Executive Council Meeting Summaries:
May 4, 2007
April 6, 2007
March
2, 2007
February 2, 2007
January 12, 2007
December 1, 2006
November 3, 2006
October 6, 2006
September 12, 2006
June 2, 2006
May 5, 2006
April 6, 2006
Summary of Minutes from the May 4th, 2007
Meeting
Guests Inger McDowell (organizer) and Mo Fox (nurse) presented on the
movement to organize nurses in the Legacy Health System. Mo Fox also talked
about the campaign to legislate nurse/patient ratios.
The Federation is still actively seeking candidates to fill Council positions
that are open. Deadline for nominations is May 18th. Contact David Rives
or Alan Cordle if you are interested in serving on the Council.
The Council approved appointment of a new part-time instructor for the
Nutrition Department to come in at Step 3 because of her specialized skills.
The Council reviewed the results of two surveys that were sent out to
membership: a faculty opinion survey regarding salary and benefits and a
part-time health insurance survey.
The Council discussed the logistics of offering part-timers a health insurance
plan. Matters such as eligibility, cost, and choice of plans were discussed.
President Dembrow noted that the Faculty Federation is now in its 35th
year.
The PCC budget has been approved based on the Governor's budget for community
colleges. Members are encouraged to lobby state legislators to increase the
budget offering from the current offer by the Co-chairs of the House Ways
and Means Committee.
The Council discussed sending out a survey to membership
regarding a possible tobacco ban at PCC.
Summary
of Minutes from the April 6th, 2007 Meeting
Council elections for the following positions will be held
before the end of Spring quarter: three Vice-presidents
for Membership, Secretary, COPE Vice-president, NOLC Delegate, Publicist,
and two Vice-presidents each for Rock Creek, Cascade, and Extended Learning
Campus. Contact Alan Cordle or David Rives if you wish to run or nominate
a colleague for a Council position.
The Council voted to donate $250
to the National Nurse Campaign.
The Council formally approved PCCFF
resolutions to be presented at the AFT-Oregon Convention this month. These
resolutions were: High Sustainability Standards for CC and OUS Construction,
FACE (Faculty and College Excellence Act) Legislation, Funding Transition
to New High School Graduation Requirements, Resolution to Financially Empower
Teachers in the State of Oregon, and the Oregon Coalition of Contingent
Academic Labor (Oregon COCAL) resolution.
Negotiations will soon reopen on salary and health benefits.
The Federation's bargaining team will consist of Michael
Dembrow, Michael Cannarella, Frank Goulard, Eddie Lincoln, David Rives.
Jennifer Alkezweeny and Caralee Angell, Council members,
spoke about efforts to organize spring events for APs and Part-time instructors
respectively.
The Council discussed a proposal for the reestablishment
of intercollegiate athletics at PCC.
Council members reviewed two surveys that will be sent to members prior
to bargaining, one on contract issues and one specifically addressing part-time
health care issues.
President Dembrow presented the latest "new initiatives" list
from the PCC Cabinet. Some items from the previous list had been deleted.
All Management projects remain on the list, however.
Summary of Minutes from
the March 2nd, 2007 Meeting
Student Senator Nathan Jones spoke about his campaign to
reform PCC's shuttle system, part of a nationwide sustainability effort known
as Campus Climate Challenge. The shuttle plan would
have three parts: 1) have the shuttles run on fuel that is 20% biodiesel;
2) refuel on campus; 3) double the number of shuttles and add some stops.
Regarding resolutions for the Oregon-AFT Convention in
April, the Executive Council approved the proposed
resolution in support of forming the Oregon Coalition of Contingent Academic
Labor (Oregon COCAL), a group formed to advocate for the rights of college
part-time instructors.
Four other proposed resolutions were mentioned, but needed
to be written up in final form. These resolutions were: 1) Resolution
to Financially Empower Teachers in the State of Oregon. Under this proposal,
instructors would have to sign off on an institution's budget plan before
it could be implemented. 2) High Sustainability
Standards for CC and OUS Construction. 3) FACE (Faculty and College Excellence
Act) Legislation. 4) Funding Transition to New High School Graduation Requirements.
The Council supported funding up
to 20 members as attendees at the AFT Higher Education Conference in Portland,
March 30th - April 1st. Attendees should report back on their experience.
The Joint Committee on Benefits is
still discussing the establishment of a part-time health insurance pool
at P.C.C.
Negotiations will begin soon, focusing on part-time health
insurance benefits and COLA increases. A small negotiating team will be formed.
Members are encouraged to journey to Salem on March 28th
to support FACE legislation.
There will be four contested seats
on the P.C.C. Board. The Federation will interview all potential candidates
Summary
of Minutes from the February 2nd, 2007 Meeting
The Council voted to send 10 delegates to the annual AFT-Oregon Convention,
to be held in Sunriver, April 20th-22nd. Nominations from the membership
will be solicited.
