I. General
A. Call to Order
Janice Reilly called the meeting to order at 2:35 p.m.
Members Present: Diana Abel, Carmela Arnoldt, Karen Chalmers, Hazel Davis, Bill Farrar, Amy Goff, Mark Gooding, Alan Haffa, Rosemary Kesler, Sharon Luczu, Hank Mancini, Jane Marks, Larry Miller, Brian Murphy, Ricardo Provencio, Jim Reed, Janice Reilly, Laura Ruiz-Scott, Karen Schmidt, Dennis Shaw, Gail Shay, Linda Smith, Vernon Smith and Barry Vaughan.
Carrie Taylor took the minutes.
B. Approval of Agenda
Student Information System was deleted as Item B. under New Business. The agenda was approved as amended.
C. Approval of August 14, 2001, Minutes
Changes were made in the CGCC, GCC and PVCC Presidents’ reports.
The
August 14, 2001, minutes were approved as amended.
D. Committee Reports
1. Meet and Confer
Council was informed that the Meet and Confer Team has met and what issues would be the focus of this year’s process. Janice Reilly told Council that she has sent the opening letter to the Governing Board, Dr. Gaskin and Dr. Randolph. Council discussed the issues and the membership of both the faculty team and the Board team this year. Council was asked to provide input on any new issues to the Meet and Confer Team.
2. Professional Growth
Sandra Wells informed Council that the streamlining of the Professional Growth process was going well and that she had received many good comments from faculty. Sandra asked Council to help the Professional Growth Committee look “outside the box” for new ideas and ways to streamline Professional Growth to make it easier and better for faculty. Council was told that the new Professional Growth support staff would start working soon. Sandra Wells and Linda Larson as well as others who have worked on the changes were recognized by Council for their hard work.
3. EBAC
No report.
4. FAC
No report.
5. Legislative
Council received information on lobbyists regarding the cost and their work. A recommendation given to Council was to advertise for a lobbyist. Council discussed the recommendation. A suggestion was made to contact Mike Napier to ask for his input on this matter. Janice Reilly asked for a subcommittee to research this subject and report to Council. Ricardo Provencio and Alan Haffa volunteered. Council discussed two articles in the Chronicle for Higher Education; one was about community college faculty hiring lobbyists and one was about the effort to create a joint union of faculty, staff and students at the University of Arizona. Next, Council discussed state funding and election law. A suggestion was made to invite AAUP and the District’s government relations staff to discuss legislative issues with Council.
II. Old Business
A. Committee Representation
Janice Reilly stated that she had two names to serve on FAC, Carnella Hardin of GCC and Yvonne Zeka of GWCC. Alan Haffa had also volunteered. Council discussed the time commitment and work of FAC. A motion was made and seconded to approve Carnella Hardin and Yvonne Zeka to serve on FAC with Alan Haffa serving as a alternative rep representative when needed. A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously. The point was made that committee representatives need to be member of the Faculty Association.
Janice Reilly said that the Meet and Confer Team had recommended that Jim Daugherty and Linda Larson continue on in their roles as co-chairs. Council discussed the recommendation as well as the rejected Ph.D.+24 proposal and faculty talking with Board members about issues of faculty interest. Also discussed was the need to plan to have some returning as well as new Meet and Confer team members so that the entire team would not be new to the Meet and Confer process in any given year. A motion was made and seconded to approve the Meet and Confer Team’s recommendation. A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously.
Janice Reilly told Council that Susan High of GCC was interested in serving on the Workforce Violence Committee. A motion was made and seconded to approve Susan High to be the representative on the Workforce Violence Committee. A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously. Council was informed that the committee was currently reviewing gathered information and generating ideas to formulate policy on workforce violence.
B. Intellectual Property Rights
Council was informed that the Faculty Senate Presidents and Janice Reilly would meet with the Intellectual Property Rights Committee on September 25th with lunch starting at 12:00pm. The Presidents were asked to meet with their campus’ faculty to get comments, ideas and concerns to bring forth to the committee. Janice Reilly said that the Presidents would meet with Mike Napier on September 18th to plan a strategy for the meeting with the Intellectual Property Rights Committee. Janice asked that the Presidents RSVP to her regarding the September 25th meeting. Council discussed why Mike Napier would not be attending the meeting with the Intellectual Property Rights Committee and concerns that the District would have an attorney present at the meeting. Council requested that Janice Reilly ask that Pete Kushibab not attend the meeting even though he is a member on the original committee. A suggestion was made to send the language out to all faculty again. Council was reminded to do its homework on this issue to prepare for the meeting. Council discussed Intellectual Property Rights further and options for dealing with this issue.
C. Benefits/Insurance
Council was reminded of the last meeting’s discussion and the concerns about benefits and health insurance being reduced for Maricopa employees. A question was raised if unused benefit monies could be rolled into a TSA. The answer was yes but there were limits on how much. Council discussed the concerns of faculty who would retire soon, the state employees health insurance plan, Cigna, and the state retired employees health insurance plan, PacifiCare. Council was told that there are many different health care plan models in the State of Arizona that could be reviewed. An example was given regarding the City of Phoenix healthcare insurance. The point was made that the faculty EBAC representatives need to stay on top of the discussions at Maricopa and relay that information to Council. It was suggested that Council should ask employees how they are going to pay for their benefits when retired to see how much misinformation there is.
