Faculty Executive Council Meeting Minutes

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, Joanna Chamberlain, Hazel Davis, Bill Farrar, Amy Goff, Mark Gooding, Alan Haffa, Karen Hardin, Rosemary Kesler, Sharon Luczu, Hank Mancini, Jane Marks, Larry Miller, Saundra Minckley, Ricardo Provencio, Jim Reed, Janice Reilly, Laura Ruiz-Scott, Dennis Shaw, Gail Shay, Linda Smith, Vernon Smith and Barry Vaughan.

Saundra Minckley was introduced as the new representative from Mesa.

Carrie Taylor took the minutes.

B. Approval of Agenda

SB 1295 and Lobbyist were added under Old Business.  Senate Representation, Book Store Issue, Instructional Council/Counselor Issue, Campus President-Elect Reassigned Time, and OYOs were added under Information.  The agenda was approved as amended.

C. Approval of September 11, 2001, Minutes

The title of the Section “School Policies/Giving Rides to Faculty” was amended.  RIO’s
President’s report was amended.  The September 11, 2001, minutes were approved as amended.

D. Committee Reports

1. Meet and Confer

Linda Larson and Bob Galloway presented the issues for the Meet and Confer process this year.  Linda stated that she had reviewed the ballot comments from recent years and discovered that the same issues were mentioned year after year.  She suggested that Council begin discussing issues and forming committees to prepare for the 2002-2003 Meet and Confer process.  Council discussed what some of those issues would be.  Next, Council discussed the approach of the Meet and Confer Team, building and retaining an excellent faculty.  Linda Larson and Bob Galloway discussed with Council possibilities regarding the salary proposal for this year.  Council discussed strategies and arguments for this year’s faculty proposals.  Janice Reilly stated that any ideas for proposal language should be sent to the Meet and Confer team.

It was suggested that Council develop a set of principals for how to deal with the Meet and Confer process for continuity purposes.  Council thanked Linda Larson and Bob Galloway for the good communication between Council and the Meet and Confer Team.

2. Professional Growth

Council was informed that a series of presentations were being coordinated to be presented to the Governing Board at each meeting.  The presentation at the Board’s meeting later in the evening would be on the new Professional Growth website.  Council was informed that on October 23, 2001, a reception for faculty returning from sabbaticals would be held.  Council was asked to attend the reception to support those returning faculty.  The importance of attending the reception was to show the Governing Board and CEC, who will be attending the reception, what faculty do.  This reception would be good for public relations purposes.

3. EBAC

Council was informed that Janice Reilly, Alan Haffa and the two EBAC representatives will meet to discuss what Council had stated at the last Council meeting.  A suggestion was made that the Faculty Senate Presidents should speak with their faculty at the campuses and bring any comments to the meeting.

4. FAC

Council was told that FAC should begin meeting in October.

5. Legislative

A concern was raised that Governor Hull would now include community colleges in her request to state agencies to cut four percent from their budgets.  Council was told that the law would have to be changed first in order for the Governor to make such a request.  The point was made that faculty need to contact their state legislators and request that education funding not be cut.  Council discussed the idea of retaining a lobbyist who would speak for faculty at the State Capitol.  Council discussed two options; retaining a lobbyist for Maricopa faculty only or building a coalition of community college faculty statewide.  It was agreed that an advertisement for a lobbyist was needed.

II. Old Business

A. Intellectual Property Rights Committee

Council discussed the meeting with the Intellectual Property Rights Committee earlier in the day.  It was stated that Sections 3 and 4 of the proposed policy deal directly with faculty and should be placed in the Meet and Confer process.  Concerns were raised about the proposed policy.  Council was told that the faculty made it clear that anything that touches faculty should be placed in the Meet and Confer process.  It was suggested that Janice Reilly send a note to the committee with a courtesy copy to Dr. Solley thanking them for their time and requesting that the committee recommend that the proposal be sent to the Meet and Confer process.

B. Benefits/Insurance

Council learned that information was still being gathered regarding the issue of benefits and insurance.  Council listened to two articles on benefits and insurance that appeared in the Arizona Republic.  One article told about the rising cost of insurance for federal employees.  The other article told about some wealthy people who had made agreements with doctors for care thus insuring themselves.  Council discussed the situation at Maricopa.  A motion was made and seconded that stated, “Given that MCCCD claims in its publicly stated mission to value employees, the Faculty Executive Council urges the MCCCD Governing Board to pay any health benefits increase in full.”  A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously.

C. Hiring Process Report

Janice Reilly informed Council that she had attended the Deans of Instruction meeting and had given the Deans the hiring report with a revised cover and two minor changes.  She said that the Deans seemed receptive to the ideas in the report especially the recommendation of the timeline being moved up.  Council discussed the process for making this policy.  Janice reminded Council that the Faculty Recruitment sub-committee was also receptive to the hiring report and should back the report.  It was suggested the Council members get their Deans and Presidents to support the hiring report recommendations.  Janice Reilly said she would like the recruitment sub-committee to first support the report, then she would talk to Dr. Glasper and Dr. Randolph, and then to CEC.

D. Aramark Food Service

Council was told that this issue was currently on hold.  Aramark would be meeting with the Phoenix College Faculty Senate.  Council was told that the head of Aramark was asked if he would like to speak to Council regarding the food service, and the Aramark manager said yes.
 
