The Word from CSEA

Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of May 23, 2006

BALLOT RETURNS SAY "NO CONFIDENCE"

A majority of employees who returned ballots have voiced no confidence in President Dr. Val Moeller.

Ballots were mailed to all full-time employees May 3 by an independent accounting firm to give employees an opportunity to express their response to the leadership of Dr. Val Moeller. Marino and Company CPA tabulated the returns and has provided the following certified results.

With 64 percent of full-time faculty responding, 85% (133) voted no confidence and 14% (23) voted yes. Three ballots were returned without a vote.

Staff and academic administrators also voiced no confidence in the president. Thirty-eight percent of staff responded, with 57% (113) voting no and 43% (85) voting yes. One ballot was returned without a vote.

Among academic administrators, which includes department chairs and deans, 57% (12) responded. Six (50%) voted no and 6 (50%) voted yes.

The well-being of the College can not be measured simply in new construction, the number of online courses, or enrollment figures. The Board now has an opportunity to examine what steps will best ensure an effective institution and a content and committed workforce. Leaders must be focused on the welfare of those they lead as much as on the goals being sought.

Even before the results were available, administrators have claimed that the vote was sour grapes left over from contract talks, and the Board president expressed "complete confidence" in the College's leadership. We believe that the responses of staff and academic administrators make clear that the issues facing the College are not simply understandable disagreements over wages and other terms and conditions of employment. The issues go deeper than that, and for the President and the Board to attempt to discredit widely held concerns of employees is a dangerous tactic. This refusal to make decisions based on facts rather than on wishes is the source of many of the internal problems that confront Columbus State, and we hope that the Board will use this vote as an opportunity to engage in healthy and meaningful dialogue with the entire campus community.

The Board of Trustees meets Thursday at 6 .m. Thursday in the Franklin Hall Board Room.

CSEA MEMBER MEETING

Thursday's CSEA member meeting will be held in Nestor Hall Seminar Room C.

The agenda for this 60-minute meeting will include open discussions of Work to the Rule and of the implications of the no-confidence vote. If you would like any other item to be on the agenda, please convey that information to President Steve Abbott.

Some members have questions about and issues with Work to the Rule, so discussion of these issues will take most of the meeting. We hope you will attend and offer your insights and opinions about future directions on this issue. If you are unable to attend, please forward your views to any member of the Executive Committee or directly to the CSEA President.

In an effort to create greater opportunities for member participation and input, the Executive Committee will continue to schedule meetings at differing times on different days of the week. We hope that you will make an effort to attend and express your views about the directions your Association should go.

CSEA MEMBERS RAISE MONEY FOR CANCER RESEARCH

Thanks to the CSEA members and friends who participated in the Komen Race for the Cure on Saturday, May 20. Under a clear sky and in-once we got into the sun-comfortable temperatures, participants wearing T-shirts sporting the CSEA logo ran or walked the 5-kilometer course through downtown along with more than 31,000 other area residents. (Look for a photo soon on the CSEA web site.)

Runners and walkers included: Mike Walsdorf, Bob Stein, Lisa Schneider, Kris Ramsey, Evan Thomas, Marquise Palmer, Libby McGlone, Kip Knott, Nancy Kephart, Kevin James, John Havener, Frankie Hale, Lisa Gordon, Sandra Denton, Lisa Cerrato, Rita Bova, Deborah Bertsch, Beth Barnett, Jonathan Baker (with his 2 children!), Maddy Anderson, Judy Anderson, and Steve Abbott. Other participants included Deborah Charney, Greg Goodhart, Becky Mobley, Susan Moran, Erica Swarts, and Craig Swarts.

Thanks to Kris Ramsey, Kevin James, and Lisa Schneider for organizing CSEA's participation and to all those who pledged money to support runners and walkers. We'll report the final amount raised next week.

The Komen Race for the Cure is the largest series of fitness walk/runs in the world. The Race for the Cure not only encourages breast cancer awareness but uses its funds to help in research and development of breast cancer treatments. CSEA is proud to be a participant in this year's event.

PUSHING THE HEALTH CARE ENVELOPE-SEE ATTACHMENT

(We have attached a Word document of the health care story from last week's edition of The Word because the labeling for the table did not come through. See atttached document to review the costs for each health care option in the coming year.)

The Word is produced by the Communications Committee of the Columbus State Education Association. We welcome your comments, news, and insights.

Steve Abbott, President / x5096
Karl Rieppel, Vice President / x2500
Amy Brubaker, Secretary and Association Representative / x5068
Greg Goodhart, Treasurer / x5431
Darrell Minor, Parliamentarian / x5310
Bill Mundy, Association Representative / x5176
Dr. Jane McDowell, Association Representative / x2656 
Dave Busch, Association Representative / x5079
Dr. Charlie Gallucci, Association Representative / x5499
Leslie Smith, Association Representative / x5302
Dr. Wendy McCullen-Vermillion, Association Representative / x2693
Lisa Schneider, Association Representative / x5124