Faculty Executive Council Meeting Minutes

I. General

A. Call to Order

Janice Reilly called the meeting to order at 2:45 p.m.

Members Present: Diana Abel, Karen Chalmers, Hazel Davis, Bill Farrar, Amy Goff, Mark Gooding, Alan Haffa, Rosemary Kesler, Hank Mancini, Jane Marks, Larry Miller, Saundra Minckley, Ricardo Provencio, Jim Reed, Janice Reilly, Karen Schmidt, Gail Shay, Linda Smith, Vernon Smith and Barry Vaughan.

Carrie Taylor took the minutes.

B. Approval of Agenda

State Board Certification was added as Item D under Information.  The agenda was approved as amended.

C. Approval of November 27, 2001, Minutes

The November 27, 2001, minutes were approved as written.

D. Treasurer’s Report – November 2001 and Year-To-Date

Council reviewed the November 2001 and Year-To-Date Treasurer’s reports.  Council discussed the use of the Faculty Association’s attorney this year compared to past years.  Council learned that a question had been raised about if the contract for legal services should have gone out for bid.  Janice Reilly responded that the Faculty Association was a non-profit and not a state agency so a bid process was not needed.

E. Reports

1. Meet and Confer

Linda Larson reviewed the Meet and Confer report and the proposals matrix for Council.  Council discussed the proposals.  Linda Larson stated that the meetings have been congenial.  Council discussed the salary proposals further.

2. Professional Growth

Linda Larson informed Council that she was working on a semester end report and would send it via MEMO to Council.  Council was told that the Professional Growth Steering Committee had been working hard on the new changes in the program.  Council inquired if the web page issue had been resolved.  Janice Reilly stated that it was still being worked on but there is a link now to the Faculty Association home page.  Janice Reilly was asked if a brochure on the new changes could be developed for new faculty.  Janice Reilly responded that currently faculty can go to their campus representatives or visit the web page.  Council discussed the use of campus representatives’ time and travel money.

3. EBAC

Council was informed that there had been a big budget discussion in CEC and the Board was being asked to pay for the increases in the health insurance costs so that there would be no more costs to employees.

4. FAC

FAC is currently meeting.  In CEC, there was discussion to move forward with the presentations.

5. Legislative

Council discussed the current retirement bill at the State Legislature.  The bill would add three years to an individual’s age and six years to the person’s service.  If this bill is approved, a number of faculty could be affected.  Council discussed the retirement window if the bill passed.  Council learned that forty percent of faculty would be eligible for retirement in 2004.  It was stated that it would be interesting to learn of the demographics of the persons who would be eligible for retirement if the bill was approved.  It was stated that the Faculty Recruitment Commission would have that information.

6. Intellectual Property Rights

Council was told that the new language has been sent to Pete Kushibab and others for review.  Then, the language will be sent to the faculty representatives of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee for review with Council.  Council was informed that one faculty representative heard that the faculty exception language was part of the new language and that it would be sent to the Meet and Confer process, but that final language has not been seen by the faculty representatives yet.  The faculty representatives of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee said they hope to have the language for Council at its January 8th meeting.

7. Common Pages

Council was told that the “W” grade was returned to its former status.  The Common Pages Committee was currently discussing academic renewal.  Council members was asked to send any comments or concerns to Joanna Chamberlain.

8. Peerpoint!

No report.

II. Old Business

A. Lobbyist

Council learned that a subcommittee had reviewed seven proposals that had been submitted in response to the advertisement for a lobbyist.  The subcommittee had reduced the number of bids to three finalists to interview if Council would approve the interviews and a range of fees.  Council reviewed and discussed the three final proposals.  Alan Haffa was named Chair of the Legislative Committee.  Alan asked for volunteers.  Council discussed the questions that would be asked in the interviews.  A motion was made and seconded for the legislative committee to move forward with the interviews and hiring of a lobbyist.  Council discussed the motion.  A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously.  Council members were told to send suggestions for interview questions to the legislative committee.  Council was informed that union representatives would be meeting with Janice Reilly.  Janice would report to Council regarding the discussion with those representatives.

B. Book Store Issue

Council was told of a study at one campus where forty percent of the students stated they were unsatisfied with the bookstore on campus.  Council members were asked to discuss the bookstores with the department chairs to see if they are dissatisfied as well.  Council discussed concerns with the campus bookstores.  Council members were asked to send information to Vernon Smith who would compile the data and report to Council.  Council heard about an on-line service by Follett, a book company, given to University of Florida students when they register for classes.  When registering for a class, the web site lists the books needed for the class and gives the student the option of purchasing the book on-line.  A point was made that this service was convenient, and that Maricopa should offer the same service to its students.