Council member Toby Dittrich proposed a bill which will deny state funding
to any institution that does not permit faculty participation in the institution's
budget approval process. This will be worked into a resolution for presentation
at the AFT-Oregon Convention.
The Council voted to support the Peace Action Now rally, scheduled for
March 18th in Portland to protest the continued occupation of Iraq.
Various Council members summarized the sessions they attended at the AFT-Oregon
Winter School in Newport.
Michael Cannarella reported on his visit to the Coffee Creek prison facility,
where 11 PCC faculty and APs are employed.
The Council discussed the Faculty and College Excellent Campaign, a proposed
bill which would require state institutions to address part-time equity issues
and increase the numbers of full-time faculty.
Summary
of Minutes from the January 12, 2007 Meeting
The PCCFF will donate $1,000 to the Doreen Margolin Memorial Fund, in memoriam
of the recently deceased Chair of the PCC Board of Directors.
Michael M. brought up contributions to the PCC Foundation (of which the
above memorial is a part of). Currently, $300,000 a year is given in scholarships.
The target is $1 million a year. Eddie L., who was involved in the last Foundation
campaign, said we should soon see another campaign raise employee contributions.
Michael C. suggested featuring the Foundation in an article in The Gathering.
Michael D. raised the issue of our contract re-opener, with negotiations
to begin in spring. Members of the Joint Committee on Insurance Benefits
(Michael Dembrow, Maurge Dulaney, David Rives, and Michael Cannarella, along
with Classified and Management representatives) have been working toward
a concrete proposal for health care coverage for part-time faculty. We will
also continue on our 8-year plan for increasing college contributions for
plus-one and family insurance policies.
Different methods of salary increases were discussed, such as cost-of-living
adjustments (COLA) across the board, higher COLA for part-time faculty in
the interest of equity, increasing steps, and/or paying premiums or bonuses.
Michael D. handed out a line graph that showed a plummeting drop in sabbaticals
awarded since 1995-1996, as shown in the number of terms granted (from 56
terms to 16 terms). The reverse side also showed that the number of 3-term
sabbaticals has dropped from a high of 16 in 1995-1996 to 1 in 2006-2007.
Michael D. handed out a list of priorities that the
administration has set for increases in the college budget. This is the
first time they have prioritized their proposals, most probably due to
the Federation’s
criticism of past proposals. Several full-time faculty positions that have
been in jeopardy since the budget cuts of the previous biennium are at the
top of the list. There are also about 20 new full-time faculty positions
proposed, all of them for new sections, rather than replacing existing part-time
sections.
Michael D. gave an update on part-time voting rights
in SACs. Currently, about 5 or 6 SACs still don’t allow part-time
faculty any kind of voting rights.
Summary
of Minutes from the December 1, 2006 Meeting
The Council approved an increase in the annual contribution to Jobs With
Justice. Also, Eddie Lincoln, Executive Vice-president, was appointed to
be the Federation's liaison with Jobs With Justice.
The Federation has filed a grievance on behalf of part-time faculty so
that step movement and compensation for designated writing courses will be
based on credit hours rather than contact hours. Currently, the college is
not including holidays and inservice days in the calculations.
There was some discussion about a part-time health insurance pool for
PCC employees. Eligibility (e.g. number of contact hours) has yet to be determined.
The Council discussed the issue of part-time voting
in SACs. Michael Dembrow presented figures indicating that most SACs allow
part-timers to vote although some have restrictions, such as only those
with assignment rights. There are a few SACs that do not allow part-timers
to vote.
Summary
of Minutes from
the November 3rd, 2006 Meeting
The Council is participating in discussions with Tri-Met for subsidized bus
passes.
The PCCFF annual book sale will take place in the Sylvania
CC Building, November 14th and 15th.
The Council rejected the idea of a grace period for union
dues rebate requests.
Eddie Lincoln, PCCFF Executive Vice-president, was appointed
to the CAM (Contract Administration).
Council members signed up for phone banks and neighborhood
walks to canvas before election day.
The Council supports the distance learning class size committee's
recommendation that the standard limit for DL classes be 25.
The Joint Committee on Insurance is working on defining
a part-time pool for health insurance.
The Council will come up with a statement
on part-time voting in SACs.
__________________________________________________________
Summary of Minutes from
the October 6, 2006 Meeting
Karen Jolly presented the EAC Textbook Task Force’s proposals for
reducing the cost of textbooks. PCCFF had sent resolution to National AFT
Convention on textbook affordability, but it wasn’t ratified due
to overfull agenda. It is scheduled to be deliberated for passage by AFT
National Board next month
Llast April, management announced they were increasing Distance Learning
class sizes to 35 students. Frank G. has met with department representatives
and found that studies do not back the larger sizes and will meet with
the Deans of Instruction to present this.
The Joint Committee on Insurance Benefits is proceeding with a proposal
for health insurance for part-time instructors.
__________________________________________________________
Summary
of Minutes from the September 12, 2006 Retreat
The Executive Council met at the McMenamin's
Kennedy School on September 12th for its annual retreat.
