Minutes of
General Membership/Executive Committee Meeting
January 30,
2008 at
Present:
Guests: Sita Motipara, Leslie Sachs, Masao Suzuki
Meeting began at 2:25
Facilitator: Yaping Li
- Welcome and Introductions
- Statements from AFT Members on
Non-Agenda Items
Ø Rick announced that he will not be running for re-election as Skyline’s Chapter Co-Chair.
- Minutes of the December 12, 2007 EC
Meeting
Approved, after the EC agreed to change some of the language in item #4.
- AFT/Board Administration relations re:
New Administrative Salary Schedule
Some of the AFT leadership are concerned that our generally good relationship with the Board of Trustees has been strained over the recent issues of expanded Concurrent Enrollment and the new administrative salary increases.
Ø Concurrent Enrollment: Despite the Academic Senate’s recent suggestion that the MOU regarding a pilot program for expanded Concurrent Enrollment be suspended, the Board has stressed that it still expects us to develop a model in which SMCCD would offer courses on high school campuses to be taught by high school faculty. The EC feels strongly that a push to go ahead with this model, in light of strong faculty opposition, is a rejection of faculty expertise, and is undermining our primacy in curricular matters.
Ø New Administrative Salary Schedule: Despite a recent faculty salary survey showing that SMCCD faculty are not faring particularly well compared to other Northern California Community College faculty, the EC agreed to take no further action at this point against the Board’s recent approval of salary increases for administrators. We will work to remain united with the Senate and will invite Senate representatives to our next meeting in two weeks.
The EC recognized the importance of working to maintain good communication with the Board. Dave Mandelkern will attend our next meeting; we agreed to invite one other Board member.
- Union leadership
Ernie asked members to consider whether we want to make any changes to the amount of release time allocated to each leadership position, especially the President, Grievance officer, and negotiating team. He intends to talk with the current leadership to find out who wishes to run again.
Ø John Kirk will be retired and off-campus in Fall 2008 but available for consulting. He is trying to work out a post-retirement deal that will allow him to be here in Spring 2009, to begin going through years of confidential files. One member suggested that AFT buy consulting time from John after he retires, an idea that is already under consideration. Grievance training will continue this spring.
Ø Joaquin is willing to continue as lead negotiator for at least one more year.
Ø Sandra and Rick both expressed interest in learning more about negotiating and participating on the team.
Ø We also talked about developing a “shadow team,” a small group of faculty interested in learning about negotiations, who would commit to attending a certain number of sessions.
- Union allocation of release time.
This agenda item was combined with #5.
- SLO’s and faculty evaluations update
WASC suggested at our accreditation exit interview last fall that SMCCD link SLO’s to faculty evaluations. A resolution was a passed unanimously at the January 12 Community College Council meeting for CFT to explore the possibility of a lawsuit against WASC over this issue. However, two recent articles from the Chronicle of Higher Education, in addition to an announcement at the CFT Leadership Conference last week, suggest that WASC may be backing off its demands.
SMCCD is currently waiting to learn whether our accreditation report, which should be ready soon, actually includes any language about linking SLO’s to evaluations.
- Negotiations
Joaquin is working on setting dates – negotiations will start soon. He asked for any specific suggestions regarding our three re-openers:
Ø Strengthening the PT seniority list
Ø Grievances
Ø Technology
- Grievances
Ø A full-time faculty member at Skyline had an overload cut even though s/he is the second most senior person on the part-time seniority list. AFT is waiting to hear from the Chancellor regarding the appeal.
Ø PT librarians at CSM who had not been receiving semester-long schedules: AFT is still waiting to hear from PERB about the Unfair Labor Practice suit filed in Oct. 2006. Currently, the two librarians involved in the suit have been given semester-long schedules.
Ø 2 probationary faculty were not given contracts, one in his/her second year, and one in his/her fourth year. The second-year person will soon file a grievance on the basis that the Tenure Review Committee did not use the appropriate criteria. Our attorney thinks this faculty member has a strong case. John only recently received the information regarding the fourth-year person, who can grieve on the grounds of the reasonableness of the evaluation, not just on the process.
Ø English Department faculty at CSM were informed in the fall by their VPSS that they would no longer be paid to read challenge exams. In the past, both full-time and part-time faculty were paid at the special rate. English Department faculty are refusing to read exams until the issue is resolved. CSM English Department faculty and AFT need to define what it means to “assist in placement,” which is currently part of faculties’ responsibilities. While past practice at CSM has been to pay faculty for reading challenge exams, faculty at Skyline and Cañada have not been paid.
- Proposition 92 campaign
The January 29 press conference went well. Dan moderated, and Ernie, Richard Holober, Mike Claire, Jeremy Ball, and Richael Young (the student Trustee) spoke.
- Student input on calendar
The student Trustee has asked why students have not been able to provide input on the District’s academic calendar. Ernie will recommend that they have input in the future.
- Open discussion/meeting critique
Because the meeting was set to end a little earlier than usual, we took a few minutes for updates on additional issues.
Ø Apprenticeship programs: The District and CSM Administration are currently talking with the three unions. Our Board has decided that it is willing to lose the programs and let the unions taking them elsewhere.
Ø Dan announced that the language of AB 591 has been changed to allow part-time faculty to teach up to 67% of a full load, not 100%.
Meeting adjourned: 4:30