C. Instructional Council

Council was informed of the instructional council chairs meeting held recently.  Many issues were discussed at the IC chairs meeting.  One issue discussed in particular was hiring qualifications.  Council discussed that the meeting held by Anna Solley last spring was the first meeting of the IC chairs in many years.  Council was told that the IC chairs developed a list of items at the meeting that will be addressed.  A request was made to tell Anna Solley that hiring qualifications are important.  Council was informed that faculty need to focus on hiring qualifications since state certification requirements will most likely be eliminated due to the possibility of the legislature eliminating funding of the State Certification Board office.  Council discussed that instructional councils should be setting hiring qualifications for positions open in their disciplines.  It was stated that good communications among the instructional councils was also needed.  Next, Council discussed the need for a whole section of language in the Residential Faculty Policies dealing with instructional council issues and how to set standards.  A suggestion was made for Council to hold a retreat with the instructional council chairs.  Janice Reilly asked Council members to discuss this issue with their faculty at the campuses.

D. FIPP

Council was reminded that the FIPP program has caused much controversy since Council found out about the program last May.  Council discussed the need to communicate concerns about FIPP.  Council received a list of thirteen premises and a motion to communicate concerns regarding the FIPP program.  Council discussed the information and the need to communicate concerns in a positive tone.  Council reviewed and amended the original motion.  Council then discussed the hiring options discussed at its retreat last August and the need to present options to the FIPP program.  Council was reminded that this issue will be discussed at the January strategic conversation with the Governing Board.  The need to be positive in communicating concerns was stressed again to Council since this program was a top priority for the Chancellor.  A suggestion was made to form a subcommittee to visit with the Chancellor about FIPP.  Ricardo Provencio, Barry Vaughan, Alan Haffa, and Saundra Minckley volunteered to sit on the subcommittee.  Council discussed further concerns.  The amended motion was made and seconded stating, “The Faculty Executive Council (FEC) fully supports the goal of the FIPP program; to recruit a more diverse faculty.  However, given a number of grave and unresolved concerns with the FIPP program, the FEC recommends that the Governing Board, Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs and Student Development carefully review the FIPP program in conjunction with faculty representatives from the FEC.  At this time, the FEC recommends that the FIPP program not be renewed.  The FEC requests the administration to discourse with the FEC to determine more effective means of recruiting a diverse faculty.  The FEC has held a retreat on the topic of faculty recruitment and diversity, and invites the district administration to open up a dialogue as a starting point for developing a comprehensive recruiting plan.  It also supports considerations of other diversity development models.”  A vote was taken, and the motion passed with two abstentions.

E. Benefits/Insurance

Council received information from data collected from faculty at one college regarding benefit and health insurance for retirees.  The data summarized that early MCCCD retirees should be given the option to stay in the MCCCD health insurance group.  Council discussed the information given in the report.  The faculty at the college asked that Council bring the information to EBAC.  Council discussed the cost of including retirees in the District’s health insurance plan.  One suggestion was to approach Rufus Glasper with this idea and the information and get his response.  Janice Reilly stated that she would give the information to Rufus Glasper as well as EBAC.

F. Forty-Nine Percent Program/Small Colleges

Council discussed the forty-nine percent program and the inequities of the programs for smaller campuses.  Council recalled that the District used to pay for the program and then turned over the responsibility of funding the program to the colleges.  Council discussed asking if the funding for the program could be returned to the District to make the program more equitable for all colleges.  Council further discussed the history of the allocations given to the colleges for the program.  Council was told that another concern about the forty-nine percent program was that in some instances a full-time faculty could not be hired because a forty-nine percent faculty took part of the faculty line.  Council discussed the issue further and agreed to have Janice Reilly speak to Rufus Glasper about the issue.

III. New Business

A. Chair Compensation

Council learned of a concern involving Section D.1.4.2. of the Residential Faculty Policies (RFP).  The concern was that some departments have grown so large, some of which have forty faculty members for example, that the department chair needs more than fifteen hours of reassigned time.  A suggestion was made to form a subcommittee that involved all the concerned parties, i.e. department chairs, deans, and faculty, to review the issue and write language to submit into the Meet and Confer process.  Council discussed monetary priorities in the Meet and Confer process.  Mark Gooding volunteered to chair the subcommittee.  Mark will recruit others for the subcommittee to work on RFP language.

