Monday, December 1, 2008

Fired professor claims harassment by Daytona State College

By MARK HARPER
Staff writer
View article from the Daytona Beach News Journal at http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/EastVolusia/evlEAST04112808.htm

DAYTONA BEACH -- A fired Daytona State College professor intends to sue the school, claiming he was mistreated after urging union representation.

Nicholas Ruiz III, who until October was an associate professor of humanities, will ask for almost $1.5 million in lost wages, compensatory damages and punitive damages, according to court papers.

In documents, he describes "a hostile work environment," negligence, retaliation, harassment and defamation of his reputation, among other issues.

Rand Spiwak, the college's executive vice president, declined Tuesday to comment on Ruiz's allegations.

In the documents, Ruiz includes an e-mail he circulated among faculty members Oct. 23 in which he suggests "it is time" Daytona State's faculty have the United Faculty of Florida represent the faculty in collective bargaining. The college has an inactive, "at-large" chapter of the UFF whose president, Jerry Swanson, recently retired.

A week after Ruiz sent his e-mail, on Oct. 31, college President Kent Sharples fired the second-year professor.

English Department Chairman Evan Rivers and Michael Vitale, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, told Ruiz on Oct. 21 they were recommending his termination because of his refusal to meet with his supervisor and unwillingness to cooperate and work within the college's collaborative environment.

Ruiz denied refusing to meet with his boss. Ruiz contends Rivers asked him to understate his professional goals and activities on a form designed to determine his future employment, tenure and compensation because "he would not like to have the extra work of ensuring that I accomplished all the goals I had listed."

Rivers refused to respond when Ruiz complained the request violated the college's code of conduct and ethics, Ruiz said.

mark.harper@news-jrnl.com

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

FEA agrees higher education needs help, but not on increasing the tuition burden

Florida Education Association President Andy Ford said today that he was glad that Gov. Charlie Crist finally has acknowledged that the state’s universities and community college need an infusion of funding to continue to offer a high quality education to tens of thousands of students.

But Ford said he thought the proposal for tuition increases and reducing the amount of coverage in some cases offered by the Bright Futures scholarship program represented an unacceptable financial burden to many struggling Floridians.

“The governor was correct that higher education in Florida is in danger of losing some of its top minds in the university system and will continue to struggle to attract qualified faculty members,” Ford said. “But placing the responsibility for increased funding solely on the backs of students and their parents isn’t fair.”

Ford said he shared the concerns of Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee, who said Thursday that the governor’s proposal would put higher education even further out of reach for Floridians at a time when the state ranks among the highest in the nation for job loss, home foreclosures and bankruptcies.

Ford repeated his call for a short-term increase in the state’s sales tax, dedicated to all levels of public schools. The FEA proposal would increase the state sales tax by a penny for three years, which would raise more than $3.5 billion a year for public education. This would offset budget cuts that have slashed the state’s support for public education from kindergarten through college. It would also buy time for political leaders to improve the state’s tax structure so that there isn’t a funding crisis every time there’s an economic downturn.

“Students in school shouldn’t suffer because of an economic downturn,” Ford said. “Florida’s children are this state’s future and we should make sure they can continue receiving a high-quality education.”

Friday, November 21, 2008

CONGRATS TO GONZALEZ AND LEVINS

If you're like me, you are way behind on any reading for pleasure. It was nice to have a few minutes yesterday to kick back with the local magazine Bella.

On page 47, in an article entitled "What's for Dinner?" PJC's Professor Gloria Gonzalez and Dr. Janet Levins participate in a Q&A session about the benefits and the how-to of a vegetarian diet. Gonzalez serves as the Nutrition and Dietetic Technician Program Coordinator.

Great publicity for the College and the program!

Monday, November 17, 2008

PJC NURSING PROGRAM TAKES TOP RANK

Hopefully, you all saw the wonderful news about the PJC Practical nursing program in Friday's (Nov. 14, 2008) Pensacola News Journal.

PJC's practical nursing program received the No. 1 ranking out of 1,036 U.S. programs. The other great news was that the program earned a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nursing, a semiannual, comparative review of nursing programs.

Congratulations to the nursing faculty and to the practical nursing students!

Friday, November 14, 2008

PERC: Public Employees Relations Commission

Two questions that were asked yesterday had to do with PERC (the Public Employees Relations Commission) and I thought it best to answer those here.

How does PERC operate?
That can best be answered by directing you to the PERC website at http://perc.myflorida.com/.

In our current position of impasse, this applies: "The Commission has an Impasse and mediation coordinator who oversees and orchestrates federally provided mediators and private employed arbitrators to resolve impasses in labor negotiations." More information on the impasse process can be found at Section 447.403 through 447.407, Florida Statutes (2007) and Florida Administrative Code Rule 60CC-3.003-3.008.

Who makes up the current PERC Board?
Pursuant to Chapter 447, Part II, Florida Statutes, the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) consists of three commissioners appointed by the governor for over lapping terms of four years, subject to Senate confirmation. One of the commissioner positions is designated as Chair. The Chair of PERC serves as chief executive and administrative officer of the agency.

Members of the Commission
Chair Stephanie Williams Ray
Commissioner Charles H. Kossuth Jr.
Commissioner Jessica E. Varn

Information about each Commissioner can be found by visiting the PERC website and following the links.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Many thanks to all who attended yesterday's general membership meeting and to those who called to let me know you could not attend because of class, labs, or clinics.

The Communicator was distributed as well as other informational handouts. If someone from your department attended, they will be bringing back that information for distribution. The remaining Communicators will be delivered to campus mailboxes.

The discussion was helpful to everyone including the negotiating team. One main thing that people wanted to know was what could they do. The best thing you can do is to continue to perform your professional duties in your normal professional manner. While being at impasse is very hard on morale, I would encourage each of you to continue to step up to that challenge and not let that be a stumbling block to your service to your students and the College.

What else can you do?

  • You have the right to contact the Board of Trustees and make them aware of your position. (See earlier postings for names and addresses of BOT members.)
  • You have the right to attend the Board of Trustees' meeting this coming Tuesday, November 18 at 5:30pm in the District Board of Trustees' room in Bldg. 7.
  • You have the right to express your opinions to the local media.
  • You have the right to express your opinion to those you come in contact with daily.
  • You have the right to wear your UFF/FEA lapel pin or your UFF shirt showing your support of PJCFA during these times.

You have these rights and you deserve what's right - not what's left.


If you do not have a lapel pin or shirt, please contact Cindy App, capp@pjc.edu or x1462.

Monday, November 10, 2008

RUMOR CONTROL

Earlier today, a member contacted me and asked, "What do you mean that you guys turned down a 3% raise?" Let me assure the membership that the PJCFA negotiating team did no such thing.

At last Thursday's session, the College proposed only replacing the guaranteed 2% annual faculty raise (Article 15.01C of the current CBA) which states “to the extent possible within the budget model” with a “not less than 3% recurring increase,” dependent on “stable fundable enrollment” and “stable CCPF (Community College Program Fund) funding.”

When PJFA Chief Negotiator Paige Anderson asked the College's chief negotiator if this implied a 3% raise for this year, the answer was no.

In essence, the College, which has refused to honor its current 2% commitment to faculty, proposed to change that to a 3% commitment, which it also declined to honor for this year.

After being told no to a raise for this year, PJCFA Chief Negotiator Anderson crossed through the portion of the College's offer stating that the not less than 3% recurring increase was contigent upon stable funding enrollment and stable CCPF. She handed that counter offer to the College's Chief Negotiator who once again said no. At that pointed, impasse was declared.

The session was taped and is a matter of public record for those who would like to hear the session for themselves.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

PJCFA DECLARES IMPASSE OVER BARGAINING

Negotiators for the union representing the faculty of Pensacola Junior College declared impasse today after ten months of bargaining. Issues at impasse include salaries and scheduling of professional activities. Negotiators have been unable to agree on base salary increases for all faculty, promotions, and payment for teaching extra classes and performing additional duties.


Paige Anderson, chief negotiator for the Faculty union, expressed her concern about the college’s unwillingness to address compensation. “For over fifteen years, the college has promised to move faculty salaries into the top twenty percent of Florida’s community colleges. Unfortunately, the promise has not been kept and PJC faculty salaries rank near the bottom. We have patiently negotiated for several months in an attempt to find common ground, while the college’s negotiators have offered no salary increases for this year or any guarantee of future compensation.”


