Thursday, July 26, 2007
IDEAS FOR CONVOCATION?
PJCFA has been asked to hold a session during Convocation from 8am - 10:30am. What a time slot! So go grab some coffee and pastries and head in to see what we've been up to. Right now the topics we have planned to cover are: CBA update, Initial Credentialing, Portfolios for Promotion, and Benefits of Membership. What else would you like to know more about? Presidential Search? Just let us know!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Florida Universities Brace for Budget Cuts; What does that mean for PJC?
From the Chronicle of Higher Education www.chronicle.com
issue dated 7/27/07
Florida Universities Brace for Budget Cuts
By LYNDSEY LEWIS
In muggy Gainesville, Fla., where college sports reign supreme, some leaders at the University of Florida are mulling the use of football tickets as a way to entice students to help cut costs.
To motivate students to graduate faster, the university may offer them a better chance of receiving tickets if they take on heavier course loads. The proposed policy is one of several money-saving measures under consideration at the institution, which faces a projected deficit of at least $20-million for the fiscal year that began July 1.
The University of Florida is not the only public college in the state trying to trim costs. After Gov. Charlie Crist blocked a 5-percent increase in statewide tuition in May, Florida's 11 public universities began bracing for a fallout. But the state's slumping housing market helped slow the economy, causing a shortfall in tax revenue that will force the colleges and other agencies to cut their budgets by at least 4 percent.
Now higher-education officials are drawing up plans to further shave costs with hiring suspensions, enrollment freezes, and other money-saving measures.
All told, the state's universities stand to lose at least $100-million with a 4-percent budget reduction, but the universities have been warned to prepare for a cut of up to 10 percent.
While midyear budget cuts are not as common as they were earlier this decade, public colleges in at least one other state, Maryland, have also been urged to tighten their belts.
The Board of Governors, which oversees Florida's public universities, will enforce a statewide enrollment freeze to cope with the deficit. Still, as colleges prepare for a tight year, administrators say their main priority is ensuring that students do not feel the brunt of budget-cutting efforts.
"Hopefully, we can shield them from most of the cuts," said J. Bernard Machen, president of the University of Florida.
That institution's 50,000 or so students are bound to notice some changes, though. After Mr. Crist reported the revenue shortfall, the University of Florida announced a campuswide hiring freeze.
Although there are no estimates on how many positions could be affected, Mr. Machen emphasized that the freeze is "not just a game."
Richard A. Yost, a chemistry professor at the University of Florida and chairman of the university's Faculty Senate, said faculty members would inevitably have to take on heavier teaching loads. "Given the size of the shortfall, I don't think the university has a lot of choices," he said.
The University of Central Florida, in Orlando, has instituted a similar hiring freeze, although certain positions can still be filled. For example, Central Florida is moving forward with plans to beef up its campus police force, and the university's planned medical school will also probably be an exception to the freeze.
But Central Florida, which is the state's fastest-growing institution, may still struggle to serve a booming population.
"That's going to be the biggest impact — the inability to hire faculty to meet our current enrollment," said Daniel C. Holsenbeck, a university spokesman.
Sudden Downturn
Even as administrators pledge to protect the quality of their institutions, students are growing wary of coming changes.
At Florida State University, which has instituted an enrollment freeze for the next admissions cycle, students seem "frustrated and disappointed at the same time," said Joseph O'Shea, the university's student-body president.
"It all happened so quick," he said.
The freeze will prevent Florida State from expanding its student body for the 2008-9 academic year, and the university is looking for other ways to trim about $15-million from its budget.
"You've got to go a long dang way to find that," said T.K. Wetherell, Florida State's president.
To save money, the university will cut back on some services. For example, the hours at campus libraries and computer labs may be reduced, Mr. Wetherell said. There will probably be fewer courses offered, and students will pay extra for transcript copies.
"We'll jack thermostats up in the summer and down in the winter," Mr. Wetherell added.
While Florida State is committed to shielding its student body as much as possible, Mr. Wetherell said, students are bound to feel some of the impact.
In Tampa, at the University of South Florida, administrators will feel it, too. This fall, the university's provost, Renu Khator, is scheduled to teach a beginner's-level Hindi class in addition to her administrative chores.
Other high-ranking officials at the University of South Florida, such as deans, may also be taking on teaching work, and the institution has announced its own hiring freeze.