IV. Information

A. Year-Round Curriculum Meetings

Council learned that there has been a push for the Curriculum Committee to meet year round.  The concern is that faculty are away during the summer and curriculum could be developed and/or changed during the summer thus taking some rights from the faculty for developing curriculum.  Some think that the Curriculum Committee should meet only during the academic year when faculty are present.  A great concern was voiced that summer meetings could threaten the integrity of the curriculum.  The reason for the push to meet during the summer was to respond to industry however there are provisions for experimental programs that could address industry concerns.  Council discussed the issue further.  Council learned that some groups had already voted for the year round meetings of the Curriculum Committee and the calendar would be in place in February.  It was stated that faculty should be properly compensated if meetings are held in the summer.  Janice Reilly was asked to discuss Council’s concerns with Anna Solley and to slow down the push for summer meetings.  Council was told that this issue came up last year and there was an impression that this is what the faculty wanted.

B. Travel Money

Council was told that, at one campus, travel was down compared to previous years and therefore, the Professional Growth travel money was not being used.  Janice Reilly stated that travel money left at the campuses was a serious problem as those funds usually are placed in the campus’ general fund.  Janice reminded Council that the Professional Growth money in all three categories was fungible and unused funds could be rolled over to the next year.  Council discussed the need for unused travel money to be returned to the Professional Growth Committee so that those funds could be used to fund more projects or sabbaticals.  Council also discussed encouraging the faculty at the campuses to travel more.  Council members were asked to find out what travel money each campus has left and ask that any unused money be transferred back to the District Professional Growth fund.

C. Dues

Council received information on projected revenues and expenses in 2002.  Janice Reilly stated that Council was receiving this information for review, as discussion on the dues would start in February.  Council was informed that AAUP would be increasing its dues and Council needed to see the numbers.  Council was asked to take the information to the faculty on the campuses.  It was noted that the expenditure for a lobbyist was not figured into the projections, as Council had not discussed that cost before the report was prepared.

D. State Board Certification

Council was reminded that the issue involving state certification being eliminated was discussed in the Instructional Council Section of the minutes.

E. Other

Hiring Process – Internals/Externals

Council was informed that a question had been asked whether interviews for internal applicants and external applicants could be held at the same time.  The response was that the hiring committee had to interview the internal applicants first and make a hiring decision.  Then, the hiring committee could interview external applicants if no internal applicant was hired for the position.  If no externals were hired then the position would be reposted.  Employment asked that this issue be brought to Council to inquire if Council wanted the process to remain the same.  Council agreed that the process should remain the same.  Council was told that all Chairs would receive information about the correct hiring process from Employment.

Another issue that has been raised is the difference in application deadlines in the summer versus the academic year.  In the summer, applicants can submit applications up to the point of the interviews whereas during the academic year, definite deadlines are posted.  Employment will be asked to make the policy uniform year round, either way.

AAUP Committee V Meeting

Janice Reilly reminded Council members about the meeting with Committee V on Friday, December 14, 2001, at 1:30pm at Rio Salado.

V. Significant Happenings/Presidents’ Reports

CGCC
The presidential search process is moving along.  The position is being posted and a
brochure has been created.  CGCC will have a holiday party on December 14th.

EMCC
EMCC will hold a holiday party on December 14th.

GWCC
The Governing Board will announce the new GWCC President at their meeting later in
the evening.  The new president will start in March.  GWCC held its holiday party on December 5th.

GCC
GCC held a party last week and the 5-10-15-20-25-30 years awards were presented.
The data for the climate study has been collected and turned in.  GCC is hiring a consultant to review the data.  The staffing committee report has been turned in also.  GCC will hold a holiday party on December 14th.

MCC
The NCA completed its focus visit at the Red Mountain campus and gave the campus
glowing praise in the exit interview.  The staffing committee report was released to MCC’s college president. MCC will hold a holiday party on December 14th.
 
PC
PC is reviewing and developing a crisis management plan.  PC will hold a holiday party
on December 14th.

PVCC
PVCC will hold a holiday party on December 14th.  Donations for the homeless will be
collected at the luncheon.  Awards will be presented as well.

RIO
RIO held its annual faculty party and everyone had a good time.

SCC
A Chair at SCC got release time.  SCC will hold a holiday party on December 14th.

SMCC
The SMCC President is initiating a scholarship development program and is hosting a
luncheon on December 12th involving community leaders, faculty and staff.  SMCC will hold a holiday party on December 14th where the administrators are picking up a large part of the tab.

VI. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 5:40pm.

VII. Executive Session

The Executive Committee met to discuss personnel issues.