay premiums, and another faculty member longevity training pay
wasnt processed despite hand-delivery of the paperwork. Faculty are advised to get an email
confirmation of pay changes, to review every component of their pay advices,
including amounts of deductions and pay rate. Also, equated overload should be paid at
the rate of the overload schedule.
- A
dean has misinformed adjunct faculty about adjunct the adjunct tuition
benefit. Adjuncts and their spouses
receive GRCC tuition benefit if teaching ½ time or more.
- Issues
continue around the clarity, fullness and correctness of information given
during new employee orientation.
- Administration
asked faculty members to attend AQIP session on February 9, 2007.
- F.
Pepper would like the Faculty Association to endorse her for a position on
the Board of Trustees in the May 2007 election. This will be an upcoming agenda item.
- The
Board of Trustees approved and announced a millage increase of .56. Overall, survey results showed strong
community support for GRCC.
- A
review of Meet and Confer pay schedule and increases will be undertaken to
compare them to pay increases for the college president and
vice-presidents.
- A
review of jobs showed that most of the independent contractors at the
College are not doing Faculty Association work. A few positions and contingency
employees are still under review.
- Faculty
Association President pay issue was taken to 3rd party neutral
hearing. The contract language of
the President taking a leave of absence is outdated because it provides
for a leave of absence rather than release time. It was resolved that the terms between
the Faculty Association and the College, i.e. that the Faculty Association
reimburses the College the cost of the substitutes for the Faculty
Association President, will remain through 2007-08 and apply only to the
current Association President. New
contract language will likely be negotiated for future contracts.
Discussion and Action
Items:
- Negotiations: JCC meeting is scheduled to meet February 9, 2007. Items on the agenda include a new
advisor position for counseling and no fault absences for adjuncts. Currently, adjunct faculty members are
only allowed sick leaves. Possible
language changes would allow for other types of leaves. Full time faculty members are reminded
that, as far as their overload classes are concerned, they are only
allowed one week of absences. Sick
leave banks are not used to cover overload classes.
- Textbook
unavailability: Bookstore problems
including lack of textbooks was once again an issue during the start of
the semester. The bookstore is
aware of the concerns and will be going through process based management
to better operate. J. Hess, a
faculty member of the Bookstore Oversight Committee, states there are many
reasons for out of stock textbooks.
Specific bookstore problems and concerns may be forwarded to J.
Hess.
Grievance Report: F. Garbowitz
reported on the following:
- Student complaints against faculty from Fall 2006
include:
- A student grade complaint. Outcome unknown.
- Student complaints that a faculty member disrespected
students and did not provide necessary accommodations to support a
disability. Faculty members are
reminded that students must go through Disability Services to prove their
disability and faculty will be notified of accommodations.
- Grievance #167 regarding overload of a telecourse to
28 credits. Grievance was settled
in faculty members favor at a second 3rd party neutral
hearing. Faculty member will be
allowed to earn one contact hour of pay through extra work that will not
count against the overload cap.
- Grievance #168 regarding leave without pay; meeting is
set for February 23,
2007.
- Grievance #169 regarding denial of overload is not yet
resolved.
RCC Report: B. Foster and A.
Donahue will attend Legislative Day is February 28, 2007.
- Items
for the next Faculty Council meeting should be submitted to F. van
Hartesveldt.
- Friday, February 23, 2007,
at 6:30 a.m., 120 ATC.
- Motion
to adjourn J. Hayes, R. Barnhart seconded.
Adjournment at 8:02 a.m.
Submitted by K. Danko, Secretary
GRCC
Faculty Association
Treasurers
Report
January
2007
Checking account balance January
1
.
$33,531.44
Deposits: Dues
...
.17,390.81
Expenses: Donations/Flowers
.
...
.$253.51
Food
.....333.90
Insurance
..275.00
Legal
.......
41.25
Office: Postage
..
39.00
Supplies
.16.74
Taxes
.221.84
Total
Expenses
...
.
$ 1,181.24
Checking
account balance January 31..
..
$49,741.01
Money Market Balance
1/31/07
..
..$136,154.50
Revenue
& Expenses Year to Date
Revenue: Dues
....
.
$68,056.63
Interest
..
...
.2,313.77
Expenses: Donations/Flowers/Fruit Baskets
$811.38
Food
....
.
2,606.27
Grievances
.
..
921.70
Insurance
.275.00
JCC
.
..7,070.16
Legal
...
.
.4,181.10
Office: Postage
..39.00
Supplies
..
122.72
Telephone
..
93
Website
....56.76
Officers
pay
.
..33,013.00
Public
Relations
....3,500.00
RCC
.
....780.00
Taxes
.
......13,978.28
Total
Expenses
.
. $67,356.30
Submitted February 9, 2007, by Dick Godfrey,
Treasurer