What's Really Happening

Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of November 13, 2002

FACT FINDER REPORT

We expect the fact finder to issue his report sometime around November 18 or 19. The College's negotiators indicated at the end of fact-finding that they expected the Board of Trustees to consider the report at its November 21 meeting. Since we are uncertain of the report's delivery date, and the CSEA Negotiating Team will need time to review the report and make a recommendation to members, we plan to hold meetings to review the report and vote to accept or reject it on Monday and Tuesday, November 25 and 26, from 3-6 p.m. We are trying to reserve a room in Nestor Hall for that purpose.

Remember that only members will be admitted to the meeting and allowed to vote.

SALARY SCHEDULE

Attached to this Update is the final salary schedule CSEA proposed to the College. This schedule would adjust salaries according to years in rank rather than by years of service at the College, as an earlier proposal did. Also included is a description of how to read and understand the schedule.

It is essential that all faculty understand that the College's final salary proposal would grant raises averaging 1.8% over the next 3.5 years. The College's final offer, presented during the fact-finding hearing, would grant a raise of 3% retroactive to January 1, 2001, an additional 2% raise retroactive to July 1, and a 3% raise effective July 1, 2003. No raise was specified for July 1, 2004. The College said it was offering 0% but would be willing to re-open discussion of a raise at that time. The average, then, over three and a half years, would be 1.8% a year under the College's final proposal.

This offer is a startling contrast to the nearly 12% raise given to managers earlier this year and the 4% raise (plus an 8% annual deferred bonus for 5 years of service-a total of $75,000-to be paid in 2004) given to the President. What's wrong with this picture?

PROGRAM COORDINATORS & LEAD INSTRUCTORS

Many of you have been contacted already about the status of program coordinators and lead instructors. We are proposing that program coordinators and lead instructors accept the roles for Winter Quarter only SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION OF A CONTRACT. That is, if we have not reached an agreement, current program coordinators and lead instructors will step down from those positions at the end of this quarter. These administrative functions by faculty are important both to the College and to many of us as faculty members, but the undefined scope of particular job duties has led to a host of abuses, particularly in small technical programs. We believe that, until we have reached a working agreement with the College, faculty should not take on additional job assignments beyond their teaching.

In the same way, we are encouraging all faculty not to take on overloads during Winter Quarter only SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION OF AN AGREEMENT. We have been willing, for the sake of our individual programs and our own financial rewards, to take on additional hours beyond the 16 required in our contracts. Doing so saves the College considerable money and administrative headaches (and also improves the ratio of courses taught by full-time faculty, a serious shortcoming noted in the last NCA report). We believe that, given the current position of the College on salaries, faculty should not take on additional work at this time.

If we can conclude an agreement, CSEA would encourage all faculty to maintain their program coordinator and lead instructor roles pending further discussion under the terms outlined in the tentative agreement reached during mediation. This agreement dictates formation of a special committee consisting of faculty and administrators to review and restructure these positions.

What's Really Happening 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