The Word from CSEA

Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of September 30, 2008

MEMBERSHIP AND FAIR-SHARE FORMS ARE DUE NOW

Your membership enrollment forms, fair-share fee payer forms, and annual payment for cash payers of membership dues are all due by WEDNESDAY/ TOMORROW, OCTOBER 1.

All faculty have received the necessary paperwork, and those who choose to become fair-share fee payers must submit their paperwork, including a correct mailing address, to Treasurer Phil MacLean in order to receive necessary information by mail from OEA about opt-out procedures that may entitle some bargaining unit members to seek adjustments in their fees. Since this information is handled by OEA rather than CSEA, it is important that the forms be filed promptly and accurately. Faculty who do not submit forms will still be processed as Fair Share Fee payers, but may not receive the necessary information from OEA regarding the additional opt-out procedures.

We encourage all bargaining unit members to become members of CSEA. The $54 difference between the fair-share fee and union dues is a minimal amount, considering the benefits of union membership. These include full rights to participate in union elections and contract ratification, up to $1 million in professional liability insurance coverage, legal representation in work-related lawsuits, free consultation on other legal matters, and an array of discounts on products and services ranging from dining and travel to auto insurance and oil changes.

It’s a small step with large benefits. File a membership form and check “Continuing Payroll Deduction” to minimize future paperwork for yourself and the Association.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE SEEKS CANDIDATES

This year’s CSEA elections are approaching, and we encourage you to consider running for leadership positions up for election this year: President, Secretary, Treasurer, and 8 Association Representative positions. The Nominating Committee is recruiting and considering candidates.

With the establishing of fair-share fees in the new contract and more faculty choosing to join the Association, many opportunities for union leadership activity—and College service toward promotion—are available. CSEA’s work and new initiatives are shaped by the needs and insights of its members. Make your views speak through your faculty Association by serving in a leadership role.

If you are interested in standing for an elective position or participating in Nominating Committee or other parliamentary work to help conduct Association elections, contact Kevin James at x5008.

ENROLLMENT INCREASES = NEED FOR MORE FACULTY

As the Board of Trustees prepares to approve new positions for 2010 at its November meeting, it is essential that they look realistically at the correlation between increased enrollments and the need to keep pace with full-time faculty.

A little over 28% of classes are taught by full-time faculty on regular contracts, making Columbus State among the lowest in the nation in terms of its ratio of full-time to part-time faculty. But the Board doesn’t get to hear this. The method the administration uses to count full-time faculty is highly deceptive. To make the ratio appear higher, the administration consistently counts vacant full-time positions in its calculations and includes reassigned time and overloads as part of FT teaching loads; this bumps the percentage of classes taught by full-time faculty up to about 38%.

In order to simply maintain our existing ratio, for every 1% increase in FTE's the College needs to hire 3 new FT faculty. With an increase of 7% in the FTE's this quarter over last Autumn Quarter, this equates to the need for 21 new full-time faculty just to maintain status quo.

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
Eric Nuebauer, Association Representative / x5698
Dona Reaser, Association Representative / x5475
Gilberto Serrano, Association Representative / x3863
Leslie Smith, Association Representative / x5302
Kathy Struve, Association Representative / x5330