An action plan for the coming year was
devised. The most important goals were to:
1) negotiate a successful
contract re-opener;
2) build awareness on PT/FT
inequity;
3) get a commitment from
the college on the PT/FT ratio;
4) participate in EAC deliberations;
5) execute a successful political action
campaign for the November election;
6) fill vacant Council and Fed Rep positions;
7) increase membership significantly;
8)
increase COPE participation significantly.
There will be an
emphasis on re-connecting with members via Fed Reps and
campus vice-presidents.
Several guests were
welcomed for the lunch hour. They were: Preston Pulliams,
President of PCC; Doreen Margolin, Chair of the PCC Board;
Rob Wagner, Director of Political Action and Legislative
Affairs for AFT-Oregon; Barbara Byrd, Secretary/Treasurer
of the AFL-CIO in Oregon; and Lucia Barnett, President
of the Classified Federation.
The PCCFF donated $1,000 to the Friends
of Larry Galizio campaign.
____________________________________________________________
Summary
of minutes from the June 2, 2006 meeting:
The Federation's proposed 2006 - 2007 budget was approved.
AFT says there should be no issue with
the Federation instituting the "advance
rebate" method of dues collection, whereby all employees
get the same dues deduction, but non-members who so choose
may request a rebate of part of that assessment.
Council elections for several positions will be conducted
through campus mail. Ballots are due by Friday, June 9th.
There are still a couple of spaces for part-time instructors
who wish to attend the COCAL Conference in Vancouver, British
Columbia, August 10th - 13th.
The Federation is gathering information
about CEU "casual" faculty
who could be organized into a separate bargaining unit.
The Council agreed to donate $500 to the ASPCC towards sponsoring
a student trip to New Orleans for clean-up and rebuilding.
The Council agreed to sponsor campus space
at Cascade for the summer "boot camp" of the PolitiCorps
Bus Project.
The Council discussed PCC's sustainability effort with Noelle
Studer, facilities coordinator for this effort.
The Council maintained its position that distance learning
class size should be decided by the SACs.
The Federation is willing to entertain Management's proposal
that routine assessments of full-time faculty be changed from
once every three years to once every five years providing that
there be an annual meeting between individual faculty members
and their deans.
There have been 35 - 40 new sign-ups in the Federation's COPE
campaign.
The "Spring Fling" party for
part-timers at Sylvania, organized by Caralee Angell, saw
a good turnout.
The next PCC bond measure, a $300 million request, was discussed.
The measure asks for parking structures, new offices and new
buildings. Some Council members said they would support the
measure unless Management comes up with a proper plan to support
this new infrastructure with more full-time faculty, AP, and
staff hires, etc.
Submitted by John Sparks, Secretary,
PCCFF
__________________________________________________
Summary of minutes from the May
5, 2006 meeting:
Susanne Christopher, guest presenter, reviewed staff development
opportunities and the assessment process for Management.
The Council approved a donation to support the efforts
to form a Working Families Party in Oregon.
The Treasurer gave a review of the proposed 2006-07 PCCFF
budget.
Michael Dembrow spoke about the need
to organize CEU teachers, currently classified as "casual employees," in
the Institute for Health Professionals, which falls under the umbrella
of the Extended Learning Campus.
The Council approved an initiative
to go ahead and explore a different method of dues collection. Under the
current system, fair share (non-members) employees are assessed a different
rate than members. Under the proposed system, called the "advance rebate" system,
fair share employees and federation members alike will have the same dues
deduction; fair share employees, however, will have the chance to request
a rebate on part of the dues.
There are several opportunities for members to develop
labor relations skills coming up. AFT-Oregon's Summer School is being
held the weekend of June 2nd at Hood River. The COCAL (Coalition for
Contingent Academic Labor) Conference will take place in Vancouver, B.C.,
from August 10th-13th. Part-time members are encouraged to apply. The
AFL-CIO's Summer School will be July 28th-30th in Eugene.
Submitted by John Sparks, Secretary,
PCCFF
________________________________________________
Summary of minutes from the April
6, 2006 meeting:
Caralee Angell, part-time instructor in German at Sylvania, was appointed
Vice=president for Membership Part-time. She succeeds David Rives, who
is now the Vice-president for Grievance Part-time.
The PCCFF Executive Council endorsed Jim Hill, candidate
for the office of Governor, State of Oregon, and agreed to contribute $1,000
to his campaign.
Barbara Byrd, of the Working Families Party, spoke to
the Council, passed out signature sheets, and explained the concept of fusion
voting.
The Council approved the sending of one delegate to the
AFT National Convention in Boston.
Management's proposal to raise the class size for distance
learning classes was discussed. The Federation will respond through the grievance
process.
A coming PERS "windfall" of $5 million
was discussed. The Federation will try to ensure that as much of this as
possible will be used to address the full-time part-time ratio.
Federation members were encouraged to contribute to COPE
through payroll deduction.
Submitted by John Sparks, Secretary, PCCFF
