PEERPOINT!

Please thank your campus faculty representatives for all their hard work this past year.  They have contributed unselfishly their time and effort to truly improve your working conditions and communications with Administration.  Thank you.

As We go to Press: Meet and Confer Update
By Jim Daugherty and Linda Larson, Meet and Confer Team Co-chairs
Below is a synopsis of language changes in the Residential Faculty Policies (RFP) that have been tentatively agreed (TA’d) to by the Board’s and the Faculty’s negotiating teams for incorporation into the 2001/2002 RFP.  Final approval of these changes still requires ratification by the faculty and by the MCCD Governing Board.  Because the Board has not yet finalized the budget for 2001/2002, the ratification ballot will probably be delayed until after the end of the Spring semester. Additional items mentioned are still under discussion.

Salary
The Board has established the pay package for the next academic year.  Every eligible residential faculty member will receive a step, and every residential faculty member will receive a 3% inflation adjustment.  Additionally, the Board will absorb the cost of the sixteen percent increase in the cost of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield health care coverage.  Although the actual pay adjustment is not quite equal to the CPI for last year, which was 3.4 (?) per cent, there appears to be movement on both the part of administration and the Governing Board to make the annual inflation adjustment a true Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).  The overload rate was increased to $600 per credit hour.  There may be an additional $100,000 in Professional Growth funds.

Professional Growth
Section 2.12.2 was modified to share the dual committee process between the Chair and Vice Chair for Professional Growth.  The existing 6 hours of reassigned time for the Chair will be split between the Vice Chair and the Chair.  We are still working on the possibility of reassigned time for the Professional Growth representatives.  TA’d.

Appendix 2.5.  Proposed additional horizontal movement on the salary schedule beyond the doctorate level is still being negotiated.  Additional vertical steps were denied.

Appendix A.3.3.  Changes include an increase in non-academic hours from the current 20 hours to 50 hours, removal of the limits on credit for work experience and clinics and conferences, workshops and seminars (up to 50), and an increase in the limits for travel credit to 12 credit hours.  TA’d.

Appendix A.4.2.  Allows Deans of Instruction to appoint designees to sit on the Professional Growth Committee’s sabbatical process.  TA’d

Appendix A.4.3.3. and 4.3.4.  Allows more flexibility in the processing of sabbatical applications.  TA’d.

Appendix A. A.5.3.1., A.5.4.1., and A.5.4.2.  Aligns dates with order of procedures for Professional Unpaid Leaves.  TA’d.

Appendix A.9.1. and A.9.2.  Allows monies to be fungible among all Professional Growth accounts and allows unused monies to be carried over to the next year.  TA’d.

A.10 Conversion of the current half-time OYO professional growth secretary to a full-time permanent position has been approved pending governing board budget approval of this item.  TA’d.

Indemnification.
Faculty Association Attorney Mike Napier sent a letter to the Board in mid-April affirming why the Board should back this proposal.   No movement to date.

Probationary Faculty Non-Renewal Notification.
Dates for second through fifth year probationary faculty non-renewal notification were moved from January 10 to March 1, which is also the date for notification of first year probationary faculty.  This change was made both at the request of the Faculty Executive Council and the Board’s team.  TA’d.

Mediation.
Proposal to incorporate a mediation process in the RFP is still under discussion, although Vice Chancellor Randolph has agreed to fund a mediation process available to everyone in the district out of his office.  This process would be completely voluntary.

Personal Time.
B.2.5.1.  Proposal is fairly firm for the number of days automatically available to increase from three to four per year.

Occupational Program Directors.
This proposal to require objective and consistent means of allocating reassigned time for these positions may still have some life, pending rewording.

FA Treasurer's Untimely Death
By Carmela Arnoldt
We regret to announce the sad loss of Mark Richard, GWCC, Program Director in Nuclear Medicine, who passed away on April 29, 2001.  Mark served as Association Treasurer.  We appreciate his years of excellent service and send sincere condolences to his wife, children, family, friends and colleagues.  He will be missed.

Dual Enrollment Dialogue Continues!
By Rosemary Kesler & Carmela Arnoldt
Articles published in Peerpoint! for the past two years continue to raise diverse opinions from MCCD faculty.  FA President Kesler conducted research, which revealed the following:

BYU and USC do accept dual enrollment credit.  It is handled on a case by case.  BYU’s issue is not dual enrollment per se, but rather their philosophy of infusing faith into their curriculum. USC has a policy that will accept only 16 credit hours of any kind.  We had a student this year who transferred 16 credit hours, all in dual enrollment.  Over 500 colleges and universities in the US accept dual enrollment credits: some of these are distinguished institutions.  One other point is that there are approximately 5000 out of 150,000 students involved in dual enrollment, three percent!  Perhaps we should put this effort into the other ninety-seven percent.  We would certainly be more of an academic force to be reckoned with!

