TCFA 032322

Taft College Faculty Association Agenda

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

1. Welcome

2. Approval of Minutes from February meeting

3. Treasurer’s Report

4. TCFCBC Update

A) Bereavement Leave

B) Adjunct List

C) Academic Freedom

D) CBA clarifications

5. Other

Next Tentative Meeting: Wednesday, April 28, 2021, Location: Cougar Room

or by Zoom ID#93911619851 (Every 4^th Wednesday)

Taft College Faculty Association

March 23, 2022 Minutes

Welcome & Introductions

President Payne welcomed faculty.

Approval of Minutes

A motion to approve the corrected minutes was made by D. Mitchell with a 2^nd from G. Golling, abstained by M. Oja and S. Eveland. The motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report

D. Mitchell reported an overall balance of $18,681.60 before lunch.

As follow-up from last meeting, D. Mitchell clarified with B. Amerio that the scholarship offer instructions are clear to the recipient to notify the college within two weeks of enrollment for either fall or spring to receive the scholarship.

Taft College Faculty Collective Bargaining Committee (TCFCBC) Update:

• Bereavement leave – language to include writing in red: Normally, the Leave shall commence within (7) calendar days from the date of the death or scheduled servicesof the family member and the days used shall be taken consecutively, unless authorization is obtained from the District. A motion by M. Mayfield with a 2^nd from S. Eveland to add the or scheduled services language to 5.5.3. The motion carried.
• Academic Freedom – Topic to be continued to next meeting in April as administration is still in consultation with the lawyer. S. Eveland asked the Academic Senate be consulted on this topic as it relates to 10+1. President Payne will forward any language to the Faculty Association including Academic Senate President S. Eveland once it is discussed. V. Jacobi stated that academic freedom is mentioned in the college catalog and there is a time-frame for publishing. Any changes would then be seen in the catalog addendum.
• Adjunct List – President Payne updated faculty that Division Chairs will receive a list of the past three years adjuncts. M. Mayfield added that Office of Instruction will keep the records for up to five years. A. Abbott asked if the list was by seniority rank. M. Mayfield clarified that the list keeps track of past courses and number of sections an adjunct has taught in the past three years. M. Oja asked why is this a topic, was there a change made to the contract. President Payne explained that people like K. Weber were still on the list and he is full-time so the listed needed to be updated and no it is not a contract change but the intent of the contract needed to be memorialized. M. Oja asked if full-time faculty who work in other disciplines will be included on this list. President Payne clarified that a full-time faculty is never an adjunct. The bargaining team made clear to administration the definition of a faculty member includes anyone working full-time at the college. The contract does not differentiate between non-teaching and teaching except in the section on what constitutes a non-workday. Anywhere else in the contract when the term faculty is used, it is for all faculty. The adjunct term does not apply to full-time faculty. Full-time faculty may work in overload and have extra duty assignments, but they are never adjuncts. Section 6.5 states that tenured faculty are given first consideration. First consideration is explained in section 6.5.1 as full-time faculty who meet minimum qualifications are always assigned before an adjunct. If there is an issue with load the VPI will contact the faculty member and have a conversation about re-assignment. The Faculty Association will move forward with a formal grievance as this process has not been followed. President Payne expects the Vice President of Instruction to be clear and transparent, fair and equitable, and consistent when it comes to course assignments.

Other:

The team will be meeting regarding the 50% law today in the afternoon and will report back during next months meeting.

Observation of a tenured faculty member by an administrator can be requested by any faculty member at any time. President Payne asks for any faculty who has invited the Vice President of Instruction to observe their class to let her know simply to keep a record. The Vice President of Instruction informed President Payne that some faculty (10-15) confided in her that they feel like they did not have a choice in their vote made in March 2021 Faculty Association meeting where it was voted by the majority to not change the tenured faculty evaluation process to include classroom evaluations and/or observations by administration.  This meeting also included a majority vote regarding evaluating non-teaching faculty who are teaching in overload. Although the VPI stated the intent was not to be used for disciplinary reasons that could change at any time. President Payne apologized to anyone who felt they couldn’t vote no.  President Payne reminded them they could invite L. Minor to observe their class at any time. Any faculty member can invite anyone, including any administrator to their class regardless of it being the evaluation cycle or not. President Payne stated regardless the vote would still stand to not change the evaluation process for tenured faculty to include a classroom observation by administration as there are fifty-seven faculty members.

S. Eveland encouraged the faculty to look at A call for public comment on the Title 5 recommendations that may be moving forward to the Board of Governors wanting to add Cultural Competency as a category to the evaluation of new and tenured faculty members. President Payne made note and will look closely at the topic as it is a topic that would have to be bargained unless it becomes law. President Payne also shared that a Cultural Competency Curriculum Audit track will be available as in upcoming in-service track.

Adjourned at 12:36pm

Next Tentative Meeting: Wednesday, April 27, 2022, Location: Cougar Room or by Zoom ID#93911619851 (Every 4^th Wednesday