http://www.grccfaculty.com
October 5, 2007

 Call to Order:  F. van Hartesveldt called the meeting to order at 6:31 a.m., Multipurpose Room, Student Center. 

 Present:  W. Acevedo-Ferrer, N. Alexander, R. Barnhart, J. Batten, J. Berlin, L. Burris, M. Campo, F. Conner, L. Crossman, K. Danko, M. Devivo, J. Doane, K. Dobreff, F. Garbowitz, D. Godfrey, J. Hayes, H. Hoare, D. Huisman, B. Keelean, S. Knoppers, P. Laureto, B. Manker, R. Montes-Sutton, J. Neumann, M. Parsons, R. Ralya, J. Russell, A. Saldivar, J. Spoelman, D. Terhune, F. van Hartesveldt, D. Wabeke, T. Walwood, G. Zeeff, F. Zomer.

 Absent:  A. Cook, D. Cope, B. Foster, R. Monaldo.

Approval of Agenda:  Approved as written. 

 Approval of Minutes from September 21, 2007:  Approved with the following changes:

• Approval of minutes date should be September 7, 2007.
• President’s report regarding GRCC policy manual should read that the College should hire faculty with intellectual curiosity.
• Tuition reimbursements should be submitted to Lisa Snider, 4^th CPP.
• C. Grin was present and not M. Devivo.    

 Recognition of substitute representatives:  Dan Huisman is the new School of Arts and Sciences adjunct faculty representative.  

 Faculty presentations from the floor:  M. Kasperlik, former Faculty Association Vice President, had a mild heart attack, but is doing well in recovery.

 Secretary’s report:  

• A note of thanks was received from Tim Hoving for the fruit basket sent for the birth of his daughter. 
• A note of thanks was received from Sherry Rhoden for the flowers sent during her recent hospitalization.
• A note of thanks was received from Roger Schlosser expressing his gratitude for the flowers sent for his mother’s funeral. 

 Treasurer’s report:  D. Godfrey distributed the Treasurer’s report (attached) from September, 2007.  Total expenses for the month were $19,753.91.  September 30 checking account balance was $14,152.37 and money market/savings balance was $125,041.08.  

 President’s report: 

• Thanks were expressed to A. Cook, P. Ingersoll, and K. Danko for the constant updates and changes to http://www.grccfaculty.com. 
• Faculty members have donated about 100 personal leave or sick days to S. Rhoden, who has applied for Long Term Disability.  She is awaiting a response from the LTD insurer.  The Association maintains that the start date of a waiting period before she can collect disability is the beginning of the Fall semester rather than a start date earlier in the year.  This later start date will allow her to use the donated days.
• The Provost office provided brochures on Essential Classroom Information for Faculty.
• Work is continuing with the Provost to create a better college-wide system of storing, obtaining and disseminating college information.  College planning team will probably be willing to make this a college project. 
• Recent Foundation board meeting included the following:  money from the Open Door campaign will start going to students, but no information is available yet.  A scholarship report will be published at the beginning of 2008.  Of the 11.5 million raised from the Open Door Other, 62% was endowed and 38% designated for specific causes.  The Foundation has hired Trish Monaghan as the Director of Annual Giving to facilitate internal donations. 
• Discussion took place regarding the $40,000 gift the Foundation donated to the millage campaign, including the legality of the donation, the possible violation of the Foundation by-laws, and the fact that some faculty members have stopped donating stating the purpose of the Foundation is not to support political campaigns. 
• Questions asked at the last Council meeting in regard to the ESP’s request for a continuing donation to support ESP’s MEA dues were answered by ESP President M. McClure.  Her answers include the following:  the Association cannot receive benefits from the MEA unless they join, MEA dues are 1.5% of previous year’s bargained wage, total yearly dues are $7,800, 60 out of 92 ESP use MESSA, 179 out of 250 faculty use MESSA, 55 CEBA group and Campus Police use MESSA, MEA dues are paid monthly, and no other campus groups who use MESSA were asked to donate.  Item will remain on the Council agenda. 
• Recent College surveys include one for Payroll and one for Learning Resources and Technology Solutions.  Faculty members are encouraged to complete surveys to help assist in changes.  Campus Works is in their last year of a three year contract.  Issues discussed included how IT does things to faculty and not for faculty, whether a faculty member’s email was blocked, delays in responses, and password issues.  Council members suggested that the Administration share the results of the surveys. 
• Legislative update includes that the change in retiree health care benefits from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan appears to mark the end of an era in health care benefits.  These changes will affect future hires, creating a whole new class of employees with the defined contribution plan who gradually will outnumber current employees with the defined benefits. 
• The most recent adjunct advisory meeting provided a forum to point out the lack of progress in addressing adjunct faculty concerns, especially job security.  While the Administration can make changes to improve adjunct faculty job security, nothing has been done.  Yet, additional meetings are scheduled. 
• Recent meetings with departments yielded questions about the failed millage requests and the status of contract negotiations.  Suggestions included that faculty be more vocal in displaying the unhappiness associated with the frozen contract by attending board meetings or picketing.  Faculty members are reminded that a work slowdown or stoppage is illegal.  Individual faculty members are encouraged to talk with their Faculty Council representative about what can be done to help move contract negotiations forward.
• Faculty members are reminded to put their schedules in the Groupwise calendar, as Administration may use this feature to schedule meetings during their otherwise unscheduled work time. 
• F van Hartesveldt will resign from the Raider Learning System Leadership Team due to lack of team productivity. 
• The 800 minutes per credit requirement is only for scheduling purposes.  Classes may meet for less than 800 minutes per hour as long as 800 minutes are scheduled.

