Old Business

Bargaining

Since our last Senate update on March 12, we have had three additional bargaining sessions. This is mainly because of finals and spring break. This week, and also for the next two weeks after this week, we will have only one table bargaining session per week. This is mainly due to various other scheduling conflicts. However, in May we will return to bargaining twice each week.

Since our last report, one topic of conversation at several bargaining sessions has been student clubs and compensation for advisors (Article 18, Section 5). Tomorrow, we will have Connan and Rhondie join us at the table as content experts to help answer some questions about student clubs. There is shared interest by both sides of the table to simplify the way in which club advisors are compensated. Currently, there is a system that both sides feel is overly complex pertaining to the number of activities, special factors, etc. There are a few other topics related to club advising under discussion, and members of the bargaining team will be working to set up a meeting time, or possibly several meeting times, to solicit feedback from current club advisors.

In Article 7, Section 8, which is about Professional Leave, we have reached tentative agreement at the table that annualized faculty who have been with CCS for at least 6 years may now apply for a one-quarter sabbatical. This is a new benefit for annualized faculty, as previously sabbaticals were only available to tenured faculty. We recognize, however, that some annualized faculty have been here a long time and the only reason they remain annualized instead of tenure-track is their funding source. So, we wanted to give those folks a chance to experience a sabbatical. This is similar to the change we made last year where long-time annualized faculty could now access the early notification stipend for retirement.

Another tentative agreement reached is to include librarians in the language that currently exists in Article 4, Section 13, which is about extended contracts for Counselors. This section would now include librarians, which allows for librarians to have conversations about obtaining extended contracts during break periods, with mutual agreement.

We received suggestions related to student evaluations from the workgroup led by Angela Rasmussen. Our team has started looking those materials over and hopes to have a first draft to discuss at the table with administration sometime in the next two weeks.

Based on feedback from AHE Senate, we are still researching options related to the topic of independent study. Our goal is to ensure that the use of independent study is appropriate in the sense that it is voluntary on the part of faculty, and that it is not abused by deans as a way to avoid offering low-enrolled courses or exploring other course substitution options when possible. This will take some problem-solving, and nothing has been decided or changed on this topic at this time. We will check with stakeholders and with Senate, as it was clear to us from the March meeting that this is an important tool for some faculty. 

Elections

We are taking nominations for four positions for next year. The nominations need to be submitted to Scott Satake by the May 14th Senate meeting. All three AHE VP positions are up for election this year. The SCC Board Rep position is also up for nomination this year. At the May senate meeting anybody who has been nominated will be asked to stand in front of the Senate and give a two minute introduction/statement of interest on yourself. The voting will take place after the May senate meeting.

New Business 

Committees

The requests for the SCC committees have gone out to faculty. CCS committee requests have gone out to SCC faculty as well. AHE has not received the committee requests from SFCC yet, but that request will come out from Jackie as soon as we receive the list. SFCC faculty will receive requests for district committee positions from Bev at the same time that the requests from Jackie are sent out.

Chancellor Brockbank wants three names for each position, so please consider putting your name forward for multiple committees so that you will get picked for one.

Please be sure to also check the spreadsheet that went out with the solicitation emails if you are currently on a committee to see if your term is up this year. Sometimes folks don’t realize their term is up and are surprised when they are no longer part of a committee. If your term is up and you want to stay, be sure to put your name in again (although there are no guarantees you’ll get picked to remain on the committee). You can also check the spreadsheet to see if there is any information regarding what time of year a particular committee does most of its work or how many meetings it tends to have. Each committee also has a point of contact, so that would be the person to send questions if you want to familiarize yourself with a committee before volunteering.

You will likely see additional reminder emails come out next week about committee solicitation. Those emails are just a reminder. They are not an indication that you were not selected or that we didn’t get your name. We do our best to reply to each email letting you know that we got your name.  Bev uses the reactions in Outlook to let you know she has received your email. After we send the names to administration, SCC is planning to notify faculty of their selections during the week of June 3 – 7. So, if you are at SCC and you put your name in for something, you should get an email that week telling you whether or not you were selected. So don’t worry if you don’t hear anything from administration during the month of May.

Adjuncts are welcome to put your name in for committees, although there is no guarantee that you will be picked. Also, it is possible to receive a stipend for committee work as an adjunct but it is not guaranteed.

Forums

It is very important that faculty show up for the forums. It is also really important that you submit your feedback. Please make your feedback specific and clear so that individuals reading it can understand your thoughts exactly. You need to attend in-person to ask questions. Feedback on the SCC president finalists is due by April 17. If you missed any forum, all recordings will be available after the last forum.

Interviews were just wrapped up for the SFCC VPL search. Look for an email on when the forums are scheduled. It is important to attend and ask questions. Please provide feedback so faculty voices are considered. 

There will also be forums scheduled for SCC’s Vice President of Student Services. 

We know there are a lot of administrative searches right now, but it is really important to attend and give your input into the process.

NCHE Report

Six representatives from AHE attended the National Conference for Higher Education March 14-16. This is a conference intended to develop higher ed leaders within their local NEA affiliated unions. First, we have it really good at CCS. We have one of the strongest contracts and one of the strongest local units in the state, and we happen to live in one of the states that has strong laws protecting the rights of unions. One example that stood out was the story of a group of college faculty who were trying to unionize in an east coast state. They were told by administration that they could not conduct any union activities on campus. The faculty leaders set up a table at a campus fair type of event, and were subsequently arrested (and actually booked in jail) for trying to build their union on campus. Contrastingly, union activities are considered legitimate activities in our state and we are allowed to utilize campus resources to complete them. We also have a good relationship with administration instead of the adversarial relationship that exists at many colleges throughout the country. It was clear that we have a good situation here at CCS, but we also need to continue to work together and build unity within AHE. We need faculty to continue to be involved in AHE and work together in order to maintain the contract and role in shared governance that we have within CCS.

