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Number of votes each item received is in parentheses. Items listed in order of popularity.

Communication

1. EC members to vote on yearly budget and receive brief monthly budget updates. (11)
2. Conduct an online survey twice a year or as needed on specific issues; keep up E-mail to faculty to brainstorm input for chapter meetings on campus. (11)
3. Solicit input from Union members with expertise on certain negotiation items. (9)
4. Chapter chairs summarize EC agenda and send to faculty regularly. (8)
5. Handbooks for EC members to include history, constitution, roles and responsibilities. (7)
6. More frequent or longer EC meetings. (3)
7. Hold campus forum/Chapter meetings/focus group meetings to generate more interest. (3)
8. Improve faculty perception of AFT to create a good image. (3)
9. Increase frequency of updates to faculty regarding negotiations. (3)
10. Establish intercampus chapter chair communication. (3)
11. Among EC members increase use of E-mail to vote on issues allowing plenty of time to cast votes; use website to generate more discussion. (2)
12. Use blue sheets in addition to E-mail to keep faculty informed of negotiations progress. (1)
13. Better determination of content for our various modes of communication: flyers, Advocate, monthly E-news, and personal messages. (0)
14. List online duties, meeting calendars, and workshop training. (0)

Leadership Development

1. More internal communication: because meeting time is tight have a separate time-keeper; discussion vs. policy ( content vs. process); clarify action items; commitment to be more succinct. (11)
2. Create focus groups inviting participation from general faculty to provide input and feedback on particular issues. (10)
3. Expand negotiation team; increase knowledge and skills training regarding negotiations, utilize release time to expand negotiation team. Recruit faculty who can act as helpers to support negotiation team. (8)
4. Rotate facilitation of meetings. (8)
5. Leadership Development workshop for EC members. (7)
6. Develop subcommittee structure; use ad hoc committees to work on projects. (6)
7. Union social with other Unions. (3)
8. Create AFT 1493 poster. (2)
9. Reach out to faculty with leadership potential. (2)
10. Increase campus visibility through posters and bulletin boards. (2)
11. Call people to encourage participation. (4)
12. Prioritize, define, and assign tasks at beginning of year. (1)
13. Personal/direct contact approach in handling surveys to increase feedback. (1)
14. Institute term limits. (0)

Organizational Structure

1. Design an organizational chart to define union structure, leadership roles and allocation of release time. Publish in Advocate. (8)
2. Improve organization of meetings: to save meeting time address more items via e-mail, make sure everyone gets all the information. (7)
3. Bi-monthly social activities for whole union/faculty at a private home. (7)
4. End of school year party. (6)
5. Support consensus decision-making. Anyone on the EC can call for a vote on any issue at any time. (6)
6. Develop evaluation of role performance for union positions. (5)
7. Do work plan retreat each year. (5)
8. Upgrade campus reports-prioritize them and include what has happened on each campus and campus activities. (4)
9. Small group council meetings to support collaborative/inclusive decision making. (3)
10. Take time at the end of the 05-06 academic year to evaluate how we have done in accomplishing work plan goals. (3)
11. Building captains/helpers at CSM for bldgs. 15 and 17. (3)
12. More low key social activities on a regular basis. (1)

Policies/Procedures

1. Training workshops/seminars for various union leadership roles (e.g. grievance officer). (11)
2. Define, in writing, procedure for allocation of release time. (9)

At the end of the retreat there was a consensus decision that it would be good to include actual language in the work plan defining the procedure for allocating release time. The following language is being recommended by the Executive Committee:

Each year, at the first meeting of the spring semester, the president of the local will present to the Executive Committee for approval a recommendation on how the Union released time should be allocated for the following year. In preparing this recommendation the president should consider past practice, current needs of the local and what reasonable level of support should be provided to each campus. Any subsequent changes to the approved release time plan will come before the EC for review.

3. Self-evaluation for release time positions and key leadership positions. (8)
4. Handbook of best practices for leadership positions. (7)
5. Create job descriptions for E.C. roles. (6)
6. Create evaluation process, in writing, for EC roles. (6)
7. Conduct more general membership meetings (perhaps a role for past EC officers). (4)

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