Would it benefit faculty and students to have a half or full day to discuss this issue? Placement, quality control, broader opportunity for a greater number of students, and academic standards seem to be the issues raised most often.  If you’d like to participate, call FA Secretary Carrie Taylor and add your name to a list.

Howard University Visit
By Donna Schober, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
On Tuesday February 6, 2001, several Maricopans visited Howard University in Washington, D.C. to identify and talk to students who would be interested in teaching at the Maricopa Community Colleges.  This visit was conducted as part of a faculty recruiting strategy promoted by the Chancellor to ensure that the new faculty Maricopa hires will continue to be the best and the brightest and as diverse as the students in our colleges.  Although the primary emphasis of our visit was to recruit faculty, we did discuss administrative and staff positions as well.

The Maricopans who visited Howard University included the Chancellor, Dr. Fred Gaskin, Chair of the Board, Dr. Don Campbell, Board Member Mrs. Linda B. Rosenthal, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, Ms. Donna Schober, Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, Dr. Jose Leyba, and three faculty members, Dr. Vanessa Wilson-Ford from Mesa Community College, Mr. Wilbert Nelson from Phoenix College and Dr. Carnella Hardin from Glendale College.

Each faculty member has written a paragraph or two about the visit to Howard University.

Dr. Carnella Hardin wrote:
During the day, informal conversations with students occurred and we distributed literature about the Maricopa Community Colleges in the Howard University Blackbourn Center, which is similar to our Student Services facilities.  We also met with University administrators to discuss opportunities to recruit students for to become faculty members and to encourage student transfer.  The students were very enthusiastic about the possibilities of employment in Arizona.  Some of them wondered how we survived in the heat.  Being a native Phoenician, I wondered how they survived in the snow.

I am pleased to have been one of the individuals selected to visit Howard University to share my experiences of working for the Maricopa Community Colleges and living in the greater Phoenix area with potential faculty members.  Administrators and graduate students attended the information reception held that evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  They expressed an interest in knowing more about the Maricopa Community Colleges.  I would highly recommend that other faculty members get involved in this worthwhile endeavor of recruiting qualified individuals to work for our great institution.

For your information, Howard University serves about 12,000 students annually.  It was founded in 1867 to provide education for newly emancipated slaves.  Although predominantly an African-American university, it has always been open to all qualified students.  The students are enrolled in 18 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools.  The University offers master's degrees in more than 85 areas and doctoral degrees in 24 fields.

Dr. Vanessa Wilson-Ford wrote:
This experience was a wonderful opportunity to dialogue with students about
their dreams, their hopes and plans for the future.  Many of the students eagerly listened as we shared our experiences about being an African-American in Arizona.  My interaction with the students made me feel like I was "home." There was a connection with the students....one of familiarity that seemed to create a bond.  Since my return from Howard University, several of the students have continued to communicate with me through email.

Mr. Wilbert Nelson wrote:
This effort offers the potential to provide African-American students and any other student the possibility of attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).  The development and the implementation of a transfer agreement will offer many of those who choose to take advantage of our effort an educational experience that will be worth a lifetime.  For example, Xavier University in the last year or so has sent 70 African-American students to medical schools.  This is more than some of the prominent schools such as Harvard.    It is this type of educational development that activates the phrase "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."  The potential of the Community College experience combined with the opportunities of HBCUs have no limits.

Maricopa Online Librarian
Pilot Project
By Shelle Witten, Paradise Valley Community College
With the growth of distance learning classes, as well as online access to a plethora of information sources, the MCCD libraries have recognized the need to assist students who are conducting their library research from off campus.  The outgrowth of this need is the Maricopa Online Librarian pilot project, a.k.a. Maricopalibchat.  The pilot, which was funded through an MCLI Learning Grant, has been in operation since February 20th. Using both live chat, and a product which has enabled us to browse web pages together with our patrons, librarians from several MCCD colleges have been open for business four nights a week to serve the MCCD community.  The online librarians have been presented with a wide range of reference questions, which are typical of the questions presented at a physical reference desk.  Examples are: 1) Are there topo maps of the Grand Canyon on the Internet? 2) I need information about touch for my interpersonal communications class; 3) I’m doing research about violence in schools for a one-page cause and effect paper.  As a result of assisting several people in formulating MLA bibliographic citations, our web site now includes a Frequently Asked Questions section.  Two comments we’ve received via our online evaluation form are:  “this AIM thing you’ve got going is really a good idea” and “I think that it is a good idea. Keep it!”  Though we’ve experienced some technical difficulties, the overall consensus of the online librarians is that this has been a valuable experience for determining the next generation of library services for students conducting research from their homes and offices.  The pilot continues through May 2nd and will be demonstrated at this year’s Ocotillo retreat, Maricopa’s annual gathering to share and discuss instructional technology.

