First, our blog name has changed.  Hope you like it.
Secondly, you now have more anonymity when posting a comment.  So…comment away!
Lastly, check us out on facebook!

Because we do!  Click on this link (this may take a minute to load):  Kat Chat We Work

We whisper the word…Last millage request seemed so long ago.  It’s coming this May.  What are your thoughts?  Post a comment.

This should be an easy list of things to fix.  Comments on what you think…

• Imagine if you had private office space where you could meet with students.
• Imagine if your name was in the college directory so that students could find you.
• Imagine if your name, not the ubiquitous Professor Staff, was put on your classes.
• Imagine if your official title was “adjunct professor” instead of lowly “instructor.”
• Imagine if you had a private phone or, for some of you, a phone at all to take and make student calls.
• Imagine if you were assigned classes for more than one semester at a time – students could take you (or avoid you!) on purpose.
• Imagine if you were told, other than “there aren’t enough classes” or “enrollment is down,” why you weren’t assigned a class.
• Imagine if you received your first pay before the middle of October.  (This year is something of a fluke, if you will.)
• Imagine if the college didn’t contest your unemployment compensation claim.
• Imagine your academic integrity and rigor if you made a mistake, even a major one, without having to worry that student complaints would cost you your job.
• Imagine if you didn’t feel pressured to substitute for a colleague, or pressured to have a certain colleague substitute for you, or pressured to obtain a substitute at all.  (By contract, you’re not required to obtain a substitute, and the college is required to pay you if you substitute.)
• Imagine that, if you developed a course, you had the right to teach it or at least be paid for developing it.
• Imagine that you didn’t have to worry about losing your job when a new department head takes over or your department head has an issue with you that has nothing to do with student success.
• Imagine that no one said that GRCC has an adjunct problem.  (I’ve used that phrase, and for that I apologize.)
• Imagine that no one said your poverty-level pay was above average.
  

Let’s face it…GRCC Faculty Blog is not all that flashy and interesting.  There are a ton of websites on what to name your Blog and what not to name your Blog. And we need your help.  Give us a good name and if you’re entry is selected…you will win a GRCC Faculty Polo Shirt!  Sorry – small budget so it’s yellow and size XL. 

Add your Blog name suggestion by commenting on this post!  Looking forward to a new name and readers!!

All Faculty, including Adjunct faculty, can teach CLS courses.  Contact J. Cowles to complete a training course and get started teaching this 2 credit class!

Did you know?   There are 269 full-time faculty members and 632 adjunct faculty teaching this semester!

Professor Diane Sparks and Professor Becky Brinks recently presented at Trends 2011:  “Online and Hybrid Classes in Early Childhood Education”.

Professor Gary Ebels (Criminal Justice) recently presented at the Educational Technology Organization of Michigan (ETOM) Fall 2011 Conference. His session was called “Teaching Online? How’s that going for you?”

Per the MOU signed on October 10, 2011, Faculty will now have the following options for health care:

1.    MESSA Supercare1 plan (your existing plan).
2.    MESSA Choices II plan (no deductible for in-network, $10/$20 Rx plan)
3.    Priority Health will only be available for current Priority Health members.  The reason is that MESSA will no longer allow other carriers to “co-exist” with their plans.  They will allow “grandfathering” of those who are currently in the Priority Health plan to remain in the Priority Health plan.

If you are switching to Choices II, be sure to fill out the MESSA Choices Enrollment Application and mail back with other OE documents.