According to Charlotte Sweeney, PJCFA president, the faculty union is seeking mediation and will call for a special magistrate, if necessary. “We have asked our staff professional to make arrangements for a federal mediator to assist us in resolving our differences, and we will inform the Public Employees Relations Commission that we have declared impasse. If we are unable to reach an agreement with the college through mediation, we will ask PERC to appoint a special magistrate.”


Ms. Anderson noted that the average PJC faculty salary in 2007 was $44,860 while the state average was $51,057. Additionally, new faculty members with a master’s degree earn a salary of $34,828. Although the college has refused to offer even a cost of living raise this year for faculty, Dr. Ed Meadows, the new PJC president, earns a salary of $193,000, which is eight percent higher than his predecessor, Dr. Tom Delaino.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

SABBATICAL LEAVE ANNOUNCEMENT

While this announcement appeared in today's Green & White, I thought it should be repeated here:

Sabbatical leave is awarded to faculty members for the purpose of professional development or advancement and ultimately benefits the faculty member, students and the college.

Each year, the Board of Trustees awards a number of sabbatical leaves for the following academic year, and now is the time for faculty members to begin preparation of their sabbatical leave proposal.

Faculty members who have completed seven full academic years of full–time service as a faculty member at PJC are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave. Eligibility criteria and application procedures are outlined in Article 14, Section 14.07 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The deadline to submit a sabbatical leave application to the Vice President for Instructional Affairs is on or before Jan. 10. Because Jan. 10 is a Saturday, applications are due Friday, Jan. 9.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Bargaining Update: October 9 and October 25 sessions

In the last two sessions, there has been some movement by the Administration on a few issues, but the Board of Trustees is standing firm on most of its previous positions.

Other Professional Activities: PJCFA also proposed that the allowed OPA for counseling and library faculty be increased from 1 hour per week to 20% of affected faculty member’s workweek, still substantially less than the OPA time allowed for teaching faculty.

Since the administration’s position on scheduling OPA is that it is time for faculty to be collegial and participate on committees and other voluntary activities, it is only logical that ALL faculty should be allocated sufficient time to be collegial. However, the Board of Trustees has rejected any language increasing the OPA time for library or counseling faculty.

In addition, the BOT’s only offer on OPA has been to allow faculty teaching online courses to schedule half their OPA time off campus. Since the CBA does not contain any language requiring faculty to designate where OPA is served currently, this offer is meaningless.

The BOT has refused to consider removing the requirement to schedule OPA time on the weekly door schedule. WE ARE CURRENTLY AT IMPASSE ON THIS ISSUE (Article 9).

Retrenchment: PJCFA had proposed adding a second paid year for training of faculty whose programs are being eliminated. The Board countered with an offer of a second unpaid year designated for training. At the October 25 session, the PJCFA accepted the Board’s offer of the second unpaid year with paid health insurance benefits.

Portfolios: At the October 9 session, the BOT presented language removing the use of teaching portfolios for both annual evaluations (Article 11) and promotion (Article 17).

PJCFA accepted the removal of teaching portfolios for annual evaluations (Article 11) and countered with a Letter of Agreement concerning the use of portfolios for promotions (Article 17).

The Board has agreed that portfolios will cease to be accepted promotion applications except in the following two cases: (1) any faculty member applying for promotion in 2009 will be allowed to submit either a portfolio or a packet; (2) all faculty members hired between July 1, 2006, and December 31, 2008, will be allowed to use the portfolio to apply for initial credentialing. If initial credentialing is awarded based on the portfolio, faculty members hired as instructors will be automatically promoted to assistant professor. Thereafter, the portfolio will no longer be used at PJC for promotions.

Failed Promotions: PJCFA proposed that any faculty member who is denied promotion despite available promotion spots be given a summary of the Joint Promotion Committee’s notes concerning the candidate’s promotion packet. The BOT has agreed to insert language guaranteeing that the Academic Vice-President will summarize the Committee’s findings in a letter to be delivered to the failed applicant concurrent with the notification of successful candidates.

Alternate Pay Schedule: PJCFA had proposed a year-round pay schedule for faculty, in which the base salary would be divided by 26, to be paid out bi-weekly from the first paydate in August through June 30. On June 30, the remaining pay would be remitted to the faculty member in one lump sum. The BOT has agreed to this alternative pay schedule. Implementation will begin in August 2009, with enrollment into the program beginning in March 2009.

Summer Hours: PJCFA requested that the Board respond specifically to the FA’s proposal to increase summer office hours for teaching faculty by 12 hours per semester and for library and counseling faculty by 6 hours per semester. PJCFA’s position is that 2 office hours/week is inadequate to handle the student and grading workload. The BOT rejected this proposal.

Midterm Grades: After opening convocation, PJCFA President Sweeney wrote a letter to Dr. Meadows stating that we find this new task a violation of the CBA and demanding that the administration bring language on midterm grades to the bargaining table. The BOT and Dr. Meadows have refused to bargain this issue, so PJCFA will be filing a grievance and an Unfair Labor Practices suit against the College over it.

Health Insurance: PJCFA announced that it will be bargaining health insurance during next year’s bargaining cycle. Any concerns or suggestions PJCFA members have about this issue are welcome!

Intellectual Property Rights: PJCFA and the BOT have signed a Letter of Agreement concerning a process by which faculty and administration will form a white-paper committee to hammer out language acceptable to both parties. Under terms of the LOA, the committee will begin meeting in December and finish in April, with conclusions to be presented during the next bargaining cycle.

Salary Plan: At the October 9 meeting, PJCFA iterated its understanding of the tight budget for this year. However, PJCFA reiterated that the College has an almost 20 year history of refusing to honor its pledge to move faculty salaries into the top 20% in the state, yet has managed to squirrel away a 9.8% fund balance and fund a golden parachute retirement plan for senior administrators. PJCFA emphasized that the FA’s goal is to get a 3 to 6-year plan in place to move faculty salaries in line with the 20% goal.

The BOT said it would further examine the Association’s concerns. At the October 25 meeting, the Board representative stated that he had hoped to have a proposal regarding Article 15.01C (Base Salaries) for the meeting but had not received all the information. He promised to present this information during the next meeting, November 6.


The next (I’m afraid to say final because that appears to jinx the process) bargaining session is Thursday, November 6, at 1:30 in Room 416. It should be interesting as Dr. Samuels has indicated that the Board will present something on salaries.

We would love to pack the house. Please drop by if you can!
Paige Anderson, Chief Negotiator

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Mid-term Grades

As October 20 - mid-term - draws closer, faculty have begun asking me, "What do I do about mid-term grades?" The short and simple answer is that we all will comply. Failure to comply could be viewed as gross insubordination and place the faculty within the parameters of Article 17.03(B)(3) - Disciplinary Action.

This does not mean that nothing will be done. The Administration has recently indicated its willingness to meet with PJCFA to discuss any impact identified and resulting from the mid-term grading process. PJCFA has already drafted grievance and ULP (unfair labor practice) documents to be filed should that step become necessary. Of course, PJCFA prefers that an acceptable resolution be reached through discussion at the bargaining table.

Which segues nicely to a plug for a reminder about bargaining on Thursday, October 9 at 1:30pm in Room 416. Paige Anderson spoke in the Bargaining Update about how much the team appreciates those who have taken the time to attend the bargaining sessions. It's the truth. Until you've sat in that bargaining chair, there's no way to understand how important that support is. Please come if you can and show your support. Thanks!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Bargaining Update: September 25, 2008, session

Bargaining Update: September 25, 2008, session


The Bargaining Team wants to thank the members who have shown up at the last two negotiations for their support. Having other faculty members in the room to witness what the Board’s representative has to say really puts pressure on the Board to act responsibly and negotiate in good faith.

That being said, however, there was little movement on any substantive issues during the session.

Article 9: Other Professional Activities. After reviewing PJCFA’s proposal to cease scheduling OPA hours, Keith Samuels, the Board’s Chief Negotiator, rejected it in principle although he did offer one consolation prize: that those who teach primarily online classes would be able to serve some of their OPA time off campus. Since the CBA already allows ALL faculty members to serve some or all of their OPA off campus, this concession is meaningless.