Here are a few other highlights:

• It is important for our newer faculty, who will be the backbone of CCS in the future, to get involved with AHE
• Higher education is developing and changing over the next 20 years; we need faculty voices in the room as significant decisions are being made
• AHE needs to be inclusive of all faculty (by being supportive, considering different viewpoints, etc.)
  • In order to do this we need to continue having our faculty being AHE members
  • We need strong faculty turnout at AHE meetings so that different faculty voices can be heard by AHE leadership
  • We also need faculty members to reach out to the AHE VPs and talk through questions, concerns, needs, etc., so that AHE can keep working to serve all of the faculty
  • AHE needs to understand and share the experiences of all of our faculty
• NEA is working on AI policy statements and has been seeking input from various perspectives on what the role of AI should, and shouldn’t be, in education
  • This includes how faculty should and shouldn’t use it
• Lots of strategies on how to increase and improve shared governance

Overall, I am grateful for all the work that has happened in our state to create an environment where faculty have a voice, and for all of the AHE leaders who have worked tirelessly to create such a great contract. I also am hopeful and confident that we can continue to have a great contract and make meaningful contributions at the state and national level by bringing new voices into AHE and continuing to build unity within all faculty. We need all of you.

We also met with Larry Delaney, WEA President. This helped to provide a better view of higher education’s involvement and needs, as well as build important connections at the state level.

One other thing that we learned from these events is the horror stories that happen across the country. We heard an example of this related to counselors. This helps us know about things to look for and fight for.

We know we have a lot more work to do for adjuncts, but we are also proud of some of the rights we have earned for our adjunct faculty. For example, adjuncts in many states do not have any benefits, sick leave, or retirement while also having lower pay. They also often don’t have the opportunity to earn affiliated stipends or several of the other opportunities that our adjuncts have. We will keep fighting to improve conditions for adjuncts, but we are happy that we have fought for and earned many rights for adjunct faculty.

President’s and Vice Presidents’ Reports

AHE President Bev Daily:

I want to reiterate to faculty on both campuses to be careful. There was an incident at SCC and an issue with connecting to security and the response time. Call 911 first if you are unsafe or being intimidated, then call security. Use security for non-threatening types of incidents. There are more physical interaction types of incidents occurring at both campuses, especially at SCC. 

Academic freedom is guaranteed in the contract. As departments and faculty are creating new content or teaching current classes, remember that faculty only need to meet the objectives of the content, they are not required to follow a specific format. Faculty may still decide how best to meet those objectives and may not be penalized for having a different class format. 

AHE is looking into a training that is being required of department chairs and club advisors based upon the Clery Act. 

New faculty need to complete in-person trainings. Reach out if you have questions on training requirements.

SCC VP Jason Eggerman:  

AHE would like to welcome SCC faculty Sean Blackburn (Electrical Maintenance), Karmen Blake (Software Development), and Stephen Hopkins (Nursing) to the ranks of tenured faculty. They were awarded tenure by the Board of Trustees at the March meeting.

SCC hosted one finalist for President yesterday and also hosted one today. The third finalist will visit campus on Friday. Please also be sure to take the time to provide your feedback on each candidate. The Vice President of Student Services screening committee reviewed a total of 13 applicants, and they are conducting eight interviews this week. Next week, they will deliberate and forward the names of their finalists. Be on the lookout for information about forums in late April or early May.

Faculty from the DEGA committee asked me to share that they are engaging in some data collection. This means faculty might be contacted by email to participate, and the DEGA committee hopes they consider participating. There is also a request for faculty to actively encourage students to participate, since survey participation rates were low last year, so they hope to improve this. The plan is to use the data to understand the campus climate and learn what improvements may be needed. Faculty can refer to the DEGA website to read more about this work and read last year’s report. https://scc.spokane.edu/Equity-Diversity-Inclusion The DEGA Committee expects the results of the Listening and Feedback Sessions to be available mid-June, and in fall 2024, they will develop their action items based on the results of that report.

Lastly, if your department is on cycle for an election this year, you should be hearing from your Dean next week about department chair elections. Please let us know if you have questions about the department chair election process.

SCC Extension VP Rob Deyo:

Remember that trainings are required for step advancement. Also, complete and send your professional development summary to your dean before June 30. Congratulations to Claire Dodd for attaining tenure. Please assist VP’s by reaching out to new hires in your areas about becoming a member.  Oftentimes hearing about the benefits of membership from those they work closely with has more of an impact than hearing from us, although we do reach out as well.  

Be sure to look at the fine print for committee solicitations. There may be specific department requirements. If faculty do not volunteer, administration may pick a faculty of their choosing.

SFCC VP Jackie Franklin:  

Please attend the forums for the VPL. It is very important to attend and provide your feedback. My job is to service my faculty, call me if you have questions or need help. The AHE VPs are here to problem solve for you.

Adjunct Representative Lena Lopez-Schindler:

If you teach six or more credits you must complete two 30-minute trainings. You may not be able to get a contract if they are not completed. It is also very important to complete the averaging form even if you do not currently need it.