The Word from CSEA

Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of June 1, 2006

WORK TO THE RULE? MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

Your thoughts as part of the straw poll to determine CSEA's next course of action regarding Work to the Rule are essential. The views of members will be tabulated and used as the basis for a decision early next week to chart our direction for Summer and Autumn Quarters.

The consensus at last week's member meeting favored an end to Work to the Rule. The issues are not simple, and unfortunately they were not expressed well in our last newsletter. On one hand, Work to the Rule is having an effect, regardless of any administrator's public statements. Important work is not being done as faculty do only their basic Mission and Learning Support work of preparing for classes and grading. Administrators can pretend that, because the effects are not readily apparent and are building as each month passes, the College remains vibrant, and to those without insight this may be reassuring. Nevertheless, many long-term projects and initiatives are on hold. And the Board's cavalier disregard for faculty concerns or administrative incompetence is insulting.

On the other hand, by relaxing Work to the Rule the Association has the potential to take leadership where the administration and the Board have not shown it. Faculty can re-assert their role as the central factor in the College's success, re-establishing their commitment to a better CSCC despite the see-no-evil attitude of those responsible for the College's health. Also, CSEA recruiters suggest that bringing in new members is more difficult in a stalemate situation. Given our need to increase membership if we are to be more effective in future contract talks, we are more likely to increase our strength by emphasizing the dramatic difference that we as faculty make within the College.

With these conflicting goals, we now must choose which course of action will best serve our future. Please REPLY NOW if you have not done so yet. The question before us is whether to continue Work to the Rule. Please reply to this email by tomorrow/ Friday, June 2, with a simple YES (continue) or NO (discontinue, and return to past value-added activity).

Only responses from CSEA members will be tabulated. We will report the results and the Executive Committee's proposed course of action at the beginning of next week. Your views will help all of us 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