What's Really Happening
Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of February 15, 2006
MEMBERSHIP REJECTS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT-NOW WHAT?
In voting on February 6 and 7, members of the CSEA rejected the tentative agreement reached January 23 by the CSEA Negotiating Team and Board negotiators.
Following the vote, members of the Negotiating Team informally discussed the vote with a broad sampling of members to determine reasons for rejection of the tentative agreement. The CSEA Executive Committee met last weekend and, in consultation with Association Representatives and committee chairs, agreed to the following guidelines for CSEA members and other faculty who support CSEA until further notice:
Program Coordinators & Lead Instructors
The Executive Committee encourages all faculty to continue to decline roles as program coordinators and lead instructors. Those who feel it necessary to take on these roles in order to maintain their technical programs should, pursuant to existing agreements already implemented by the administration, negotiate with their chairs the number of hours and the specific duties required for any reassigned time. These duties should be directly related to maintaining program continuity. Managerial functions, such as observing and supervising adjunct faculty, should be declined. Faculty members who experience problems in negotiating their reassigned time should contact their Association Representative.
Work to the Rule
Faculty should continue to work to the rule, declining committee work that does not directly benefit faculty. Junior faculty who are concerned about performing service necessary for promotion should keep in mind that any number of service categories now constitute activity that counts toward promotion. Since the new promotion guidelines allow faculty to select activity in a number of areas to qualify for promotion, faculty can fulfill requirements for promotion through various categories, including service to the profession, service to the community, and professional development. In the past several years, numerous faculty have cited their work with CSEA as service to the College. We encourage junior faculty to become more involved in CSEA service committees.
Work with Students & Student Organizations
As an exception to Work to the Rule, the Executive Committee encourages faculty to resume work with student organizations as advisors and mentors.
As of this writing, administrators have taken no action in response to rejection of the tentative agreement.
CSEA SPONSORS TEAM TO SUPPORT BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
CSEA will sponsor a team for The Race for the Cure, the annual fund-raising event to support breast cancer awareness and research. This 5k race/walk or 1-mile family fun walk will take place Saturday, May 20, starting at 9 a.m. downtown.
The Komen Race for the Cure is the largest series of fitness walk/runs in the world. The Race for the Cure not only encourages breast cancer awareness but uses its funds to help in research and development of breast cancer treatments. All full-time faculty encouraged to participate by participating directly or by pledging money to support those who do. Please contact Lisa Schneider or at x5124 if you would like to get involved.
JANUARY 26 BOARD MEETING REPORT
When 80 faculty, staff, and students attended the November Board meeting, several speakers petitioned the Board to address concerns about management of the College, particularly the noticeable decline in morale that has affected every aspect of College operations.
At the January meeting, in response to questions during the Public Comment portion of its agenda, the Board reported that it is looking into the issues raised in November. When asked what specifically is being done to investigate why employees seem so dispirited and how the Board intended to address morale issues, Board President Dr. Susan Finn explained, "Morale is everybody's responsibility."
The Board also received a financial report showing that the College has a $5 million positive variance on this year's budget. That is, because of increased enrollments and additional state funding, the College has $5 million that it did not expect to have at the beginning of the 2006 fiscal year.
The Board took no action on staff salaries or health care costs that were shifted to employees last year. This is a first in CSCC's history. Although employees have sometimes received lower pay increases when enrollment dipped or other expenses pinched the budget, the Board of Trustees has never failed to adjust salaries in January (the middle of the fiscal year) when it had money to do so.
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