E. Peerpoint!

Carmela Arnoldt stated that the October Peerpoint! was six pages and was ready to go to print.  She thanked Carrie Taylor for learning Desktop Publisher so the Peerpoint! could be placed on the web.  Carmela reviewed ideas for articles in the next Peerpoint!  She requested that other faculty who were interested in the topics write the articles for the next Peerpoint!  Council discussed how the Peerpoint! would be published.  A motion was made and seconded to publish Peerpoint! in print and on the web page.  A  vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously.  Council briefly discussed the retirement benefits issue.

F. Committee Representation

Janice Reilly requested volunteers for the Diversity Advisory Council, Ocotillo and the Common Pages Committee.  Gail Shay volunteered to serve on the Diversity Advisory Council.  Joanna Chamberlain agreed to continue serving on the Common Pages Committee.  Janice Reilly stated that she and Rosemary Kesler would serve on the Strategic Planning Committee.  Alan Haffa stated that he was interested in Strategic Planning but would have to check his schedule.
 
G. SB 1295

Council was reminded of the previous discussion in Council regarding Senate Bill 1295.  The discussion had ended with Council agreeing that the Governing Board should be made aware of the benefits in the bill.  Council discussed the benefits of the bill.  It was stated that the Governing Board needed to inform the Arizona State Retirement System whether they would participate or not if the bill passed.  Janice Reilly stated that she would check with the Board and Administration on this issue and bring a report back to Council.  Janice Reilly was asked if she had any information on the number of faculty eligible to retire.  Janice responded that Dr. Randolph and/or Dr. Glasper would have that information.
 
H. Lobbyist

A motion was made and seconded for the Faculty Executive Council to allocate money to advertise for the purpose of contracting legislative advocacy services.  A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously.
 
III. New Business

A. Forty-Nine Percent Program

Council was told that information on this issue was being collected and a report will be forthcoming.  It was stated that the data should include if members of any employee group get preferential treatment when they apply for the forty-nine percent program.

IV. Information

A. High School Students/Developmental Courses

Council was informed that two high school aged students who were home schooled were taking developmental classes at one of the campuses.  There was concern because the two students might be taking places of older individuals who may need to take the class.  Council discussed various options like charter schools, public schools, etc., where the two students could have taken the subject.  It was suggested that perhaps the admissions procedures were not followed.  Council agreed to have one member review the matter and bring a report to the next council meeting.

B. Membership

Council members were asked about the membership drive at the campuses.  Several colleges reported that the drive was ongoing.  Estrella Mountain has 100% membership in the Faculty Association.  Council discussed the membership drive and the Chancellor’s listening sessions.

C. Senate Representation

Council members were asked how representation in their Faculty Senates was handled.  One campus currently has all of its faculty in the Senate and was seeking how to create a representational model.  It was reported that at one campus, there was a representative from each department with some representatives at large positions.  Council members were asked to send further information to the member who brought the issue to the table.

D. Book Store Issue

Council was informed that the District had signed another eight-year contract with the same bookstore.  There have been complaints about having a single source contract.  One Council member stated that the bookstore runs out of his textbook every semester.  It was suggested that a manager from the bookstore company be invited to Council to address the many concerns about the college bookstores.  Another concern expressed was that there was no accountability about under-ordering books, etc.  A point was made that the same books could be found on-line for sometimes forty percent less than the cost at the bookstore.  One Council member stated that Council should see the contracts that the District enters into with the company that run the bookstores or with Aramark.  This issue will be placed on the agenda for the next Council meeting.

E. Instructional Council Issue

A concern was raised where the head of an instructional council seemingly allowed an
individual who did not meet the minimum qualifications for a position to be hired for that position.  Council discussed the situation and voiced concerns regarding violating the hiring process and potential lawsuits.  A suggestion was given to send a letter from Council to the chairs of the Instructional Councils stating that they could not make executive decisions but needed input from the entire membership of the instructional council.  Council agreed that procedures needed to be put in place to prevent another similar situation from occurring.  This issue will be placed on the next meeting’s agenda.

F. Campus President-Elect Reassigned Time

Council members were asked if any of the campus president-elects get any reassigned time.  Three campuses give three hours per semester.  One campus gives one hour per semester.  The point was made that the reassigned time was given as a courtesy and was not required by the RFP.

G. OYO Faculty

Council was reminded that OYO faculty are not covered by the RFP except in Sections 2.11.6.1. and 2.11.6.2. where previous OYO contracts, meeting the criteria in those two sections, could be counted towards the probationary period if an OYO faculty was hired as residential faculty.  A concern was raised that OYO faculty do not have to be evaluated and if hired as residential faculty, do not go through the same process as RFP faculty.  Janice Reilly stated that she had requested the Deans of Instruction to have every faculty employee evaluated.  Janice said that she would ask the department chairs through the Deans to evaluate OYO faculty.

V. Significant Happenings/Presidents’ Reports

CGCC
All is well.

EMCC
100% of EMCC faculty are members of the Faculty Association.

GWCC
GWCC has started screening for the vacant College President position.  Interviews will
be held November 9, 2001.

GCC
All is well.

MCC
MCC will be holding the opening ceremony for its Red Mountain campus on
Wednesday, October 3, 2001.  Many people will come and all are invited to attend.
 
PC
The forums for the three finalists for the PC College President position took place.
Many PC faculty who attended the forums liked and support Dr. Palacios from Pima Community College.

PVCC
All is well.

RIO
All is well.

SCC
All is well.

SMCC
All is well.

VI. Adjournment

 The meeting adjourned at 5:25pm.

VII. Executive Session

The Executive Committee met to discuss a personnel issue.