Faculty Executive Council Meeting Minutes

Guest:  Ann Oehmke

Ann Oehmke, President of the Retired Maricopa Employees Association, spoke to Council regarding her organization.  She requested that Council assist this group with getting in touch with soon to be retired employees of Maricopa so they could join.  The group has a number of concerns, primarily health care benefits.  Ann stated that she would like the Faculty Association to join forces with the Retired Employees Association to address mutual concerns at the state legislature.  Council discussed the concerns.  Ann was asked if other schools were involved in addressing the concerns.  She replied that ASU has been involved for a long time.  Ann told Council that there was an effort to form a statewide group of state retirees.  Ann requested that Council identify one representative from each campus to serve of the Retired Employees Association.  Council was told to send names of interested faculty to Rosemary Kesler.  Ann Oehmke stated that she would contact the faculty when she gets the names, and that she would keep Council informed of the Retired Employees Association’s activities.

Business Meeting

I. General

A. Call to Order

Rosemary Kesler called the meeting to order at 2:35 p.m.

Members Present: Jeff Andelora, Carmela Arnoldt, Joanna Chamberlain, Hazel Davis, Bob Galloway, Amy Goff, Mark Gooding, Karen Hardin, Rosemary Kesler, Rosemary Leary, Ann Lindner, Jane Marks, Larry Miller, John Nelson, Jim Reed, Janice Reilly, Mark Richard, Laura Ruiz-Scott, Gail Shay, Denny Sheehan, Linda Smith, Vernon Smith, Bill Stewart, and Sandra Stuebner.

Minutes were taken by Carrie Taylor.

B. Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved as written.

C. Approval of the December 12, 2000, Minutes

The December 12, 2000, minutes were approved as written.

D. Treasurer’s Report – December 2000 and Year-To-Date

Council reviewed the treasurer’s reports.  Council welcomed Mark Richard’s return to Council.  Rosemary Kesler was asked if last year’s Faculty Association budget ended in the black.  Rosemary responded that it did because some stipends were not claimed.

E. Committee Reports

1. Meet and Confer

Jim Daugherty and Linda Larson informed Council that the monetary presentation was given to the Governing Board on January 9, 2001.  They reviewed the Powerpoint presentation for Council.  Linda Larson reviewed the current activities of the Professional Growth MOU committee and answered several questions from Council.  Next, Council discussed the mediation proposal.  Council was informed that Mike Napier had prepared some language for the mediation proposal that was reviewed by the Meet and Confer Team.  The Meet and Confer Team told Council their thoughts and ideas about the mediation proposal.  Mike Napier shared his perspective on the idea of mediation for faculty.  The intention of the mediation proposal is to offer an option for problem resolution before a formal grievance is started.  The Meet and Confer Team stated that they are still working on the language and will bring the new language back to Council.  Council was requested to send any comments to the Meet and Confer Team.

2. Professional Growth

No report.

3. EBAC (Employee Benefits Advisory Committee)

Council was informed that the Governing Board had tabled the health care funding proposal at their meeting in December and asked that EBAC find some ways to save money.  Rosemary Kesler stated that EBAC sent the same proposal back to the Governing Board after reviewing it and determining that any alternatives were more expensive.  Rosemary said that the proposal was on the agenda for the Governing Board meeting later in the evening.  Rosemary told Council that someone was needed to replace her position on EBAC.  Council discussed the qualifications for serving on EBAC.  Rosemary stated that someone should take over as soon as possible so that they could get acclimated to the committee before the next health care plan review comes up.

4. FAC (Financial Advisory Committee)

Karen Hardin reported that all campuses had made their budget presentations.  She said that the proposal packages were rated and the requests for faculty were rated high.  Karen stated that some of the long time representatives stated that this current budget process was much better compared to processes in the past.  She told Council that the campus proposals were now with CEC.  Council was informed that they had a list of the requests for faculty in their folders.  Council discussed the list of requests.  Rosemary Kesler stated that there were sixty new faculty requests, and the District was looking at funding forty-five new faculty.  Karen Hardin was asked if FAC had reviewed the employee groups’ salary requests.  Karen stated that FAC had not reviewed those requests as they went straight to the Governing Board and to CEC.  Council expressed great concern that FAC had not reviewed the employee groups’ salary requests and that they would be considered after the college budgets were considered.  Karen Hardin was asked to give the faculty salary request materials to FAC for discussion.

