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Faculty Association | ||||
MEETING MINUTES |
- A call for donated paid leave benefits may be forthcoming. A faculty member has been dealing with a serious illness over the summer and is in the process of determining if additional personal days or sick days are needed.
- Chief Kennell has encouraged faculty members to arrive early to campus during the first week of school, as traffic backup is anticipated due to construction. Staff parking entrances have not changed, but lane usage and heavy traffic will likely cause problems.
- Ellen James thanked the faculty for helping out with the millage campaigns.
- State Senator Hardiman thanked F. van Hartesveldt for contacting his office about House Bills 4797 and 4798, pertaining to retiree health care benefits for public school employees.
- A note of thanks from the Perrin Family for the contribution to St. Andrews Memorial Fund on behalf of Wesley Perrin.
- A note of thanks from Paul Miltgen for the fruit basket and warm wishes sent after a recent hip replacement surgery.
- As a reminder, the Faculty Association has a website (http://www.grccfaculty.com) that is updated often. Information on the site includes council representative contact information, association minutes and agendas, the contract, among other useful material.
- A shared directory for all faculty members has also been created in GroupWise as an outlet for general information sharing.
- Negotiations overview: F. van Hartesveldt thanked the Negotiation Team for working long hours over the summer. Timeline of duties include dealing with language issues from May to June and attempting to settle financial issues from July to present. Little progress has been made. Overall, the request from the Administration fell very heavily on adjunct faculty in what Administration is calling a major course correction. The Negotiation Team is looking further into contract comparisons of similar community colleges. No contract has been settled.
J. Spoelman reported the following:
- Contract comparison is difficult because entire contracts must be examined; however, at least two of comparative colleges’ faculty are paid higher and have more benefits.
- Administration is saying that budget projections and their ability to pay salary increase are holding them back from settling contract. However, Negotiation Team estimates an increase in money to the College next year even with a financial increase. Budget predictions are historically estimated in the negative. For example, last year there was an estimated
- Only two language issues were settled over table agreements, one for each side.
- Top administration salaries and increases are much higher than reported in The Press.
- During the last contract negotiations, a higher overload rate for adjuncts was negotiated because insurance benefits were dropped. Freezing overload rate for current adjuncts and lowering rate for new adjuncts is a complete turnaround from three years ago.
- Items purchased with C3 funds should be reported as taxable income to the IRS.
A review of the Negotiating team and Administration proposals generated numerous comments and questions:
- Appreciation was expressed repeatedly to the Negotiation Team.
- In consideration of the current local and state economy, suggested faculty members accept contract offering as is and be grateful.
- Concern over part time faculty being assigned classes prior to full time overload selection. Overload could effectively disappear if this was allowed.
- ORP increase would be appreciated, but difference between ORP and MPSERS is still vast. ORP increase should be more.
- Thanks were extended to F. van Hartesveldt for his comments and editorial in The Press in defense of how hard faculty members work for students. Suggested that Administration first defended our salaries but are now saying they are too high. Negotiation Team responded that Administration worked hard with The Press before the millage vote to properly portray the faculty.
- Suggested that Negotiation Team demand Administration show up on time and prepared for meetings.
- Suggested further investigation into actual Administrative salaries and those reported to The Press.
- Upset that The Press is still not reporting accurate information about faculty.
- Questions arose about the role of a State Mediator during negotiations. Process was explained as follows: A State Mediator was requested and will be assigned. State Mediator can decide on the process, but essentially will work with both sides, their latest offers, and attempt to persuade each side to move a bit. Nothing is binding, but a third voice is often helpful to inform about what is going on with other contract negotiations. If no resolution is met after mediation, a State Fact Finding process may start. This is conducted like a hearing where various issues are tackled one at a time. This also is not binding. If process gets to Fact Finding, a request will be made to make it binding.
- Administration Team has seven people at meetings. Negotiation Team brings three to five.
- Faculty members are reminded to let the Association know if they plan on leaving the College because any retroactive pay increase will be prorated once a contract is settled.
- Additional comments that ORP increase is not enough. MPSER’s rate is about 18.5%. The Negotiation Team is trying to close the gap, obtain incremental changes, and reminded faculty that there are other benefits to having ORP over MPSERS.
- Current wages and benefits will remain in effect until contract is settled. Step increases and degree changes will also be honored.
- Freedom of Information Act requests have been made to other community colleges for their W-2 reported wages.
- Concern was expressed over the public misperception about faculty. Faculty members should work to correct the distortion as The Press highlighted only the highest salaries and not the average. Also, there is no awareness that adjunct faculty work without benefits.
- The freeze and of adjunct salaries will detract from the quality of people we attract.
- Concern that Administration will drag out negotiations as long as possible. Negotiation Team expressed that while mediation has no time limit, it may bring both sides closer together. The Fact Finding process normally takes a few weeks.
- Suggested that President Olivarez be reminded that he stated he would not take loss of millage out of faculty members.
- Suggested since faculty members have supported projects within the College that Administration believes they want to concede wages in order to finance the projects.
- Suggested trust in Administration is lost and our leadership is lacking at some levels.
- Faculty members should encourage students to address faculty directly about problems.
- Concern that grandfathering faculty members and changing rules for new faculty defeats all the work of past negotiations.
- The Negotiations Team has asked Administration what they plan to spend money on if budgeted salary increases are not provided, but answers have not been given.
- Concern about the amount of college money spent on consultants.
- Concern was expressed in regards to sections being cut and the enrollment freeze.
- Both sides split the cost of mediation.
- Pending the outcome of mediation, the 2004-2007 contract will remain in effect.
- Faculty members are encouraged to focus on students.
- Request for information may be needed from faculty members to help with negotiations.
- If you have information about what local colleges pay adjuncts, please email it to J. Spoelman.
- Items for the next Faculty Council meeting should be submitted to F. van Hartesveldt.
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Faculty Council meeting,
- Motion to adjourn J. Hesse, C. Wells seconded. Adjournment at11:28 a.m.
Submitted by K. Danko, Secretary.