August 21, 2015 Meeting

Agenda

Taft College Faculty Association Agenda

Friday, August 21, 2015

 

  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

 

  1. Faculty Evaluations and FSA

 

  1. Sick Leave

 

  1. Meetings with Admin

 

  1. TCFCBC Update
    1. 2015-16 Compensation and retro pay
    2. Voluntary Severance Package
    3. Division Chair Compensation Calculation Process
    4. Club Advisor Stipends
    5. Retiree Health Benefits for New Hires
    6. Sabbaticals
    7. 2015-16 Agenda Topics

 

  1. Benefit Brochure Handout

 

  1. Other

 

  1. Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 23, 2015, 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 12:16 p.m. and introduced new faculty, officers, and the TCFCBC team.

 

Approval of Minutes

David Layne made a motion, seconded by Mike Jiles, to approve the minutes. The motion was unanimously approved.

 

Treasurer’s Report

Cash Balance:

Treasurer Ruby Payne reported a balance of $6,428.74 before lunch. President Jones reported that no funds were used for a summer conference.

New Member Forms:

Treasurer Payne informed potential Association members that they can contact her for forms and updated everyone on the $5 increase in dues paid monthly by 10 tax-deductible payments.

 

Faculty Evaluations and FSA

President Jones summarized the faculty evaluation process. Evaluations take place in the fall. Evaluation documents are located online at the Faculty Resources/Forms page. During the first part of the semester, division chairs inform faculty about their peer committee members.

 

The Faculty Service Area (FSA) process, outlined in the contract under Appendix C, located online under Faculty Resources/Forms, was established by the Ed Code to form a seniority list. New faculty are placed in area(s) based on minimum qualifications. President Jones mentioned if any faculty thinks s/he qualifies in another service area, s/he should submit their application to the Director of Human Resources by October 1st.

 

President Jones also reminded the Association that 10-month faculty receive 70 hours of sick leave, 11-month faculty, 77 hours. Sick leave is credited the first day back. Additionally, she encouraged faculty to keep track of their sick leave and flex hours when they attend FIGs, FRED Talks (formerly Brown Bags), and non-required meetings scheduled during in-service. Additionally, questions should be directed to division chairs and/or President Jones. Also, all faculty members have the right to have a TCFCBC officer at meetings with administrators, particularly disciplinary meetings.

 

TCFCBC Bargain Updates

A). 2015-16 Compensation and Retro Pay:

President Jones reported that 1.02% COLA was negotiated and will be applied to compensation listed on the Extra Duty page as well as to club advisor and division chair compensation. Since this item must go through two readings, pending its second reading in September, COLA will be retroactively applied to July and represented on the new salary schedule.

 

B). Voluntary Severance Package:

President Jones reported that traditionally August meetings revisit this issue so that faculty can identify themselves if the District plans to offer a severance package. The District indicated it had no interest to offer it and cited that four faculty have already retired and that it was interested in retention. The bargaining team reached consensus on this issue.

 

C). Division Chair Compensation:

President Jones summarized that although the bargaining team already reached consensus and gained board approval on this issue with three stipends based on FTEFs and FTES, the Office of Instruction had to correct its initial calculation with the help of Greg Golling whom she thanked for working with Instruction during the summer. Division chair compensation is based on the previous calendar year’s spring, summer, and fall semesters divided by two.

 

In addition to correcting the calculation, the bargaining team addressed the Learning Support Division’s concern over fairness with the current FTEF and FTES calculation in a department comprised with some non-teaching faculty. Vicki Jacobi mentioned she would bring this issue to the Learning Support Division. The administration decided to separate the fairness issue from the calculation, which will be kept. Also, Bill Devine’s request to split the Liberal Arts Division would be considered a separate issue and would be addressed after it goes through the Academic Senate and Governance Council.

 

D). Club Advisor Stipends:

President Jones reminded everyone that applications reserved for 8 club advisor positions were due by 4 p.m. August 21st. President Jones clarified that faculty will be compensated for one club. If more than 8 faculty apply, then a committee will convene to select advisor positions. Additionally, if the interest exceeds the limit, then this topic could provide the bargaining team with more cachet if it revisits this topic. In addition, she provided an update on the status of the PTK Advisor position, which has been filled by a faculty member.

 

E). Retiree Health Benefits for New Hires:

President Jones summarized this topic as the following: The bargaining team already negotiated on retiree health benefits for employees hired after 2010 who would be eligible for retirement after 65. Professor Emeritus Craig Johnson mentioned in the May meeting that the bargaining team had already ceded 75% of its benefits to use as a bargaining tool. However, the District has to address its unfunded liability. In the August meeting, Mike Mayfield presented research on actuarial studies, updated every two years, that indicated consistent overestimation of liability contrasted to actual costs going back to 2006. President Jones outlined recruitment and retention as other factors that will be considered.

 

F). Sabbaticals:

President Jones mentioned that a process is in place to apply for sabbaticals but that the college president will announce how many will be available, if any, next week.

 

G). Agenda Topics:

The following topics were listed: class cancellation policy and faculty compensation in the form of an independent study, stipends for division chairs in the summer, and formal classification of program leads with release time. President Jones encouraged faculty to notify the bargaining team of new topics and mentioned that all grant-funded positions must consult with the Faculty Association President.

 

Benefit Brochure Handout

Brochures were passed out that identified services for Association members.

 

Other

The governor’s budget has allotted growth money for full-time hiring. The administration will be hiring two positions next year. In addition, the budget includes an increase in adjunct office hours.

 

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 1:06 p.m..

Supporting Docs

 

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