Article 11: Administrative Evaluation of Faculty. PJCFA responded to the Board’s proposal which would mandate that all faculty members prepare and maintain a portfolio and that the portfolio be required for each faculty member’s annual evaluation. PJCFA will not support any language which mandates the production of such a portfolio for all faculty or which requires that a portfolio be the basis of the annual evaluation. In addition, PJCFA asserts that some department managers are out of compliance with the current requirement to perform annual classroom evaluations of faculty members, endangering affected faculty members’ chances of promotion as those evaluations are required portions of the portfolio.

Article 15: Salaries. The Board still declines to make any alternate salary proposal or to consider increases to overload, promotion, or educational incentive pay. However, it has asked that we continue negotiating over the extended payroll option. This method would allow faculty to divide their annual base salary over the 26 bi-weekly college payroll dates so as to ease our budgeting for summer. Both sides agreed to work on the language for this section of Article 15.

Article 6: Intellectual Property Rights. The Board proposed that a white-paper committee be delegated to compose language mutually agreeable to the Board and PJCFA on this issue. PJCFA has declined to participate in such a committee since the white-paper committee from the previous bargaining year (concerning distance learning) has yet to present any decisions. Dr. Samuels agreed to check on the progress of this previous committee and revisit this topic later.

Article 6: Student Rights. In an earlier session, the Board proposed language which safeguarded students’ rights to meet with faculty to discuss materials used for evaluation purposes. PJCFA asserts that student rights are not covered under the CBA, a contract between the Board and the faculty covering wages, benefits, and working conditions of faculty, not students. PJCFA suggested that such language would be appropriate in the Student Handbook. Dr. Samuels concurred.


The next bargaining meeting will be held October 9, 2008, at 1:30 in Room 416. We would love to see the room overflow, so feel free to show up and support your union!

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please contact Paige Anderson, Chief Negotiator (ext. 2167), or Charlotte Sweeney, PJCFA President (ext. 2007).

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Bargaining Update: September 11, 2008 session

Bargaining Update: September 11, 2008

PJCFA members made a strong show of support at the September 11 meeting, with eight faculty members observing the negotiations between Keith Samuels, Board Chief Negotiator, and the PJCFA Bargaining Team. PJCFA was also happy to welcome Tom Wazlavek, UFF Unit Service Director for the Northwest Florida Region, at the table.

As bargaining has been ongoing since February with little agreement, PJCFA’s goal for this session was to achieve consensus with the Board on key proposals, including OPA and intellectual property rights. In addition, the union’s proposal on Article 15 (Salaries), which would have provided for an average 8% raise, as well as laid out a plan for moving average salaries into the top 20% in the state within the next six years, had been on the table for two months with no response whatsoever from the Board.

In an effort to move negotiations along, the PJCFA Bargaining Team re-presented Articles 6 (Faculty Rights), 9 (Working Conditions, Workload, and OPA), 14 (Leaves), and 15 (Salaries). The team also proposed changes to Article 12 (Retrenchment), arguing that the current reeducation allowance of up to one year is insufficient for any faculty members currently holding an AA, AS, or AAS degree.

PJCFA Proposals:

Article 6: Intellectual Property Rights.
PJCFA’s proposal asserts that all materials developed in the normal course of teaching a course are the property of the faculty member, not the College. The College would only own an interest in such intellectual property IF it had provided extra compensation, in the form of either release time or a special contract, for the production of such materials. PJCFA’s position is consistent with currently accepted legal precedent. Keith Samuels, the Board’s Chief Negotiator, had no response to PJCFA’s proposal on adding language delineating the faculty’s intellectual property rights.

Article 9: OPA. Dr. Samuels again asserted that the Board is uninterested in PJCFA’s proposal to eliminate the requirement to schedule OPA because the PJCFA has declined to further specify what activities are included in OPA. PJCFA holds that the current language in Article 9 already delineates faculty responsibilities as professionals; thus there is no necessity for adding or expanding upon that language. The Board’s response clearly indicated that it was unfamiliar with the current language and had not known that OPA duties already are outlined in the CBA. Once this was brought to the attention of the Board’s negotiator, he agreed to reevaluate PJCFA’s position.

Article 12: Retrenchment. To aid faculty whose programs may be eliminated, PJCFA proposed that the current one-year educational retrenchment allowance be expanded to two years. This extra year would allow faculty who hold an AA, AS, or AAS the time to successfully complete a BA or BS and acquire SACS credential necessary to teach in a new area. The proposal also includes a prorated repayment requirement if a faculty member fails to stay at the College for an agreed upon two years after College-funded reeducation. The Board is considering this proposal.

Article 14: Sabbatical Leave. The Board and PJCFA have agreed that, should the full-year sabbaticals remain unawarded, one of the two full-year sabbaticals can be converted into a half-year sabbatical.

Article 15: Salaries. The Board has flatly refused to provide any form of pay raise for this year or to discuss a multi-year plan to raise salaries into the top 20% of Florida community college faculty salaries. The PJCFA proposal included both an increase in base pay and provided for pay raises based on years of service to PJC. In addition, the Board refused to consider any increases to overload pay, educational incentive rewards, or promotion compensation. Given the Board’s refusal to discuss any salary proposals, PJCFA has declared that we are currently at impasse on this issue. However, we are ready to continue discussion should the Board bring an offer to the table.

In the last bargaining session, PJCFA and the Board had tentatively agreed to an alternative payroll schedule, in which faculty base salary would be paid over the course of the fiscal year, not just the standard two semester academic year. Dr. Samuels indicated that the Board might not be able to make this change after all.

Board of Trustees Proposals:

Requirement to Assign Midterm Grades: After Dr. Meadows’ announcement at Convocation that the faculty would now be required to assign midterm grades, PJCFA informed him that such a change must be negotiated at the bargaining table. Both faculty workload and the assignment of grades are issues covered in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Dr. Meadows’ announcement of this change to the faculty at large constituted direct dealing with bargaining unit members while bargaining is taking place. Such contact is prohibited by law. Therefore, PJCFA requested that he cease and desist from making such a requirement and that the Board bring language to the table proposing this workload change.

While philosophically PJCFA is not opposed to feedback to students on a regular basis, the requirement to assign midterm grades does increase faculty workload. In addition, in some types of classes (i.e. independent studies, internships, portfolio-based courses), only a small proportion of the student’s work has been completed at midterm; therefore, it would be nearly impossible to give an accurate assessment of a student’s progress at midterm.

On September 11, no such language came to the table. The Board refuses to bring any language to the table. As a result, PJCFA will be filing an Unfair Labor Practice suit against the Board.

Article 11: Administrative Evaluation of Faculty. The Board has proposed that all faculty members be required to develop and maintain a portfolio, which will replace the annual evaluation process. PJCFA opposes such a requirement as it is onerous and unnecessary. Faculty are required to produce a portfolio for promotional purposes, not to evaluate ourselves for the administration.

Article 17.01: Internal Applicants. While the Board has agreed, in theory, to PJCFA’s position that internal applicants should be interviewed as part of the final applicant pool, not in a separate, earlier interview, there is disagreement on the wording. The Board wishes to strike language which requires that failed internal applicants be informed at the same time as the selected candidate. PJCFA argues that collegiality and respect require that internal candidates be informed of the results of the selection process in advance of the grapevine.

Article 17.08: Failed Promotion Candidates. PJCFA’s position is that anyone denied promotion should receive a summary of the promotion committee’s scoring and comments on his or her application. Just as our students need feedback on their projects so that they can improve their performance, so, too, do our faculty require feedback so that they also can improve their performance and applications. The Board is considering this position, concerned mainly with maintaining the anonymity of the Promotion Committee’s members.

PJCFA encourages all interested faculty members to attend the bargaining sessions. The next bargaining meeting is scheduled for 1:30, Thursday, September 25, in Room 416.

Paige Anderson, Chief Negotiator

Monday, September 15, 2008

PJC BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETS TOMORROW

The PJC Board of Trustees will hold its monthly meeting tomorrow at 5:30 in Room 736.

New PJC faculty will be introduced to the Board at this meeting. A complete agenda for the meeting is available at all campus LRCs.

All Board meetings are open to the general public.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

IS IT TIME FOR AN EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM?

How many weekends now have we had to follow weather reports to track that particular week's hurricane? How many emails has Dr. Martin sent out to provide us with the latest information? I thank him for keeping us informed, but I couldn't help but wonder on a Monday morning (while listening to the radio trying to learn whether PJC would be open), is there not a better way? Why couldn't a message be sent to my cell phone saying that the decision to hold classes had been made?

