The Word from CSEA

Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of May 24, 2007

PERSONAL LEAVE IS PERSONAL

A number of chairs have adopted the bad habit of asking-and occasionally trying to require- faculty to offer a reason when they file a personal leave notice. This action is a violation of our contract.

Personal leave is just that-personal. No explanation is required. Although other employees work under the definition of "personal business leave," the CSEA Negotiating Team secured the term "personal leave" in the initial Agreement.

It's this simple: you do not have to offer any explanation or reason when filing a personal leave notice. This is a "don't ask, don't tell" situation that helps chairs avoid any appearance of favoritism by approving one reason and denying another. If a chair requests a reason, you should respectfully cite language from the Agreement that it is to attend to "matters of a personal nature" and decline to provide any further explanation. If a chair demands a reason or denies a personal leave notice, notify your Association Representative immediately.

TENURE AND FIRST PROMOTION CONGRATULATIONS

The CSEA Executive Committee and the entire Association membership offer congratulations to the 18 faculty who were awarded tenure and promotion to the rank of assistant professor Thursday night by the Board of Trustees. CSEA joins the entire college in recognizing the outstanding teaching and service accomplishments of these faculty:

.AND KUDOS TO THE DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM!

Every member of this year's dental hygiene class passed the national boards exam, making it the second year in a row for this accomplishment. Congratulations to the students, their adjunct faculty, and full-time faculty Cindy Evans, Rob Duffey and Connie Clark, as well as former full-time faculty member Connie Grossman, who have worked with these classes.

CHANGING YOUR HEALTH PLAN COVERAGE? DEADLINE May 31

Remember that the deadline for making any change in your existing health care coverage must be made by Thursday, May 31. Forms are available through the Human Resources office or at www.myusi.com. The sign on is "CSCC" and the password is "benefits". The form can be completed online (employer representative is April Alexander) or printed out and returned to the HR office before the close of business May 31.

The site includes the presentation from the open enrollment forums and a breakdown of the costs for various coverages, including a part that shows the cost breakdown over the 18 pays of the academic year. If you intend to amend your coverage, DO NOT MISS THE MAY 31 DEADINE.

CSEA MEMBER MEETING REPORT

The following actions were taken at the May 9 member meeting:

President Darrell Minor announced that the Executive Committee had voted to reduce our local share of dues from $54 to $27 for the 2007-08 year only to offset a fee to be assessed by OEA to fund the Ohio Constitutional Amendment initiative on education.

The membership unanimously approved the proposed change in the CSEA budget to allow for the establishment of a "Discretionary Fund" of $200 for the balance of this year. Examples of items this fund may be used for include flowers for funerals of members of the association or the immediate family of members; meals for meeting with individuals not employed by either Columbus State Community College or OEA/NEA for the purpose of conducting CSEA business; door prizes for member meetings (not to exceed $25 per meeting); and recognition of outstanding faculty work far above the expected duties of faculty members. Use of these funds will require notification of all members of the Executive Committee and approval by 3 committee members, two of which must be the President, Vice-President, or Treasurer.

The first door prize-a $25 gift certificate to any Cameron Mitchell restaurant-was won by Nancy Kephart.

Frankie Hale gave an update on the AQIP project and asked that faculty volunteers to serve on the committees sign up by May 25. At the conclusion of Frankie's presentation, Darrell presented her with a $100 gift certificate to Charles Penzone's Salons for her outstanding representation of faculty interests on the AQIP project- work above and beyond the "call of duty"!

Members discussed whether or not CSCC Police Officers should be armed. Darrell indicated to the membership that he had received one e-mail from a faculty member indicating opposition to this concept, and asked those present for their opinions. Of those who spoke on the issue, all were in favor of the CSCC Police Officers being armed. The Association has not taken a position of this issue, and members should convey their views to their Association Representatives or Executive Committee members.

NEW ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE

W. David Hall, professor of Developmental Education, has replaced Dr. Wendy McCullen-Vermillion as Association Representative for the Biological and Physical Sciences Department. We welcome David to his new leadership role and thank Wendy for her years of service to CSEA and the College.

GRIEVANCES SETTLED AND PENDING

The HR office has denied any violation of the contract on 2 pending grievances. These will now move to an arbitration hearing. One challenges the assignment of a new faculty member to an office in a building away from his department even though several offices are vacant within his department. The other challenges actions in which the President, Provost and Acting Dean of Arts & Sciences intervened to override teaching assignments by a department chair that required the same new faculty member to work exclusively away from the main campus.

A grievance to determine why a new faculty member did not receive release time for college- sponsored professional development activities, as required in the Appendix of the current work terms, went to a Step 2 meeting May 21. A response from HR is pending.

SUCCESSFUL SPRING FLING

Thanks to everyone who stopped by CSEA's informational table at the college's Spring Fling event on May 17. The event marked the debut of CSEA's new banner and gave CSEA members an opportunity to reach out to students and College employees. Thanks also to CSEA members Amy Brubaker, Darrell Minor, Judy Anderson, Phil MacLean & Gil Feiertag, who distributed bookmarks to visitors and collected nearly 200 signatures to put on the ballot an initiative to amend the state constitution to guarantee appropriate funding for education at all levels in Ohio.

FINALS WEEK REMINDER-OFFICE HOURS

We remind all full-time faculty that office hours must be kept during finals week and should be posted by the beginning of the week. These hours do not have to be at the same time as those scheduled for the rest of the quarter but can instead be scheduled for your convenience and that of your students.

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

Darrell Minor, President and President-elect/ x5310
Amy Brubaker, Vice-President / x5068
Susan Moran, Secretary / x5453
Phil MacLean, Treasurer / x5308
Mary Morgan, Parliamentarian-elect / x5768

Steve Abbott, Senior Association Representative / x5096
Gil Feiertag, Senior Association Representative / x5861
Judy Anderson, Association Representative / x5822
Liz Betzel, Association Representative / x5329
Mark Bocija, Association Representative / x5049
Dave Busch, Association Representative / x5079
T.J. Duda, Association Representative / x5309
Dr. Charlie Gallucci, Association Representative / x5499
Cindy Evans, Association Representative / x2435
Bob Mergel, Association Representative / x5034
Dona Reaser, Association Representative / x5475
Gilberto Serrano, Association Representative / x3863
Leslie Smith, Association Representative / x5302
Kathy Struve, Association Representative / x5330
W. David Hall, Association Representative / x5372