Florida's 28 community colleges will also take a hit. Although the steps ordered by the Board of Governors do not affect those institutions, they are still set to lose money during the next year. The boards of trustees for each college have just begun to make plans for dealing with the budget cuts.
By the 2008-9 academic year, however, a few Florida universities will receive a boost. Mr. Crist recently signed a bill allowing the state's top three research institutions — the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida — to increase tuition by as much as 40 percent over several years.
Still, that measure will not take effect for another year, and it does not affect Florida's other eight public universities. The state's Board of Governors recently joined a lawsuit filed by a former U.S. senator, Bob Graham, to wrest control of tuition from the Legislature.
Mr. Graham, a Democrat who is also a former governor, hopes to secure that power for the Board of Governors so that it can raise tuition on its own. Although the Legislature approved a tuition increase this year, lawmakers have typically tried to keep rates low.
For now, though, all 11 of the state's public universities have to work with what they have.
"We've been doing a lot of planning to take these cuts, and we're trying to do it in a way so the students won't feel the pain," said Ms. Khator, of South Florida. "But it's very difficult."
Section: Government & Politics
issue dated 7/27/07
Florida Universities Brace for Budget Cuts
By LYNDSEY LEWIS
In muggy Gainesville, Fla., where college sports reign supreme, some leaders at the University of Florida are mulling the use of football tickets as a way to entice students to help cut costs.
To motivate students to graduate faster, the university may offer them a better chance of receiving tickets if they take on heavier course loads. The proposed policy is one of several money-saving measures under consideration at the institution, which faces a projected deficit of at least $20-million for the fiscal year that began July 1.
The University of Florida is not the only public college in the state trying to trim costs. After Gov. Charlie Crist blocked a 5-percent increase in statewide tuition in May, Florida's 11 public universities began bracing for a fallout. But the state's slumping housing market helped slow the economy, causing a shortfall in tax revenue that will force the colleges and other agencies to cut their budgets by at least 4 percent.
Now higher-education officials are drawing up plans to further shave costs with hiring suspensions, enrollment freezes, and other money-saving measures.
All told, the state's universities stand to lose at least $100-million with a 4-percent budget reduction, but the universities have been warned to prepare for a cut of up to 10 percent.
While midyear budget cuts are not as common as they were earlier this decade, public colleges in at least one other state, Maryland, have also been urged to tighten their belts.
The Board of Governors, which oversees Florida's public universities, will enforce a statewide enrollment freeze to cope with the deficit. Still, as colleges prepare for a tight year, administrators say their main priority is ensuring that students do not feel the brunt of budget-cutting efforts.
"Hopefully, we can shield them from most of the cuts," said J. Bernard Machen, president of the University of Florida.
That institution's 50,000 or so students are bound to notice some changes, though. After Mr. Crist reported the revenue shortfall, the University of Florida announced a campuswide hiring freeze.
Although there are no estimates on how many positions could be affected, Mr. Machen emphasized that the freeze is "not just a game."
Richard A. Yost, a chemistry professor at the University of Florida and chairman of the university's Faculty Senate, said faculty members would inevitably have to take on heavier teaching loads. "Given the size of the shortfall, I don't think the university has a lot of choices," he said.
The University of Central Florida, in Orlando, has instituted a similar hiring freeze, although certain positions can still be filled. For example, Central Florida is moving forward with plans to beef up its campus police force, and the university's planned medical school will also probably be an exception to the freeze.
But Central Florida, which is the state's fastest-growing institution, may still struggle to serve a booming population.
"That's going to be the biggest impact — the inability to hire faculty to meet our current enrollment," said Daniel C. Holsenbeck, a university spokesman.
Sudden Downturn
Even as administrators pledge to protect the quality of their institutions, students are growing wary of coming changes.
At Florida State University, which has instituted an enrollment freeze for the next admissions cycle, students seem "frustrated and disappointed at the same time," said Joseph O'Shea, the university's student-body president.
"It all happened so quick," he said.
The freeze will prevent Florida State from expanding its student body for the 2008-9 academic year, and the university is looking for other ways to trim about $15-million from its budget.
"You've got to go a long dang way to find that," said T.K. Wetherell, Florida State's president.
To save money, the university will cut back on some services. For example, the hours at campus libraries and computer labs may be reduced, Mr. Wetherell said. There will probably be fewer courses offered, and students will pay extra for transcript copies.
"We'll jack thermostats up in the summer and down in the winter," Mr. Wetherell added.