Last spring, at a safety meeting asked for by Bldg. 1 faculty, Chief Newland described a cell phone notification system that the college could implement at little or no cost. While I'm not well-versed on the particulars, I do recall that a person would have to "opt-in" and would then receive advertisements on occasion. (Remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch!)

After reading about a gun scare on the UF campus this past weekend, I wondered how would I know if there were a gun scare on my campus? Luckily, the gun at UF turned out to be a water pistol.

Chief Newland and Dr. Martin have developed a system in which every building has someone who is supposed to get word to the people in that building should such a situation occur. That's great, but if I'm teaching in Room 46 and the shooter is in the parking lot in front of Bldg. 5, I'd rather have my cell phone ring than have a colleague dashing around the wings of Bldg. 1.

Hurricanes and other inclement weather, students with behavior disorders, a campus wide open to the public - with a gym that Ted Bundy took a shower in - are all reason for faculty to be concerned about safety issues.

I agree with what Chief Newland said during that Spring meeting with Bldg. 1 faculty - we all need to take ownership for our own safety. Think about what might happen, make a plan, practice that plan and prepare yourself. But shouldn't we also make use of available technology? Are a few minutes of advertising too high a price for such a notification system? I don't think so.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

LET'S TALK ABOUT MID-TERM GRADES

A blogger posted this under an earlier topic: (let's give mid-term grades their own heading)

The effectiveness of mid-term grades might be a good thing to blog about. I know that some people didn’t like that surprise. In general we don’t want to be surprised. We like providing input on all decisions regarding the classroom. Administrators are not in the classroom. Their vision might not be our vision. And we don’t want people in suits seeing visions. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

I’ll tell you what my opinion is of mid-term grades. Students, if they are going to have problems, usually have problems well before the mid-term point. I don’t think publishing mid-term grades increases student achievement. If anything, students get tired near the end of the term and calculate how low they can perform on final exams to still get that B or C they want. I believe that time could be better used.

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it, and your feet will surely show it, If your happy and you know it clap your hands. We know where I am going next. The beloved does not feel loved when they hear comments that pertain to the unbeloved.

August 22, 2008 4:59 AM

2008-2009 PJCFA LEADERSHIP

2008-2009 PJCFA Leadership

Paige Anderson, 484-2167, pnanderson@pjc.edu
Chief Negotiator; Executive Board
Cindy App, 484-1016, capp@pjc.edu
Membership Chairman; Executive Board; Negotiating Team
Jennifer Brahier, 484-1126, jbrahier@pjc.edu
Sunshine Chairman
Rich Cacace, 484-2052, rcacace@pjc.edu
Executive Board
Michelle Haggard, 484-2209, mhaggard@pjc.edu
Webmaster for www.pjcfa.org
Richard Irvine, 484-2508, rirvine@pjc.edu
Executive Board
Janet Levins, 484-1115, jlevins@pjc.edu
Treasurer
Todd Neuman, 484-1431, tneuman@pjc.edu
Grievance Chairman; Executive Board
Patricia Reppenhagen, 484-2553, preppenhagen@pjc.edu
Negotiating Team
Julie Ruengert, 484-2399, jruengert@pjc.edu
Secretary
Kathleen Shelton, 484-2178, kshelton@pjc.edu Hospitality & Special Events Chairman; Executive Board
Lisa Sims, 484-2535, lhsims@pjc.edu
Senator and UFF Distance Learning Task Force
Carol Stinson, 484-2207, cstinson@pjc.edu
UFF Nursing Task Force
Charlotte Sweeney, 484-2007, csweeney@pjc.edu
President; Negotiating Team
Blaine Wall, 484-1352, kbwall@pjc.edu
Vice President; Negotiating Team

Cindy App is in the process of reorganizing chapter representatives. That listing will be posted soon.

Please do not hesitate to call any of us if we can be of assistance to you.

NEW TERM BEGINS

Was it really mid-June the last time that I posted? Cindy App has made me promise to post twice a week this term and I'll do my best to keep that promise. The blog worked well for keeping the faculty informed last year as we went through the Presidential search so let's hope that it will work well for keeping faculty informed about other news as well.

As you all know, budget cuts have hit every department and the LRC is no exception. My hours on the Reference Desk have increased substantially so if you do not receive a quick response to an email or I don't answer the phone, it's probably because I'm on the Reference Desk. My release time for PJCFA is scheduled as follows: Mondays and Wednesdays 2-3pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-11am. If those times are not convenient, get in touch with me and we'll figure something out. Of course, I'm not the only PJCFA memebr who can help you. I'll create a separate posting now to remind you of who's on the Executive Board and serving memebrs in other ways.

Here's to a great term!

Monday, June 16, 2008

ADMINISTRATIVE EVALUATIONS DELIVERED

By now, all provosts and department heads have received the report from the administrative evaluations conducted by faculty. Each department head received his or her own evaluation. Each provost received his or her own evaluation as well as the evaluation for each department head who reports to him or her. Dr. Meadows received the evaluations for each provost.

85 faculty (40%) responded to the provost evaluation and 96 (46%) responded to the department head evaluation. This was the first time in PJCFA’s history that it had conducted administrative evaluations.

PJCFA believes that continual assessment is important in every area of the College. The purpose of faculty evaluation of administrators is to annually provide administrators with valuable faculty feedback regarding administrator internal performance. Regular evaluation encourages open communication, healthy interchange of information, and a shared sense of responsibility for the College’s direction. Evaluation allows faculty to recognize administrators for outstanding achievement as well as identify areas where improvement is needed.

I have heard from one provost and one department head regarding the evaluations. In each case, the response was positive, thanking PJCFA for the opportunity to hear from the faculty about how they were doing their job. That's what the evaluation is about - opening the channels of communication so that working together we can make PJC the best college possible for our students.

Once again, I would like to thank those faculty who worked on developing evaluation questions and particularly Michelle Haggard who was the impetus for this. Job well done!

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

TODD NEUMAN IS NEW PJCFA GRIEVANCE OFFICER

For several years now, Dr. Tom Grow has served the PJC faculty admirably as the PJCFA Grievance Officer/Contract Enforcement Officer. Dr. Grow had the ability to speak well and forcefully on behalf of faculty. We will always be grateful to him for his sevice.

As next term (Fall 2008) will be Dr. Grow's last term, he has asked to be relieved of his PJCFA duties. Fortunately for PJC faculty, this transition occurs just as Todd Neuman will be returning to full-time faculty status. Mr. Neuman has served the faculty well as a member of PJCFA's Executive Board and Negotiating team and as a past PJCFA Chief Negotiator. His familiarity with the contract will serve the faculty well as he takes on the duties of Grievance/Contract Enforcement Officer.

Mr. Neuman can be reached at TNeumann@pjc.edu and at 484-1431. Here's hoping that you never have the need to contact him, but knowing that he will be a stong advocate on your behalf if you do.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

FACULTY AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

From the May 29 issue of the Green & White...

Florida Campus Compact announces five award opportunities recognizing outstanding service and engaged scholarship in Florida:
Engaged Campus Award,
Community Engagement Educator Award,
Service-Learning Faculty Award,
Service-Learning Research Award and the
Graham-Frey Civic Award.

To apply, go to http://floridacompact.org/awards.

The deadline for all completed applications is July 21.

Applicants can apply in more than one award category. Self-nominations are strongly encouraged, and you can nominate individuals for awards.

The second annual Florida Campus Compact Awards Gala &
Dinner is Nov. 18 in Orlando at Universal’s DoubleTree Hotel.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

THREE MONTHS FOR FREE

Join the 4,500 Florida faculty and education professionals in the United Faculty of Florida.

* THREE FOR FREE * THREE FOR FREE * THREE FOR FREE * THREE FOR FREE *

If you join right now, you can enjoy the benefits of membership for up to three months for free. Your payroll dues will start being collected in August.

Those who join the United Faculty of Florida this summer will:
• Make our faculty voice stronger
• Strengthen our voice in negotiations with administration
• Immediately be covered for $1,000,000 in professional liability insurance
• Have access to local representation on issues with the administration and board of trustees
• Add your voice to the national and state movement working for the interests of academic professionals
• Receive local, state and national publications on higher education issues.

Become a member now and enjoy the many benefits of membership in the United Faculty of Florida, the Florida Education Association, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO. Our campus works because we do.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Membership Form United Faculty of Florida

UFF dues are 1% of salary, taken out each pay period your paycheck.
Please Print Complete Information.