  Negotiation’s report:  J. Spoelman reported on the following:

• Additional meetings with the state mediator are scheduled for October 16 and 22. 
• 2008-2009 calendar is not settled.  Changes to the calendar involve the deletion of Academic Advising day and rescheduling Learning Days.  Administration will not sign the new calendar unless MOUs are signed related to a new model for advising students.  The Negotiating team is stating that not all faculty members should be required to advise and the Administration is stating that all faculty members must participate in advising and undergo advising training.  
• A proposal with possible compromises by the Association was made and a response is expected October 5, 2007. 
• Administration suggested a revised model for new counselors, asking that new hires work 41% more hours with only a 10% pay increase.
• Tangible items purchased with C-3 funds are subject to income tax.  A new MOU dealing with C-3 funds specifically excludes reimbursement of home Internet service because that reimbursement was flagged by an IRS audit of the college. 

 Committee memberships and reports, including:

1. Finance committee report – Dick Godfrey
1. The by-laws require an external audit be performed every five years.  Since D. Godfrey will leave the office of Treasurer at the end of this academic year, it was suggested that the outside audit be delayed until the end of his term to avoid the need to do two external audits, one this year and once after he leaves office.  This will save about $5,000, the estimated cost of an external audit. 
2. R. Barnhart made a motion to do a single external audit after D. Godfrey’s term is over.  M. Devivo seconded.  The motion passed.
2. Constitution committee report – Katie Danko
1. K. Danko, R. Kladder, and M. Saur suggested the following Constitution changes:

                                                              i.      Article III, B be amended to include a representative from Lab Coordinators and Techs. 

                                                            ii.      Flower Fund Policy amended to change the language to include “appropriate remembrances to the families of deceased faculty members and retired faculty members.” 

                                                          iii.      Faculty members can view the Association Constitution at http://www.grccfaculty.com/newforms.html.

                                                          iv.      Any other proposed changes should be suggested to K. Danko.

3. Ethics committee report – Nickie Alexander
1. AGC ethics committee is reconvening.
2. It is suggested that the Association review and revise the process for ethics issues.
3. Faculty members can view the current Code of Ethics at http://www.grccfaculty.com/newforms.html. 
4. Those available to help are asked to contact N. Alexander.

 Grievance report:  F. Garbowitz and L. Burris reported on the following:

• Grievance 171 regarding requirement that new faculty members meet one or two days without pay prior to the beginning of the academic year – no official response has been received. 
• Grievance 169 regarding overload cap of 28.5 hours – state arbitration is in two weeks. 
• Possible grievance is pending for an adjunct faculty member who was not given adequate pay for work requested by the Administration. 
• Faculty members are reminded that the current Administration is one that does discipline.  If a meeting for a corrective action notice is scheduled, a faculty member does have the right to Faculty Association representation and can challenge the corrective action by a written response to the personnel file and by a grievance.   

 Discussion and action items:

1. Associate Dean conduct:  In multiple instances, an Associate Dean circumvented the process for a grade complaint by not discussing the issue with the Professor before contacting the Department Head.  It was suggested that this item may also be brought to the AGC as it is their guidelines. 

 New Business:  Items for the next Faculty Council meeting should be submitted to F. van Hartesveldt.

 Next Meeting:  Faculty Council meeting, Friday, October 19, 2007, at 6:30 a.m. in Multipurpose Room, Student Center.

 Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn S. Knoppers, seconded J. Russell.  Adjournment at 8:18 a.m.

 Submitted by K. Danko, Secretary.

Treasurer’s Report

September 2007

Checking account balance September 1………………………………..…...$10,967.15

Deposits:  Dues…………………………………………………………….....$7,939.13

                 Transfer from Money Market Account…………...……….....…..$15,000.00

Expenses:  Donations/Flowers/Fruit………………………...…..$240.00

                  Negotiations…………………………….……….…..…10.00

                  Office:  Printing……………………………,…………218.88

                               Website…………………………….....…..……69.95

                 Officers’ pay………………………………………..15,239.08

                 RCC-travel…………………………………….………106.80

                 Taxes & retirement………………………………….3,869.20

Total Expenses:…………………………..………………………….………$19,753.91

Checking account balance September 30……………………………………$14,152.37

Money Market Balance September 30……………………………...………$125,041.08

Submitted October 5, 2007, by Dick Godfrey, Treasurer