A Letter to Future MCC Faculty
By Edd Welsh, Mesa Community College

July 1, 2051

Dear Future MCC Faculty,

Congratulations on being selected to join Maricopa Community Colleges (MCC) – the most successful community college in the nation.  MCC became the innovative leader and the premier community college system for two reasons.   First, outstanding individuals like yourself want to work for us.  Second, MCC pioneered the 25-year Faculty Lifelong Integrated Learning Program (FLIP) based on the premise that faculty members need to “earn their spurs” every day.   As we start the third 25-year period, your tenure at MCC will generally consist of the following three stages:

STATUS                 YEAR
Practicing Faculty         1-5
Permanent Faculty      6-10
District Faculty          11-30 in 5-year terms

1. Practicing Faculty –(YEAR 1-5) During this period of intense training, you’ll learn and we will discover if you have the desire and tenacity to become permanent faculty.  As a practicing faculty member, you’ll work at different locations doing different tasks that are designed to challenge you to grow.   You will also submit an annual report covering all or a portion of your training.  This report will be evaluated and returned to you for corrections as needed.  We want you to be at your best and brightest during this five-year period because your primary mission will be to challenge everyone and everything that needs it.  We also want you to document your training.

A.  Your primary mission began in 2001 when MCC eliminated the probationary faculty status….where those on ”probation” kept a low profile and didn’t challenge anyone or thing for fear of being denied tenure.  The probationary faculty status became counterproductive for both the individual and MCC.  Once tenured, the individual had little incentive to grow but lots of incentives to keep a low profile and not challenge anyone or anything.

B.  To correct this problem, MCC pioneered the concept of empowering people to do their best.  But you are not alone.  Your administrators will also grow as their effectiveness and retention is measured by how well they empower their faculty and staff.

YEAR 1- Home Campus – This is the campus of either your initial hire or your first year of training or both.  In addition to your teaching assignments, you’ll serve on and evaluate the effectiveness of select committees. Your view as an outsider will be invaluable to these committees as you challenge them to think out “of the box.”

A.  Your yearend report will be on improving the first year of training. It will be evaluated and returned to you, if needed, for corrections/rewrites.  Preparing an objective analysis of your activities is just one of the skills you’ll acquire at MCC.

B.  You will enhance our report-writing skills over the next four years by preparing a similar report after your second, third, fourth and fifth year. Each year you will report on the specific skills acquired, the knowledge gained and other factors, which reflect your personal and professional growth.

YEAR 2  - Alternate campus – Your teaching schedule will be split between your home campus and another campus (of your choice or one that fits your training program.)   Your duties will be similar at both campuses, i.e. serving on committees and learning how that particular campus works and who each campus may differ in scope.  Your yearend report will be on a comparative analysis of the two campuses and how both could be improved.

YEAR 3 – Distance Learning campus – While all of our campuses have Distance Learning Sites, you will be assigned to your third new campus to conduct your courses and studies over the Internet and wireless applications. While all the MCC faculty members are capable of teaching over the Internet, none are allowed to do so exclusively.  Your year-end report will be on improving the delivery of education over the Internet.

YEAR 4 – Day/Night campus – On your fourth new campus, your teaching schedule will be split between day and evenings/weekends.   You’ll function as Adjunct faculty and be required to meet as many adjunct faculty members as possible in your department or area.  Your yearend report will be on improving the status of the adjunct faculty in general and at this specific location.

YEAR 5 – Base Campus – this is a combination of your first four campuses, where you will allocate your teaching load among these campuses.  Each of your prior campus department chairs will have evaluated at this point and will have read/evaluated your prior yearend reports.  They will give you a second evaluation in your fifth year and will continue to provide you with life-long feedback.  They will collectively recommend you for permanent faculty status.

2. Permanent Faculty – (Year 6-10) After five of years being empowered to grow, you will learn how to empower others above and below you.  As permanent faculty, you will learn how to empower others to achieve their maximum potential. You will continue to write reports of a self-evaluation nature that will be augmented by report on specific job-related topics.

YEAR 6-Department chair – You will become a department chair at one of your prior four campuses and teach a reduced load.  You may serve a full year at one campus or a one semester at two of your prior four campuses.  Your goal as department chair will be to make the chair a better position in general or a better position at that particular campus.  This will be reflected in your final report.