_______________________________________ Social Security Number

Last Name First Name MI
__________________________________________________________________________________

Home Street Address City State Zip Code
__________________________________________________________________________________

Campus Building, Room
Department/Unit
__________________________________________________________________________________
Office Phone ___________________________

Home Phone ___________________________

E-mail address -- Personal/Home ____________________________________________
E-mail address -- Office ___________________________________________________
Please enroll me as a member of the United Faculty of Florida (FEA, NEA-AFT, AFL-CIO). I hereby authorize my employer to begin payroll deduction of United Faculty of Florida dues (1% of salary). This deduction authorization shall continue until revoked by me at any time upon 30 days written notice to the payroll office and to UFF.

______________________________________
Signature (for payroll deduction authorization)

__________________________
Today’s Date



Give this form to Kathleen Shelton-Lowe in Secondary Education, Charlotte Sweeney in the Library, fax it to UFF at 850-222-1767 or mail to:
UFF, 306 East Park Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301


** Your membership benefits will begin upon joining. Payroll deductions or direct pay to UFF will not begin until fall semester.

FAQ's

1. Does FEA Legal honor 3 for free members? YES

2. AFT member benefits/Liability insurance? YES

Thursday, April 24, 2008

FOR PROGRAM COORDINATORS

Several issues affecting Program Coordinators have come to my attention this term. Early this term, three program coordinators were told that they would no longer receive release time. After filing a grievance, their release times were returned. Recently another program coordinator was told that his position would no longer be available at the College. The Administration followed the Article 12 Retrenchment procedure in this case. This faculty member’s position is being eliminated and the program will now be run with adjuncts until enrollment increases substantially or until the program is no longer considered viable and discontinued. When this action became known to others, I was contacted by a different faculty member who was concerned that his position and program might be in jeopardy due to declining enrollment.

One of the issues this program coordinator stated was that most of the time potential students do not enroll because potential students are not aware that his exists. The faculty members in that program have been told that the responsibility for recruitment lies with them. This program coordinator objects. His position is that the duty of recruitment belongs to the Board of Trustees, not the program coordinator.

He concluded his letter to me this way, “Losing a program is bad for everybody: it is bad for PJC and bad for the community. Besides losing teachers, it is a tremendous waste of resources both for taxpayers and grant-source-funding when expensive equipment is sold at auction.” That is certainly the truth.

What I need from the program coordinators is help. I have been asked by this concerned program coordinator to address the BOT on his behalf. I am absolutely willing to do this. But I would like to hear from other program coordinators to determine if this is unique to this one program.

Dr. Meadows says not to bring him a problem unless you have a solution. That’s where I need your help. You know your problems and probably have solutions in mind. Email me at my home email hughandcharlotte@bellsouth.net and I’ll compile them for presentation to the Board.

Thanks!
Charlotte

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

TALLAHASSEE UPDATE

The House and Senate are now engaged in conferences to reconcile the budget differences. This is the House offer from last night. They will meet again this evening. We will report on that conference tomorrow.

House Offer #1 - Higher Education Conference

Workforce Education

(1)The House moves toward the Senate position in funding for workforce education. This offer includes an overall reduction of 4.9% ($28.4 million) to total Fiscal Year 2007-08 funding. The House maintains the 6% tuition increase included in both the House and Senate budgets.

(2)The House offers a modified position on the Ready to Work Prograrn of $1 1.5 million. This offer allocates $7 million in recurring funds from our 2008-09 allocation, and, in addition, immediately reverts and reappropriates $4 million from the current year funding for this program.

(3)In addition, the offer reverts and re-appropriates any remaining balance at the end of the year.

Community Colleges

(1)The House moves toward the Senate position in funding for community colleges. This offer includes a reduction of 0.9% ($15 million) to total Fiscal Year 2007-08 funding. The House maintains the 6% tuition increase included in both the House and Senate budgets.
(2)The House offer includes $2.1 million for the colleges involved in the State College System Pilot Project and $282,000 in recurring funds to implement the new baccalaureate programs approved by the State Board of Education in February.

State Universities

(1)The House moves toward the Senate position in funding for state universities. This offer includes a reduction of 1.2% ($41.6 million) to 2007-08 total funding. The House maintains the 6% tuition increase included in both the House and Senate budgets.
(3)The House accepts the Senate position on performance funding, New College Infrastructure, university financial aid, and IFAS Workload. We would also like to work with the Senate on proviso to ensure equitable reductions for IFAS programs.

Board of Governors

(1)House offers a modified position of a 4% reduction to salaries and benefits and a reduction of 2 FTE positions.
(2)The House accepts the Senate position on all other funding categories.

BRING OUT THE UMBRELLAS....RAINY DAYS ARE HERE

FEA President Andy Ford held a news conference today on the Capitol steps. He was surrounded by supporters holding umbrellas. Here is a summary of what he said:

FEA to lawmakers: Use “rainy day” fund to dampen the impact of Category 5 threat to public education

Florida Education Association President Andy Ford urged lawmakers Tuesday to spare public education from a gathering storm of anticipated budget cuts that would deepen cuts already made at Florida’s public schools and would lead to further layoffs of teachers and other education support professionals, the closing of some schools, the further curtailing of important programs, even the loss of school resource officers and crossing guards.

“Florida has a system of reserves that we use in times of emergency,” Ford said during a news conference outside the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee. “One of these vehicles is even called the state ‘rainy day’ fund. You can dip into this fund when you have an emergency because you’ve saved it for a rainy day. Well, it’s a full gullywasher in so many parts of our state.”

Ford’s call for using reserves is backed up by a recent national report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The report, written by Elizabeth C. McNichol and titled “Is It Raining Yet?”, says that now is the appropriate time to tap the ‘rainy day’ reserve funds that states have set aside for just such a contingency.

The report also cautions states not to head down the path Florida lawmakers appear to have chosen.

“States concerned that the downturn could be deep and prolonged should not respond by hoarding their reserves,” the report said, adding that spending cuts worsen a downturn and tapping into a reserve fund helps stimulate a state’s economy.

The FEA president noted that Floridians are facing a broad economic downturn and the state may already be in a recession. Working families are struggling, he said, and the cuts to education would intensify those woes. He said that he wanted legislative leaders to know that the $1 billion in additional budget cuts to public education, as well as the basic economic challenges faced by citizens, have created a powerful storm that imperils the economic livelihood of working families across our state.

Ford said funding cuts at this time would have a severe impact on public schools, which are underfunded during the best of times. He noted that this year’s budget was pared twice after it was enacted by the Legislature and that the further cuts considered now would be a disaster.

“Education is an investment in our future and a paramount duty of the state,” Ford said. “Budget cuts of more than a billion dollars to all levels of education threaten that investment – and the development of knowledge and skills of our children.”


Call these legislative leaders today, and urge them to use our rainy day fund now!

Senate President Ken Pruitt (850) 487-5088

Senator Lisa Carlton (850) 487-5081

Speaker Marco Rubio (850) 488-1450

Representative Ray Sansom (850) 488-1170

PJCFA PICNIC TOMORROW

Tomorrow (Wednesday, April 23rd), PJCFA will be hosting its ALL FACULTY end-of-the-year picnic. Billy Bob's BBQ will be catering the event. It's a casual, come-as-your-schedule-permits time to relax and visit with your colleagues before the finals hit. Hope to see you there!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

DR. MEADOWS NEXT PJC PRESIDENT

Most of you know by now that Dr. Ed Meadows of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College was selected yesterday by the Board of Trustees to be the next president of PJC and that he has accepted.

Those of you who attended or listened to the podcast of Dr. Meadows' Pensacola campus forum heard a strong endorsement of Dr. Meadows by our own Bobby Roberson who has worked with Dr. Meadows at another college. I have also talked with a PJC department head who worked with Dr. Meadows at that same college. The department head also had nothing but good things to say about Dr. Meadows.

As a past and current college president, Dr. Meadows has the experience to lead PJC. His six years of community college classroom experience and seven years as a chief academic officer allow him to understand fully what our job as faculty is. His leadership roles in many Alabama state-level educational endeavors and his role as a registered lobbyist shows his ability to be effective at the state level.

Dr. Meadows will be taking leadership of PJC at a difficult time with the looming budget crisis. He will also have key administrative positions to fill. He will have difficult choices to make. I would like to urge all faculty - no matter who your initial choice was for the presidency - to give Dr. Meadows your full support. If we are predisposed to believing that Dr. Meadows will take PJC great places, then our chance of going to those great places is more likely to happen. We all know about self-fulfilling prophecies.