D. State AAUP
Janice Reilly informed Council that she had not heard from anyone since
the last FEC meeting regarding the State AAUP. Council discussed
the benefits of belonging to the State AAUP. A motion was made and
seconded to suspend the MCCCD Faculty Association’s membership in the AZ
AAUP Conference. A vote was taken, and the motion passed with one
abstention.
III. New Business
A. Hiring Process/FEC Retreat Report
Barry Vaughan stated that he was reviewing the notes from the retreat. Council was informed that the faculty do not have the November strategic conversation with the Governing Board as they did in years past. However, Janice Reilly stated that she had discussed the retreat and the hiring process issue with the Faculty Recruitment sub-committee who were very happy with the ideas such as the earlier timeline. Janice also reported that the sub-committee members wanted a copy of the white paper from the retreat. Janice requested Barry Vaughan to write the position paper which will be sent to Council.
B. Aramark Food Service
Council was informed that faculty at one campus were upset with the Aramark Food Service on campus and that a boycott would be discussed at that campus. A request was made to the Faculty Senate Presidents to ask their faculty to hold a district-wide boycott of Aramark starting September 10, 2001. Council was told that two campuses have private cafeterias. Janice Reilly requested that the Faculty Senate Presidents of those two campuses to send her that information in writing.
C. 301 Money Committee Report
Council received copies of information from the 301 Money Committee. Included in the information was a report on approved projects for the July 2001 requests, the philosophy and process of the 301 funding project as approved by CEC, the background and position paper of Maricopa on last fall’s Proposition 301, and the actual language of the 301 law. Rosemary Kesler reported that the money given to community colleges was an afterthought in the legislative process and that the money designated to Maricopa, approximately five million per year, was to be used for workforce development. Rosemary stated that 31 new faculty lines were funded from 301 monies. Council reviewed the information. Rosemary Kesler stated that Maricopa would try to have four cycles for proposals/requests for 301 funding each year. Council discussed workforce development programs. It was suggested that Mike Napier review this information and give Council his opinion. A question was raised if the law could be changed so that 301 monies would go to salaries and benefits. The point was made that the information on the process stated that the Governing Board would review the process annually so further discussion on the process would be a moot point.
IV. Information
A. 2000-2001 Tax Returns
Council agreed to ask Chuck Milliner of GCC to prepare the 2000-2001 tax returns.
B. Special Legal Liabilities
A question was raised regarding legal liabilities when an instructor has very young students, some twelve and thirteen years old, in the classroom. For example, what are the liabilities if the some of course content and discussion is inappropriate for students that young? Council discussed how content and discussions could be limited by having very young students in the classroom. Also discussed was the fact that some teachers have refused to allow young students in their courses or have put disclaimers on their syllabi. Council was informed that the Governing Board’s September strategic conversation was on access. It was suggested that Council discuss this issue again at the next meeting.
C. Membership
Council was told that the November 15th deadline for payment or pledges to pay for Faculty Association membership would be strictly adhered to this year due to the new legal benefit. Those faculty who wish to join after November 15th will not have access to the new legal benefit. Also, members will need to start paying when their applications are processed. Council discussed what to say about the new legal benefit. Council reviewed the process for RFP related issues. The point was made that faculty could start the grievance process first, and if the grievance moves to the District level, then a legal request should be completed by the faculty member. Council also discussed the new part of the legal benefits where a Faculty Association member could use the attorney for personal services at a reduced cost. Next, Council discussed the process for appealing an initial salary placement as well as the issue of indemnification.
D. Peerpoint!
Carmela Arnoldt informed Council that Peerpoint! issues would be published in October. December, February, March and May this year. Carmela stated that issues had been printed in the past, and now Carrie Taylor has published the Peerpoint on the web. Council discussed topics for the first two issues of the Peerpoint! Carmela stated that Council members should encourage their campus’ faculty to participate in writing for the Peerpoint!
V. Significant Happenings/Presidents’ Reports
CGCC
CGCC’s President, Arnette Ward, recently announced her plans to retire
in May 2002.
EMCC
All is well at EMCC.
GWCC
GWCC’s faculty will hold elections for two interim Senators.
GWCC received a mini-grant for an international book discussion that will
include three books this year. The book discussion is open to all
employees. GWCC is continuing its presidential search, and the posting
will close on September 14, 2001.
GCC
GCC had an exciting opening to another school year.
MCC
MCC’s Red Mountain Campus will hold an official groundbreaking ceremony
in October.
There are 20 residential faculty at the Red Mountain now.
PC
PC’s presidential search committee is beginning interviews and potential
candidates should be known shortly. PC employees are unhappy with
the campus food service and parking.
PVCC
A new Student and Information Center has been set up with a rearrangement
of the building to hopefully direct students to the right places.
A classroom has been built adjacent to the fitness center and will be used
for dance classes. PVCC received 301 money to start a Healthcare
Partnership Program with Paradise Valley Healthcare Center. Classes
for this program would be held in the hospitals and not in classrooms.
RIO
RIO just completed the first on-line teacher preparation program and
received special permission from the State Board to offer the program.
SCC
SCC is trying to develop a faculty resource center to assist faculty.
The center would be a place to hold discussions. The center would
have computer support staff.
SMCC
The headcount at SMCC is up. SMCC had a smooth opening this year.
Janice Reilly asked Council if they would like the Chancellor to continue his Listening Sessions/Breakfasts. Council agreed that this activity would be good to continue.
VI. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:05pm.
VII. Executive Session
The Executive Committee met to discuss personnel issues.
* * Next meeting, September 11, 2001, will be a Business Meeting * *