YEAR 7 District duties – This is the year for you to become more familiar with the district and its functions.  Your teaching assignments will be limited to your fifth new campus and a part-time assignment at a district office. At the District, you will find ways to make the District offices serve the campuses better and vice versa.  That will also be the topic of your yearend report.

YEAR 8- Candidate Mentor Campus – This is often the most rewarding period for many, as you will spend part or maybe all of your time mentoring practicing faculty.  You will also be teaching at your sixth new campus.  As a mentor, you will empower the new faculty to be their very creative best in all areas and will cover your results in your yearend report.

YEAR 9  - Finishing Campus – Your final training campus will be at your seventh new campus, where you will teach a full load for a full year with no other outside duties.  This is the year you’ll be able to look back and decide where you want to make your “home” campus as District faculty and look ahead to outline your training/education scheduled during your 10th Year.  Both of these issues will be covered in your final report.

YEAR 10  – Retraining Campus – A sabbatical is almost automatic but you may also design another training program, such as working in industry or your occupation for this year of renewal and growth.  What you do during this period and why you did it will be contained in your 10th year report.

3. District Faculty – (Year 11- 30) - This is when you’ll start to function as District faculty assigned to a campus.   Prior to the FLIP, the faculty has a campus mentality that was detrimental to both the faculty and the campuses.  Most faculty members spent their entire careers on a single campus and become quasi-homesteaders. As the campuses and the district grew, these homesteaders became isolated. Many were not interested in growing professionally if it meant giving up their “homestead.”

A.  These homesteaders generally grew professionally their tenth year or eleventh year. After that, they basically repeated their last year of growth until their retired some 15 or so years later.  While they were loyal hard-working individuals, their limited outlook became self-destructive.  Some were dedicated to their particular department but did things that were detrimental to their campus.  Others were dedicated to their campuses, but did things that were destructive to the District.

B. The FLIP gives faculty members maximum opportunity to work on and become a part of as many campuses as possible and simultaneously become familiar with the District office as both a recipient and provider of its services.  It took nearly a quarter of a century, but the FLIP faculty developed a district-wide perspective and an “ownership” interest in the District and did what was best for the district as a whole and not what was in the best interest of a campus or department.

C.  Best of all, the District faculty looked forward to working on different campuses and on different district assignments.  They had the expertise and prior experience to make a big difference no matter where they were assigned.

YEAR 11-15 – You will have the flexibility of spending a full year at five of your bases campuses.  But you can spend up to two full years at any one campus if one of the two years is as department chair.

YEAR 16-20 – Your teaching assignments will be split between your various base campuses and at various district assignments.  During this period, you will spend at least one full year at the District on a working sabbatical and teach one evening class in semester.  Just like in your seventh year, your district focus will be on making the district serve the campuses better and vice versa.

YEAR 21-25  - This five-year period is yours to design. You can spend all of it teaching on a single campus or working at a district position or any combinations that fits the needs of you and the District.  You can also take another sabbatical if you serve an additional five after you return.

4.  THE KEYSTONE OF YOUR MCCCD CAREER IS DIVERSITY – MCCCD has come a long way from the early 2000’s when the quaint belief was that diversity was all about race. Diversity is all about demographics and the changes that occur when the demographic change.  MCCCD’s strategy is to change with the demographics as a way of having the best possible faculty and staff. This will affect you in many different ways.

A.  Recruiting new faculty is a full-time task for everyone, as MCCCD takes prides in its highly diversified faculty.  By promoting diversity, MCCCD has been able, through its diversified staff, to keep up and ahead of merging trends.   MCCCD’s on-going mission of identifying the differences that individuals and their cultures bring to the district enables MCCCD to maximize its benefits from theses differences.

B.  Keeping the existing faculty diversified is another full-time task.  Rotating faculty between and among campus and district assignments is successful only because the faculty looks forward to doing different tasks on different campuses.

EBAC Welcomes New Members!
By Carmela Arnoldt
Please welcome Dorothy Sisneros (PC) and Regi Munro  (CGCC) to the Employee Benefits Advisory Committee (EBAC).  Dorothy and Regi bring a wealth of talent, expertise and personality to this increasingly challenging committee.  Let’s help them any way we can!

MCCCD FACULTY ASSOCIATION 2000-01 OFFICERS
ROSEMARY KESLER, PRESIDENT
JANICE REILLY, PRESIDENT-ELECT
SANDRA STUEBNER, SECRETARY
MARK RICHARD, TREASURER
CARMELA ARNOLDT, PEERPOINT EDITOR
FACULTY ASSOCIATION OFFICE PHONE... (480) 731-8113