I have invited Dr. Meadows to attend the PJCFA picnic on Wednesday, April 23 from 11:30am - 2:00pm. He has tentatively accepted and will confirm as soon as he knows his schedule better. I hope that all faculty will attend and meet our new president.

It's a new era!

Friday, March 28, 2008

SPECIAL BOT MEETING

The Special Board of Trustees meeting on April 8th at noon IS open to the public and will be held in the BOT Meeting Room, Room 736.
The ballots for the 2008-2009 PJCFA elections were counted on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 1:00 pm in the PJCFA Office. Ballots, envelopes, and the signed check-off sheet are on file in the PJCFA Office. Here are the results:

President: Charlotte Sweeney, Learning Resources Center
Vice-President: Blaine Wall, English/Communications
Treasurer: Janet Levins, Biology
Secretary: Julie Ruengert, English/Communications

Executive Board:
Paige Anderson, Secondary Education
Cynthia App, Visual Arts
Rich Cacace, Computer Science
Monique Collins, Counseling
Richard Irvine, Business
Kathleen Shelton-Lowe, Secondary Education

Senators:
Paige Anderson, Secondary Education
Cynthia App, Visual Arts
Janet Levins, Biology
Lisa Sims, Behavioral Sciences

Alternate:
Blaine Wall, English/Communications

FEA Delegates:
Charlotte Sweeney, Learning Resources Center
Blaine Wall, English/Communications


My thanks to all who voted and to all who have volunteered to serve the PJC faculty during the next academic year.

THANK YOU FROM DR. ELLIOTT

Dr. Elliott, the presidential candidate from Meridian Community College, sent me an e-mail yesterday to express his thanks to the PJC faculty and staff who had made his visit to PJC so pleasant; in fact, he said that he and his wife "were treated like royalty."

In his email, Dr. Elliott addressed the concern that was raised about his commitment to PJC if he were selected given that his parents and daughter live in South Florida. He wanted to assure the faculty that he would be "absolutely committed" to PJC and the people it serves. As he stated in his BOT interview, Dr. Elliott considers PJC a premiere college and would be "darned lucky to have the opportunity to come to PJC."

He was on his way to Jackson to lobby for additional funding, but wanted to take the time to thank us for our hospitality and the high commitment the College demonstrated to meeting the mission of the institution.

DINNER WITH DR. HAFNER

A PJC faculty member (not Charlotte) joined a group of PJC career service, professional staff and administrators last night at dinner with Dr. Hafner. Here are the comments from the faculty member:

"Last night was a very enjoyable evening and I was glad to meet Dr. Hafner. He interracted well with all of us.

Overall impression: positive. At one point he asked what we were looking for in a President. I said that the faculty would like to see more support to achieve academic excellence. He seemed to be EXTREMELY supportive of this idea and went into detail about the importance of sabbaticals, spd projects for faculty, etc. even in times when other items must be cut from the budget. He spoke of his classroom experience and seemed sincerely supportive of faculty issues."

Monday, March 24, 2008

6 Forums, 2 Interviews and 1 Dinner Later

What a week! Attending each of the forums, both of the interviews and having dinner with one of the candidates made for a busy week.

How good it was to see so many people at each of the forums! Faculty has been well represented at each campus forum and you have been asking good questions. With only an hour set aside for each forum, I'm sure there have been times when there were more questions than time allowed, but we have been able to have several important questions asked and answered (or in some cases not answered which is just as telling) and have been able to observe the first two candidates.

Thank you for your postings...I will "sort them out by candidate" so at the end of this week, you'll be able to see at a glance what has been said about each candidate.

Please keep in mind that it is the Board of Trustees that will make the selection. At each forum I have seen at least two Trustees and at the Pensacola forums there were five Trustees in attendance. It is important that the Trustees hear from you. Email and personal addresses for each Trustee can be found within the blog.

Now to this week: Dr. Elliott from Meridian (MS) Community College will be on campus today and tomorrow. Dr. Hafner from St. Pete will be on campus Wednesday and Thursday. Keep up the good showing on behalf of the faculty as we learn more about these candidates!

BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED.

BOT EMAIL ADDRESSES

Several people have asked for the email adresses for the Board of Trustees. While email is often quicker for the writer, I would encourage you to follow up with a letter to the home address of each Trustee. There is a different message sent, I believe, when a person takes the time to write a personal letter. Just my two cents worth. Either way, please make your concerns and evaluations of the candidates known.

Here are the email addresses:

Vincent Andry
Phone: 8505055134
Email: vrandry@southernco.com

Carol Carlan
Phone: 8502933271
Email: ccarlanfl@cox.net

Luke Hunt
Phone: 8509322859
Email: msgrhunt@stanngulfbreeze.org

Marjorie Moore
Phone: 8504347022
Email: margie_moore@ml.com

Harold Moore,
Phone: 8504343541
Email: emoore@mhw-law.com

Celeste Norris
Phone: 8504709555
Email: cnorris@bhcpns.org

John O'Connor
Phone: 8504692403
Email: mac7871@aol.com

Dona Usry
Phone: n/a
Email: deusry@bellsouth.net

Deidra Young
Phone: n/a
Email: dly2342@cox.net

Friday, March 14, 2008

Candidates Schedule

Candidates Schedule
Open Forum and Interviews


Dr. James Martin
Monday, March 17: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open Forum, Warrington campus, Building 3700, room 3729
Tuesday, March 18: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Open Forum, Milton campus, Building 4900, room 4902
Tuesday, March 18: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Open Forum, Pensacola campus, Hagler Auditorium, room 252
Tuesday, March 18: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Interview by Board of Trustees, Board Room, Building 7


Dr. Edward Meadows
Wednesday, March 19: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open Forum Pensacola campus, Hagler Auditorium, room 252
Wednesday, March 19: 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Interview by Board of Trustees, Board Room, Building 7
Thursday, March 20: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Open Forum, Milton campus, Building 4900, room 4902
Thursday, March 20: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open Forum, Warrington campus, Building 3700, room 3729


Dr. Scott Elliott
Monday, March 24: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open Forum, Pensacola campus, Hagler Auditorium, room 252
Monday, March 24: 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Interview by Board of Trustees, Board Room, Building 7
Tuesday, March 25 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Open Forum, Milton campus, Building 4900, room 4902
Tuesday, March 25 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open Forum, Warrington campus, Building 3700, room 3729


Dr. Lars Hafner
Wednesday, March 26: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open Forum, Pensacola campus, Hagler Auditorium, room 252
Wednesday, March 26: 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Interview by Board of Trustees, Board Room, Building 7
Thursday, March 27: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Open Forum, Milton campus, Building 4900, room 4902
Thursday, March 27: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Open Forum, Warrington campus, Building 3900, room 3902

Special Board of Trustees Meeting: Noon Tuesday, April 8, Pensacola campus, Board Room

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

GET READY! HERE THEY COME!

While this schedule is subject to change, it appears that the candidates will be interviewing during the following two weeks. A complete schedule of their activities should be available soon.

March 17 and 18, Dr. Martin
March 19 and 20, Dr. Meadows
March 24 and 25, Dr. Elliott
March 26 and 27, Dr. Hafner

How Did the PJCFA Survey Match Up with the BOT Selections?

When PJCFA members were given the option to choose MORE THAN one candidate for interviewing the results were:

19% Dr. Scott Elliott, currently serving as President, Meridian (MS) Community College.
18% Dr. Ed Meadows, currently serving as President, Lurleen B. Wallace (AL) Community College.
15% Dr. Lars Hafner, currently serving as Provost (Campus President), St. Petersburg (FL) College.
13% Dr. John Holdnak, currently serving as Vice President of Administrative Services, Gulf Coast (FL) Community College.
12% Dr. Algie Gatewood, currently serving as President, Cascade Campus, Portland (WA) Community College.
11% Dr. Donetta Goodall, currently serving as Vice President for Academic Transfer and General & Developmental Education, Austin (TX) Community College.
6% Dr. C.B. "Bix" Rathburn, currently serving as President, Savannah (GA) Technical College.
5% Dr. James Martin, currently serving as Vice President, Student Affairs, Pensacola Junior College.