While Florida State is committed to shielding its student body as much as possible, Mr. Wetherell said, students are bound to feel some of the impact.
In Tampa, at the University of South Florida, administrators will feel it, too. This fall, the university's provost, Renu Khator, is scheduled to teach a beginner's-level Hindi class in addition to her administrative chores.
Other high-ranking officials at the University of South Florida, such as deans, may also be taking on teaching work, and the institution has announced its own hiring freeze.
Florida's 28 community colleges will also take a hit. Although the steps ordered by the Board of Governors do not affect those institutions, they are still set to lose money during the next year. The boards of trustees for each college have just begun to make plans for dealing with the budget cuts.
By the 2008-9 academic year, however, a few Florida universities will receive a boost. Mr. Crist recently signed a bill allowing the state's top three research institutions — the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida — to increase tuition by as much as 40 percent over several years.
Still, that measure will not take effect for another year, and it does not affect Florida's other eight public universities. The state's Board of Governors recently joined a lawsuit filed by a former U.S. senator, Bob Graham, to wrest control of tuition from the Legislature.
Mr. Graham, a Democrat who is also a former governor, hopes to secure that power for the Board of Governors so that it can raise tuition on its own. Although the Legislature approved a tuition increase this year, lawmakers have typically tried to keep rates low.
For now, though, all 11 of the state's public universities have to work with what they have.
"We've been doing a lot of planning to take these cuts, and we're trying to do it in a way so the students won't feel the pain," said Ms. Khator, of South Florida. "But it's very difficult."
Section: Government & Politics
CONVOCATION
PJCFA has been asked to conduct a workshop during Convocation. Topics that we've been asked to include are: CBA updates, initial credentialing, and the portfolio process. As it's scheduled now, PJCFA's time slot will be 8:00am -10:30am on August 20th. That's our first day back, so I'm not feeling great about attendance. Would it help to schedule the topics in 30 minute "blocks" so folks don't feel obligated to sit through more than they want to hear about? Help!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
TO CONSULT OR NOT TO CONSULT
Last night's Board of Trustees' meeting was pretty ho-hum until the topic of the Presidential Search came up.
Should a consultant group be hired to assist in the presidential search process? One BOT member was very much in favor of hiring a consultant. Her concern is that PJC presidential search should seek out the very broadest, deepest, and best qualified applicants. Can that caliber of applicants be found through the traditional channels of journal and newspaper advertising? Through networking? She believes that consultant groups may be aware of candidates who might not apply unless contacted by a consultant.
A number of BOT members feel comfortable with Dr. McLeod (who has been an active participant in the last two presidential searches) and other PJC people being completely in charge of the advertising, head-hunting aspects of getting qualified people into the applicant pool.
When it was all said and done, it was left up to the Presidential Search Process Committee to decide whether or not to hire a consultant group.
The other question that generated some discussion was the minimum qualifications - which are minimum. The minimum qualifications are an earned doctorate from an regionally accredited university or college. That's pretty darn minimum. Personally, I feel that the preferred qualities make up for keeping the minimum so minimal. But the question that arose was whether or not it was necessary for a candidate to have an earned doctorate. This topic had been the discussed at length during the Presidential Search Process Committee's meetings earlier this summer. After more discussion by the BOT, it was agreed that the minimum qualification would still be an earned doctorate.
Comments on using consultants? Requiring an earned doctorate?
Finally, it was announced that Mr. Vincent Andry will be the new President of the Board and Mr. John O'Connor will be the new Vice Chair.
Should a consultant group be hired to assist in the presidential search process? One BOT member was very much in favor of hiring a consultant. Her concern is that PJC presidential search should seek out the very broadest, deepest, and best qualified applicants. Can that caliber of applicants be found through the traditional channels of journal and newspaper advertising? Through networking? She believes that consultant groups may be aware of candidates who might not apply unless contacted by a consultant.
A number of BOT members feel comfortable with Dr. McLeod (who has been an active participant in the last two presidential searches) and other PJC people being completely in charge of the advertising, head-hunting aspects of getting qualified people into the applicant pool.
When it was all said and done, it was left up to the Presidential Search Process Committee to decide whether or not to hire a consultant group.