5. Legislative

Rosemary Kesler stated that the District Legislative Caucus had met.  She passed around the meeting materials for Council to review.  Rosemary was asked if the campus legislative representatives get notified of the meetings.  Rosemary responded that they are notified.  Rosemary reviewed some of the legislation discussed at the meeting.  She stated that she understood that there was another retirement bill in the legislature.  A request was made for Rosemary to ask for copies of the meeting materials for all Faculty Senate Presidents, as those materials are very helpful to the Senate Presidents.

II. Old Business

A. Peerpoint

Carmela Arnoldt asked Council to think of some items for the next issue of Peerpoint.  She reviewed some topics that she had already.  Council discussed several topics for the next Peerpoint.  Carmela requested Council to have anyone with other ideas to contact her.  The next issues will be out about March 15 and May 5th.

B. Meet and Confer Proposals

There was no further discussion on the Meet and Confer Proposals.

C. AAUP Membership

Rosemary Kesler reminded Council that this issue was still open for discussion.  Joanna Chamberlain and Rosemary Kesler informed Council of their conversations with AAUP representative, Mike Mauer.  The membership issue was raised because of the cost of dues and also a letter from AAUP asking to the Faculty Association to formalize its relationship with AAUP.  Council discussed the concerns about AAUP and the benefits of belonging to AAUP.  No changes to the Faculty Association’s AAUP membership were made, and the Council decided to end discussions regarding changes in membership at this time.

Council’s discussion turned to the Arizona State AAUP.  Council discussed the concern of the amount of dues that are being paid to support only one legislative issue at the state legislature.  Council discussed other state and legislative issues about which it and Maricopa faculty are concerned.  One suggestion was to encourage more active participation by Maricopa faculty in the Arizona State AAUP organization.  The Council discussed ways to encourage and assist Maricopa faculty, if one or more of them chose
to run for office in this group.  Rosemary Kesler was asked when the state AAUP elections would be held.  Rosemary responded that she did not know since the nominating committee has not told her.

D. Common Pages

Joanna Chamberlain stated that the Common Pages Committee will start meeting next week.  She requested that any input from Council be sent to her immediately.  Joanna stated that there were a number of things in the Common Pages that she would like to see changed.  Joanna was asked about the timeline for the Common Pages.  She said that a faculty member should work on the Common pages during the summer to get ready for the fall meetings.  It was suggested that the faculty member receive a stipend.  Joanna Chamberlain asked if Council had seen anything in the Common Pages that needed immediate attention.  She was told that the D Grade issue should be given attention.  Council was informed that Rio Salado had written civility policy on e-mail courses that could be reviewed by the Common Pages Committee.

E. Faculty Pay Schedule

Janice Reilly reminded Council of the pay delay problem at the beginning of the fall semester where faculty had to wait for three weeks to get paid.  A motion was made and seconded to ask Rosemary Kesler and Janice Reilly to talk to Dr. Glasper about returning the faculty to the old pay cycle system.  Council discussed the concerns about what happened last fall.  A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously.

III. New Business

A. Proposed Change to Professional Growth Guidelines/Summer Sabbaticals

Rosemary Kesler stated that she had no new information on the proposed change.  Rosemary told Council that there were two faculty who wanted to take a summer sabbatical this summer instead of waiting until Summer 2002.  A motion was made and seconded that, as long as the sabbaticals were within the Professional Growth Guidelines and as long as no burden was placed on other faculty, Council would approve of the change of dates for the two summer sabbaticals.  A vote was taken, and the motion passed with two abstentions.

