The Word from CSEA
Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of June 3, 2010
UPWARD EVALUATION OF DEPARTMENT CHAIRS
The results of the Upward Evaluation of department chairs have been forwarded to all department chairs and their respective deans. We thank all faculty who took the time to complete and return their evaluation forms.
For 10 years, and so far unsuccessfully, CSEA has attempted to work cooperatively with the administration to develop an upward evaluation process that would provide department chairs with performance feedback similar to the PERFORMS process for staff and student evaluations of faculty. The administration clearly believes that such processes benefit employees and the institution—except when it involves those in command. We will continue our efforts to ensure that all employees receive meaningful assessment of their work from those to whom they are responsible. We would welcome the opportunity to develop a form and/or process in collaboration with the chairs and deans to ensure a process that is most beneficial to the chairpersons.
SWITCH TO SEMESTERS (S2S) COMPENSATION
Although talks with the administration continue, some aspects of how faculty will be compensated for their work on the Switch to Semesters project are beginning to take shape. The work that is being done in the two divisions is somewhat different, and is taking on different timelines for the completion of this work. It appears that initial work in the Career & Technical Division will focus on creating Plans of Study for all AAS Degree Programs and Certificates, while initial work in the Arts & Sciences Division will focus on preparing courses used by C&T programs for conversion and completing crosswalk tables for all courses. Following these initial activities, work in the C&T Division will focus on completing crosswalk tables for all courses and preparing courses for the semester format (i.e., completing course outlines, etc.), while work in the A&S Division will focus on preparing remaining courses for the semester format, focusing specifically on courses to be submitted to the Ohio Board of Regents for transfer approval (TAG, Ohio Transfer Module, CTAG).
In the A&S Division, it is expected that many faculty (not just lead instructors) will be heavily involved in this work, and they should keep track of the time spent on this project. Dean Cooley has indicated that his intent is to compensate faculty at an hourly rate of pay as the work gets completed later this summer.
In the C&T Division, the work will largely be coordinated by a few faculty in each department, and Dean Owen has indicated that each department will receive 5 hours of reassigned time per quarter for four quarters (with the Construction Sciences and Engineering Technology Department receiving 8 hours of reassigned time due to its size and complexity) for coordination of this work. The reassigned time (and coordination responsibilities) may be split among more than one faculty member in each department, and is largely being left to the department chairs to determine how and when this reassigned time gets allocated. The reassigned time is available this summer, but in many cases may not be allocated until autumn, depending on the needs of the department.
In both Divisions, and at the suggestion of faculty, some departments may be holding departmental retreats to accomplish much of this work, in which faculty may participate and obtain substitute instruction for any classes missed.
Beginning around August, work is expected to begin on the actual rewriting of course outlines, conversion of courses and course sequences to a semester format, etc. For this work, the intent is that faculty in both divisions who are doing the conversion work will receive reassigned time proportional to the percentage of the course that needs changed.
For example, a course that will have no change in content, but is merely adjusting the calendar from a 10-week format to a 15-week format, is considered a "mechanical change" and will receive no reassigned time. An example of this would be a 3-quarter hour course (currently meeting 30 hours per quarter) becoming a 2-semester hour course (again meeting 30 hours per semester) with no content change - just a change in the dates the classes would be held.
A course that has 50% new material being introduced would receive 50% reassigned time for those course hours. An example of this would be a 4-quarter hour course (currently meeting 40 hours per quarter becoming a 4-semester hour course (meeting 60 hours per semester) due to the introduction of new material. The additional 20 hours of class meetings for the course represents 50% additional class content, and would thus receive 50% reassigned (of the course hours) for that conversion.
Any course that requires 70% or more change in content would receive full reassigned time for the hours of that course.
In the final stages of conversion work, there will likely be the need for training meetings to be conducted, and faculty would be compensated at the meeting rate for attending those meetings. This could include departmental retreats for implementation planning, adjunct training, and other special meetings.
We will keep you informed as additional details become available in this ever-evolving process.
Finally, be aware that the College's website for information on S2S is now available athttp://cscc.edu/semesters.
CSEA/CSCC TEAM RAISES $$ FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
We commend those who participated in the Komen Race for the Cure May 15. In particular, we want to recognize those who organized the CSEA/CSCC team: Kevin James (Math), Beth Barnett (Dev Ed), Deborah Bertsch (English), Cathy Treyens (Modern Languages/ESL), and Dawn Skedell, (Sports & Fitness Management). Team participants included: Steve Abbott, Karla Andrews, Lisa Cerrato, Janet Chaney, John Chaney, Ike Engel, Rob Engel, Greg Goodhart, Todd Jones, Linda Kauffman, Nancy Kephart, Lisa McGovern, and Eric Neubauer.
The team raised a little over $900 in donations. Funds raised in the annual walk/run are used to support breast cancer research.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR ADJUNCT FACULTY?
The General Assembly is considering legislation that would allow adjunct/contract faculty state colleges and universities to organize for purposes of collective bargaining.
Split along party lines, the House Commerce and Labor Committee voted 5-4 on May 25 to recommend passage of House Bill 365, legislation to eliminate an exemption for the workers from Ohio's Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Law. The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.
Currently, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Wisconsin all already provide adjuncts and graduate students this right.
TWe urge all CSEA members to contact their representatives to voice support for passage of this bill. You can locate a contact link for your state representative at http://www.house.state.oh.us/index.php?option=com_displaymembers&Itemid=57.
The Word is produced by the Communications Committee of the Columbus State Education Association. We welcome your comments, news, and insights.
Darrell Minor, President/ x5310
Kevin James, Vice-President / x5008
Judy Anderson, Secretary / x5453
Phil MacLean, Treasurer / x5308
Ingrid Emch, Parliamentarian-elect / x5824
Steve Abbott, Senior Association Representative / x5096
Gil Feiertag, Senior Association Representative / x5861
Beth Barnett, Association Representative / x2593
Dr. Bill Cook, Association Representative / x5364
T.J. Duda, Association Representative / x5309
Cindy Evans, Association Representative / x2435
Dr. Charlie Gallucci, Association Representative / x5499
Dr. Mort Javadi, Association Representative / x5635
Dr. Sue Longenbaker, Association Representative / x2430
Jackie Miller, Association Representative / x2601
Mark Mitchell, Association Representative / x3612
Eric Nuebauer, Association Representative / x5698
Dr. Antoinette Perkins, Association Representative / x5754
Keith Sanders, Association Representative / x2588
Mike Schumacher, Association Representative / x5482
Gilberto Serrano, Association Representative / x3863