The other question that generated some discussion was the minimum qualifications - which are minimum. The minimum qualifications are an earned doctorate from an regionally accredited university or college. That's pretty darn minimum. Personally, I feel that the preferred qualities make up for keeping the minimum so minimal. But the question that arose was whether or not it was necessary for a candidate to have an earned doctorate. This topic had been the discussed at length during the Presidential Search Process Committee's meetings earlier this summer. After more discussion by the BOT, it was agreed that the minimum qualification would still be an earned doctorate.
Comments on using consultants? Requiring an earned doctorate?
Finally, it was announced that Mr. Vincent Andry will be the new President of the Board and Mr. John O'Connor will be the new Vice Chair.
TRUST AND RESPECT
We "think" we finished with this year's negotiations on Monday. Both sides hope that whatever is left to be done can be tweaked by email without requiring us to go to the table again.
Earlier this summer, Dr. Samuels said (perhaps tongue in cheek) that the reason we have a contract is that neither side trusts the other. I guess that statement will soon be put to the test.
The language that we have finally agreed on will allow faculty and department heads to agree on a schedule that gives faculty members "flexibility" in scheduling their office hours.
If the department head trusts the faculty to work as a professional and respects the faculty as a professional, all should be well. After all, doesn't the faculty member better know the time required to teach, administer and oversee the course successfully? Doesn't the faculty member better know when students need assistance and how the students prefer to receive that assistance - in the office, by email, or online in a chat room?
On the other hand, we recognize that the department also needs the faculty to be an active part of the department.
If the faculty member respects the needs of the department and trusts the department head to have the best interests of the department as well as interests of the student and the faculty member at heart, there should be no problem in creating a schedule that accommodates the needs of the student, the faculty, and the department.
Utopia, right? We'll see.
Earlier this summer, Dr. Samuels said (perhaps tongue in cheek) that the reason we have a contract is that neither side trusts the other. I guess that statement will soon be put to the test.
The language that we have finally agreed on will allow faculty and department heads to agree on a schedule that gives faculty members "flexibility" in scheduling their office hours.
If the department head trusts the faculty to work as a professional and respects the faculty as a professional, all should be well. After all, doesn't the faculty member better know the time required to teach, administer and oversee the course successfully? Doesn't the faculty member better know when students need assistance and how the students prefer to receive that assistance - in the office, by email, or online in a chat room?
On the other hand, we recognize that the department also needs the faculty to be an active part of the department.
If the faculty member respects the needs of the department and trusts the department head to have the best interests of the department as well as interests of the student and the faculty member at heart, there should be no problem in creating a schedule that accommodates the needs of the student, the faculty, and the department.
Utopia, right? We'll see.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
BARGAINING ON MONDAY
Many thanks to all of you who took the time to let me hear about your experiences and thoughts about distance learning and office hours. All your comments will be presented to the Bargaining Team.
Also, remember that anyone can attend bargaining sessions. We'll be bargaining again Monday, July 16, at 1pm in Room 416. You'd be welcome!
Also, remember that anyone can attend bargaining sessions. We'll be bargaining again Monday, July 16, at 1pm in Room 416. You'd be welcome!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
MORE DISTANCE LEARNING
Thanks to all who have posted their opinions. I truly appreciate Rodney for jumping in with a different opinion. There's still time for more discussion.
Monday, July 9, 2007
DISTANCE LEARNING ISSUES
I've mentioned that the other article (besides salaries) that is being negotiated this summer is about distance learning. It's time to poll the faculty.
Should faculty who teach a full load via distance learning have to come on campus for office hours? All of the office hours? A percentage of the office hours? A certain number each week? How much is enough?
Should faculty strictly adhere to the virtual office hours they post each term? That means only being online and/or answering emails when you said you would - not "just checking my email" and then spending half an hour or more during unscheduled office hours.
What suggestions do you have for reassuring admin that they are getting their money out of faculty who teach online?
Should faculty who teach a full load via distance learning have to come on campus for office hours? All of the office hours? A percentage of the office hours? A certain number each week? How much is enough?
Should faculty strictly adhere to the virtual office hours they post each term? That means only being online and/or answering emails when you said you would - not "just checking my email" and then spending half an hour or more during unscheduled office hours.
What suggestions do you have for reassuring admin that they are getting their money out of faculty who teach online?
BACK FROM VACATION
Well, I've broken not one, but two of the ten commandments of blogging - I went more than four days without a post and I didn't tell you that I wouldn't be posting for a while. Anyway, I did have a great visit with my dad and am now back at work. So here goes.......
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