So PJCFA members were not far off the mark.....Drs. Elliott, Meadows, and Hafner will be coming for interviews. Dr. Martin did receive a majority of votes from the Board and there was a significant break between the number of votes Dr. Martin received and the candidates who will not be invited.

When PJCFA members were given the option to choose only ONE candidate for interviewing, they chose:

25% Dr. Scott Elliott, currently serving as President, Meridian (MS) Community College.
25% Dr. Donetta Goodall, currently serving as Vice President for Academic Transfer and General & Developmental Education, Austin (TX) Community College.
19% Dr. Algie Gatewood, currently serving as President, Cascade Campus, Portland (WA) Community College.
19% Dr. Lars Hafner, currently serving as Provost (Campus President), St. Petersburg (FL) College.
13% Dr. Ed Meadows, currently serving as President, Lurleen B. Wallace (AL) Community College.
0% Dr. John Holdnak, currently serving as Vice President of Administrative Services, Gulf Coast (FL) Community College.
0% Dr. James Martin, currently serving as Vice President, Student Affairs, Pensacola Junior College.
0% Dr. C.B. "Bix" Rathburn, currently serving as President, Savannah (GA) Technical College.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

BOT SELECTS 4 CANDIDATES TO INTERVIEW

At this evening's Board of Trustees meeting, the BOT selected the following four candidates for interviews:

Dr. Scott Elliott
Dr. Lars Hafner
Dr. James Martin
Dr. Ed Meadows

Now Dr. Brigham will contact the candidates to schedule interviews. It is hoped that the schedule will be March 17/18 for Candidate A; March 19/20 for Candidate B; March 24/25 for Candidate C; March 26/27 for Candidate D.

A schedule of exact dates, which candidate will interview on which date, what times forums/events will occur for each candidate and on which campus the forum/event will take place will be posted when Dr. Brigham finalizes the schedule.

Once again, let me express my appreciation for the enthusiasm, excitement, and sincere dedication that the Trustees show as this selection process moves forward. I cannot help but be more impressed with their work at each meeting.

I urge faculty to attend as many forums/functions as possible and to continue to be in touch with the Trustees as they deliberate. There will be a week between the last interview and the BOT meeting during which they will decide on the College's next President.

Be informed and be involved.

Monday, March 10, 2008

BOT TO MEET TO SELECT CANDIDATES FOR INTERVIEW

THE BOT will meet tomorrow (Tuesday, March 11, 2008) at 5:00pm in the Board Room (upstairs, Bldg. 7) to determine which of the 8 candidates recommended to them by the Presidential Screening committee will be selected for interviews. The Board may choose to interview ALL of the 8, ANY of the 8, or to add candidate(s)of their choosing to be interviewed.

This meeting is open to all interested parties.

Monday, March 3, 2008

DID ANYONE GO TO FRIDAY'S BOT MEETING?

This was the meeting on Friday morning in which the BOT received the names of the 8 candidates who were recommended by the Presidential Screening Committee. At this meeting Dr. Hockaday was to provide comments and additional instruction to the Board.

The title question was posted in the comments section asking if anyone attended this meeting. I was unable to attend, but understand that the Board did receive the application packages for each of the 8 candidates. The Board will meet on March 11 to discuss which candidates to bring on campus for interviews.

While I hope that some of the BOT are reading the blog, the only way to be sure your voice is heard is by writing them at the addresses listed in an earlier posting.

PJC BOARD OF TRUSTEES CONTACT INFORMATION

Please use the following addresses to contact the PJC Board of Trustees with your comments regarding the presidential candidates, the process which will be used in selecting PJC's next president, etc.

I sincerely believe the Board wants to hear from you. I also believe the Board strongly desires to make the best choice for PJC and, from the ones I have been able to speak with, wants to hear from all parties impacted by their selection - students, faculty, staff, community, etc.


Mr. Vincent R. Andry, Chair
Gulf Power Company
One Energy Place, Bin 0034
Pensacola, FL 32520

Ms. Carol H. Carlan
Carlan Consulting
316 S. Baylen St., Suite 108
Pensacola, FL 32502

Msgr. Luke Hunt
St. Ann Catholic Church
100 Daniel Drive
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561

Mr. Edward Moore
Attorney
Moore Hill & Westmoreland
220 W. Garden Street, 9th Floor
Pensacola, FL 32502

Ms. Margie Moore
Merrill Lynch
815 S. Palafox Street
Pensacola, FL 32502

Ms. Celeste Norris
Vice President, Human Resources
Baptist Health Care
910 W. Blount Street
Pensacola, FL 32501

Mr. John L. O’Connor, Vice-chair
O’Connor Management Co.
1110 N. 9th Avenue
Pensacola, FL 32501

Ms. Dona W. Usry
6553 Terrasanta
Pensacola, FL 32504

Ms. Deidre L. Young
2342 Arriviste Way
Pensacola, FL 32504

Thursday, February 28, 2008

SCREENING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS EIGHT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

At today's meeting, the Presidential Screening Committee voted to send eight candidates forward for the PJC Board of Trustees' consideration. The finalists are:


Dr. Scott Elliott, currently serving as President, Meridian (MS) Community College.

Dr. Algie Gatewood, currently serving as President, Cascade Campus, Portland (WA) Community College.

Dr. Donetta Goodall, currently serving as Vice President for Academic Transfer and General & Developmental Education, Austin (TX) Community College.

Dr. Lars Hafner, currently serving as Provost (Campus President), St. Petersburg (FL) College.

Dr. John Holdnak, currently serving as Vice President of Administrative Services, Gulf Coast (FL) Community College.

Dr. James Martin, currently serving as Vice President, Student Affairs, Pensacola Junior College.

Dr. Ed Meadows, currently serving as President, Lurleen B. Wallace (AL) Community College.

Dr. C.B. "Bix" Rathburn, currently serving as President, Savannah (GA) Technical College.


During the next two weeks, the PJC Board of Trustees will be reviewing the candidates' applications and making the decision as to which of these candidates will be brought to the College for interviews.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! There is no guarantee that all eight of the candidates will be granted interviews. If there is someone you feel strongly about, let the Board know. While I will make individual entries on the blog for your posts, a phone call, letter or email to a Trustee lets them know in a personal way of your endorsements or concerns. Thank you.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

FIRST 2008 BARGAINING SESSION HELD

The first bargaining session of 2008 was held February 12 at 1:30pm in Room 416. Those attending for the Association were Chief Negotiator Paige Anderson, Cindy App, Charlotte Sweeney and Blaine Wall. Those attending for the Administration were Chief Negotiator Dr. Keith Samuels, and Interim Vice President Academic Affairs/Provost, Pensacola Campus Dr. Jeff Cantor.

This was a meeting to establish topics, time frames, and process for the negotiations. While this is an open book year - meaning that any part of the contract is open for discussion - there are certainly areas that will require more deliberation than others.

Ms. Anderson posed the question of whom we were negotiating with this year. Of course, the ultimate answer is the same as always - the Board of Trustees. Dr. Samuels assured the team that Dr. Delaino would continue to be completely involved until the new president is hired. When asked about having an administrative "team" at the table, Dr. Samuels said that it had been Dr. Delaino's decision to send solely the Chief Negotiator, but that he would carry the concern back to Dr. Delaino. Ms. Anderson asked whether it would be possible to have a member of the BOT attend the negotiations. Dr. Samuels' response was that it had not happened before but that he would also take that request to Dr. Delaino who also serves as Secretary to the BOT.

Dr. App discussed the desire of PJCFA to work in collaborative rather than confrontational environment with the mission of the college and the needs of the students as the measuring stick for our work. Ms. Anderson added that in upcoming years, the College might invest in training for interest based bargaining which has been successful at several colleges and universities.

Ms. Anderson listed several concerns that had already been raised by the faculty to be addressed during this year's negotiations and informed Dr. Samuels of the bargaining issue survey that was currently being conducted by PJCFA.

It was agreed to attempt to have bi-weekly negotiating sessions on Tuesdays. Ms. Anderson and Dr. Samuels will schedule the next session and inform the bargaining team of the date and time.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

LATEST PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH INFORMATION

Before we get to that, you may notice that my profile is that of the PJC Bioethics Committee. I'm working on a different blog for them and thought that each profile would stay separate. Until I learn how to fix it, just please ignore the profile and the posted signature. It's still the PJCFA blog with me posting. Thanks!