B. Intellectual Property Rights

Vernon Smith stated that anyone who was thinking of moving into distance learning or using a web interface in the classroom should review the drafted Intellectual Property Rights guidelines.  Vernon continued that the drafted guidelines were positive for faculty.  Please send any comments to Vernon and Rosemary, the faculty members of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee.

C. Flex Credits/Campuses

Council was reminded of the recent discussion about Flex Credits being transferred to the colleges.  A question was raised if, for example, a new line was given to a college, but the line was not filled, what would happen to the money for the Flex Credits?  Rosemary Kesler stated that she would inquire about that situation and report back to Council.  A point was made that if a college wanted to fund a position, but the funds for the benefits were lost, the college would not be able to fund that position.  Rosemary Kesler was asked from where this information was coming.  She responded that it was coming from the fiscal office at District.

IV. Information

A. Proposed Administrative Regulations

Rosemary Kesler asked Council to review the proposed administrative regulations and send comments and questions to her.

B. Other

Distance Learning Committee

Rosemary Kesler reported that she had thirteen names for the Distance Learning Committee whose charge will be to write language for the RFP.  Rosemary was given three more names for the committee.

Faculty Calendar

Council was informed that some faculty were concerned about the calendar.  The calendar has some finals scheduled during the last week of classes.  It was suggested that Rosemary Kesler inquire about the schedule and address the issue of finals being scheduled during regular classes.  It was reported that the Deans were working to ensure that the calendars are in sync for next year so that the problems that occurred this year will not happen again.

State Board

Rosemary Kesler reported that the State Board met on Friday, January 19th, and accepted the rule for Dual Enrollment.  She said that now the state legislature has to decide on how much to pay for Dual Enrollment.  Vernon Smith stated that he had the information on the recommendation from the Joint Study Committee on Dual Enrollment and would send the information to anyone who asked for it.  He stated that now all state rules have to go through the Attorney General’s office.  Council was told that the legislature is looking at twenty percent (20%) funding that ATRA recommended, but which Vernon Smith stated would not be enough funding.  Vernon Smith suggested that a lobbyist who would fight for more general funding for community colleges be found.

All Faculty Convocation

Council discussed the All Faculty Convocation on January 12th.  A suggestion was made to ask the faculty development committee to use the day for an educational opportunity for faculty such as a workshop on diversity.

Teacher Education Partnership Commission

Rosemary Kesler stated that TEPC will hold a forum on March 6th, and all Faculty Senate Presidents will receive invitations.

FEC – March 13, 2001 Meeting

The Council meeting scheduled for March 13, 2001 falls during the week of Spring Break.  Council agreed to cancel the meeting.

Reassigned Time Report

Council received copies of the second reassigned time report and discussed the report.

V. Significant Happenings/Presidents’ Reports

CGCC
CGCC has had tremendous growth with a fourteen percent increase in enrollment.

EMCC
EMCC is facing some growth challenges.  EMCC is considering buying another 30 acres adjacent to the college.

GWCC
The parking lot is being resurfaced.  Enrollment has increased.  GWCC is forming a
search committee for the college president’s position.

GCC
All is well.

MCC
MCC has been holding a college-wide discussion of shared values and hopes to have
a statement by the end of this semester.

PC
The search continues for a new senior associate dean at PC.   Enrollment is up but the
FTSE is more than the headcount which means that students are taking more classes.

PVCC
Two PVCC students took first place in MCCCD Creative Writing competitions.  Nancy
McCurry took first place in the Creative Non-Fiction Writing category, and Greg Chavez took first place in the One Act Play category.

RIO
Rio faculty will hold a retreat next week.

SCC
Joe Ortiz has been appointed acting Associate Dean of Instruction.  Two past SCC presidents will take his place at Council meetings this semester.

SMCC
SMCC is beginning its presidential search.  A SMCC student has been asked to participate in the NASA program at Cape Canaveral this summer.  The faculty held a meeting at the new SMCC Guadalupe Center that is adjacent to the top Boys and Girls Club in the country.  Also, the Town of Guadalupe has built a new town hall and library next to SMCC’s Guadalupe Center.

VI. Adjournment

 The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.