August 22, 2014 Meeting

Agenda

Taft College Faculty Association Agenda

Friday, August 22, 2014

 

  1. Welcome and Lunch

 

  1. Introductions
    1. New Faculty
    2. Officers
    3. TCFCBC Team

 

  1. Approval of Minutes from May meeting

 

  1. Treasurer’s Report
    1. Cash balance
    2. New member forms
    3. Conference expenditures

 

  1. TCFCBC Update
    1. 2014-15 Compensation and retro pay
    2. 2014-17 Contract
    3. Evaluation Procedures
    4. Sabbaticals
    5. Voluntary Severance Package
    6. Division Chair Compensation and Selection Process
    7. 2014-15 Agenda Topics

 

  1. Benefit Brochure Handout

 

  1. Other

 

  1. Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 12:10pm, Location: Cougar Room (Lunch will be provided) (Every 4th Wednesday)

Minutes

Call to Order

President Diane Jones called the meeting to order at 12:37 p.m.

 

Approval of Minutes

Dave Layne made a motion, seconded by Michelle Oja, to approve the minutes as presented.

 

Treasurer’s Report

Cash Balance

Treasurer Ruby Payne reported a balance of $8,581.30 before lunch and reminded new faculty members about new member forms.

CCA Conference

President Diane Jones covered the conference details that she and Ruby Payne attended over the summer, and although they requested $500 from The Association, most of the costs were paid for by CTA. Diane was issued a check for $69.14 for meal costs. Ruby has not received her reimbursement yet. Any amount dispersed to her will be reported at the next meeting. She further reported that the conference was very educational and provided an opportunity for networking.

 

Taft College Faculty Collective Bargaining Committee (TCFCBC) Update

  1. 2014-2015 Compensation and Retro Pay

President Diane Jones reported the Board approved an .85% COLA in August that was added to the salary schedule and discussed how the Frey Report, our benchmark, has been beneficial to our contract language in establishing a precedent to pass on COLA, a practice that Dr. Dena Maloney extended to her contract, potentially indicative of a shared interest. President Diane Jones also mentioned that 11- and 12-month employees and faculty who taught in the summer will receive retroactive pay. According to HR, the pay will be applied September 10th for full-time employees, September 15th for adjuncts.

  1. 2014-2017 Contract,

President Diane Jones announced that she distributed the updated contracts, which are also available under “Faculty Resources,” in the Association members’ mailboxes.

  1. Evaluation Procedures

President Diane Jones reported that the newly updated evaluation forms and procedures can be accessed online under “Faculty Resources” and explained that non-tenure faculty should know whom their peer team is within a week or two after the fall 2014 semester begins.

  1. Sabbaticals

President Diane Jones outlined the newly negotiated contract language for sabbaticals as the following: in the new contract, the Superintendent will announce how many sabbaticals, if any, will be offered in September for the following academic year. The contract language can be found on the “Faculty Resources” page.

  1. Voluntary Severance Package

President Diane Jones reported that during the August TCFCBC meeting, the Board expressed decreased interest in offering a Voluntary Severance Package. She indicated that while this item has been part of the annual process of the new academic year, the Board and Administration have made it clear that the Voluntary Severance Package isn’t guaranteed. She reported that traditionally when the budget is decent, the Board is less inclined to relinquish experienced faculty.

President Diane Jones mentioned an alternative to this agenda item—Early Notification—that would incentivize prospective retirees with a $2,000 stipend for notifying the Board of retirement by December 1st. Since the issue departed from the Voluntary Severance Package, it was tabled. She mentioned that the faculty representatives were interested in maintaining this distinction to deter the Board from replacing and/or confusing it as an either/or bargaining item with the Voluntary Severance Package. Some discussion ensued over whether the stipend was commonplace in a contract or more of a negotiable item. Craig Johnson clarified that Bakersfield College has the Early Notification in their contract.

  1. Division Chair Compensation and Selection Process

President Diane Jones summarized that Mark and the subcommittee plan to meet to gather the division chairs’ opinions, and she expressed the Association’s interest in not prolonging the process but that facts will be needed to provide direction for bargaining. Additionally, she volunteered to review contracts regarding the selection process for division chairs and stressed the importance of memorializing the process by further finessing the language. Other ideas regarding selection included reinstating what it had been in the past, a two-year rotating position.

Contract Clarifications

President Diane Jones mentioned that currently the alternative committee assignment should be a project that takes approximately 10 hours/per year as per the contract. Additionally, she addressed Salary Credit for Conferences must align with the contract but could be negotiated if there is an interest. She clarified that other contract language requires 35 hours per week, or an average of 7 hours/day and emphasized that it was in the Association’s interest to maintain flexibility in the schedule. Independent Study was also mentioned as another item for clarification as the current contract does not include this option, even though it has been offered as an alternative for low enrolled class. Vicki Jacobi stressed that transfer-level courses that meet C-ID can’t be modified to fit an independent study framework. President Diane Jones added that the District has a history of supporting low enrollment.

  1. 2014-2015 Agenda Topics

President Diane Jones asked the association for a list of topics, which included a stipend for administering the High School Equivalency Exam, compensation for faculty teaching noncredit courses, Club Advisor compensation, Independent Study, Committee Chair compensation, and review and clarification of the Alternative Assignment Committee Request.

 

Benefit Brochure Handout

President Diane Jones mentioned that Association members can log onto CTA’s website for benefit information, such as California Casualty providing a discount for educators. Mariza Martinez added car rentals can be found at a discount while Ruby Payne recommended the VPN link to negotiate better deals.

Other

President Diane Jones read a thank you letter from a scholarship recipient. Tori Furman advertised that she provides classroom visits and presents career options for students.

 

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 1:27 p.m..

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