Dr. Hockaday, the consultant hired by the PJC Board of Trustees to assist in the presidential search, today gave the Screening Committee members his recommendations. Those on the list are (in alphabetical order, no ranking):

1. Dr. Edythe Abdullah
2. Dr. John Astrab
3. Dr. Wayne Branch
4. Dr. Henry Dunn
5. Dr. Scott Elliott
6. Dr. John Ganio
7. Dr. Algie Gatewood
8. Dr. Donetta Goodall
9. Dr. Lars Hafner
10. Dr. Frieda Hill
11. Dr. James Martin
12. Dr. Ed Meadows
13. Dr. C. B. Rathburn

The resumes, applications, etc. for each of these applicants are on file in the Institutional Research and Grants Office in Bldg. 7 and are open to any interested party.

Members of the Presidential Screening Committee have until Monday, February 25th to submit additional candidates for the committee to consider. These candidates must come from the current qualified applicant pool.

On February 28, the Screening Committee will meet again with Dr. Hockaday. At the end of that meeting, the Committee will submit 4 - 8 candidates for consideration by the Board of Trustees.

On the morning of the 29th, the Board of Trustees will meet with Mr. Hockaday to discuss the next steps to take. The BOT will be given the resumes, applications, etc. of each candidate for study. The Board will then hold a special meeting to determine which of the candidates - or additional candidates they wish to interview -will be given interviews.

After that determination, Human Resources will begin scheduling candidate interviews. During the interviews there will be a series of announced meetings/forums to give students,faculty, staff, and the community opportunities to meet and question the candidates.

The process is moving forward. Thank you for your interest and please continue to post your comments or to contact me at 484-2007 or csweeney@pjc.edu.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Colleges could turn away 60,000

Click link to read St. Pete Times article online:
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/05/State/Colleges_could_turn_a.shtml


Colleges could turn away 60,000, report says


Doors to higher education are being closed to all, says a group that focuses on minorities.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER, Times Staff Writer
Published February 5, 2008
_____
TAMPA - Between 40,000 and 60,000 students - many of them minorities - could be denied an education in one of Florida's 11 public universities, thanks to years of insufficient funding and complicated political factors that have college presidents preparing to slash enrollment for the first time in decades.

So concludes ENLACE Florida, a grant-funded group that promotes college access and readiness for minorities, in a report sent today to lawmakers and education officials across the state.
"When this is happening, we can't really talk about the value of diversifying the student population, because the doors are being closed to everyone," said Paul Dosal, executive director of ENLACE Florida.

ENLACE officials conclude their report, "Florida's Higher Education on the Brink," by urging lawmakers and college educators to convene a summit that produces bold solutions. State university leaders have recently discussed the need for such a forum.

"The problems in higher education here are so complicated that they're not likely to be solved in a regular legislative session," Dosal said. "So we felt like the best recommendation was to say, 'Listen guys, sit down and figure this out.' We just feel like we're either in crisis or on the brink of a serious one, and something needs to be done."

Dosal's group is particularly concerned with enrollment cuts' effect on minorities. Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority group in the university system, going from less than 14 percent in 1997 to 17.3 percent last year.

"With enrollment freezes and cuts, the competition will intensify, so the minimum test scores and GPAs grade point averages will go up," Dosal said. "And that will make it harder for some of our underrepresented student groups, who tend to score lower."

ENLACE's conclusions are no surprise to university leaders, who have wrestled with the consequences of freezing and cutting enrollment.

"For me, this has caused countless hours of concern," said Carolyn Roberts, chairwoman of the board that oversees Florida's public institutions. "But we're saying that, with this budget, for us to be able to educate our students and give them a competitive degree, we have to limit the institutions to the size they are today."

The Board of Governors, faced with $147-million in cuts to the system this year and up to $171-million next year, last month gave college presidents the green light to cut enrollment, lay off faculty members and take other cost-cutting measures. The move marked a dramatic shift in policy, ending a decade in which universities expanded enrollment at a rate of roughly 3 percent a year. Today, the system enrolls 300,000. The four largest state institutions, including the University of South Florida, are among the nation's largest, with more than 40,000 students each. But that kind of continued growth is unlikely now, as budgets shrink and the Board of Governors fights the Legislature for control over tuition.

"By just growing class size, and having a poorer faculty-student ratio, you are just filling more seats," Roberts said. "You are not educating them better." (Emphasis added)

For the ENLACE report, Dosal used data in the university system over the past decade, coupled with growth projections, to determine the potential "college access gap." He concluded that if universities simply freeze enrollment through 2012, there will be 340,000 students trying to get into a system that holds 300,000. If universities cut enrollment, there would be 340,000 students trying to get into a system that has room for less than 280,000. That estimate is based on a hypothetical enrollment cut of 1.5 percent a year for the next five years. Universities have not yet set an enrollment target.

"It was arbitrary, but we tried to come up with a reasonable number in between," Dosal said.

If all of those turned away go to a community college instead, the already crowded two-year institutions would be taxed even more, ENLACE warns. Enrollment could grow from about 385,000 today to 445,000. And unlike in past years, universities might not have seats for students when they finish their two-year degrees.


Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at svansickler@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3403.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

NEW BENEFIT FOR PJCFA MEMBERS

AFT Advantage is the latest benefit available to our members on the AFT members-only Web site at www.aft.org/members.

Members who have activated their new AFT membership cards have full access to the AFT Advantage—discount shopping online from top retailers. Members can shop for electronics, jewelry, women's clothes and accessories, children's clothes, wine and travel (just to name a few products) at discounted prices.

Other online benefits include:

AFT Member Account Information—Correct member data is vital to the success of the union. Members can make sure the AFT has their latest contact information.
AFT + Member Benefits—Discover all the discounts, services, insurance, financial and travel programs available to AFT members as a benefit of membership.
AFT Voices—Members are invited to speak out on a variety of topics, from workplace safety to early childhood education.

Reminder: Members in the AFT-NEA merged states of Florida, Minnesota, Montana and New York have membership cards from their state federations(FEA for PJCFA members); these members also can log in at www.aft.org/members for exclusive member benefits.

Read a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the new AFT membership cards.

Monday, February 4, 2008

The Family Medical Leave Act Expanded for Military Families

President Bush has signed into law legislation that expands Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) coverage for family members of employees called for military service. The expansion, included in a broader Department of Defense spendingmeasure, requires employers to offer up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to employees when a spouse, child or parent is on active duty or is called up for active duty. Leave could be for any “exigency” as defined by regulations to be drafted by the U.S. Labor Department.

Additionally, the new law allows employees who are the spouses, children, parents or next of kin of a service member to take up to 26 weeks of leave under the FMLA to care for the service member who incurred an injury during military service when that injury results in the service member being unable to perform his or her duties. The expansion is the first for the 1993 law, which requires employers to allow employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave after the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a sick child, parent or spouse or when an employee has a serious illness. The new provisions are effective immediately.

Other Regulations Proposed
On January 24, the Department of Labor sent proposed changes to the FMLA regulations to the White House's Office of Management and Budget. The text of the changes has not been released, but it is reported that employees would need to notify their employer in advance of the need for leave, and would no longer have one or two business days after missing work as currently provided in the regs.

Instead the proposed regulations would:
(1) require employees to give employers notice before talking leave, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances, and
(2) allow employers to require an employee to provide an annual recertification from a doctor that the employee has a “serious health condition.”
DOL declined, however, to narrow the definition of a serious health condition, as some employer groups had hoped.

The proposed regulations could be published in the Federal Register in February, 2008. The DOL anticipates that the regs will be finalized before the end of the year.

The text of the FMLA, with the changes in bold italics, can be reviewed: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/fmlaAmended.htm

The DOL FMLA page can be viewed at : http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/

The FEA Legal Services Department will provide an update on the FMLA regulations upon dissemination along with the other proposed changes to the FMLA regulations.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

AMENDMENT ONE

Tom Auxter, president of UFF, has asked that this message be shared with PJCFA members:


Dear Colleague:
I am writing to urge you to vote against Amendment One on January 29.

To explain why United Faculty of Florida makes this recommendation, it is necessary to outline the deepening budget crisis in Florida higher education and how Amendment One will add to the damage.

The news on funding for higher education in Florida is grim. We already lost 80% of recurring funds in two rounds of cuts this budget year. A continuing decline in tax revenue will bring at least another 4% in cuts, bringing the total to 12% in the next budget year.

If the Amendment One property tax cut passes, counties will not be able to cover all the expenses for schools, fire, and police. Because the Governor has already pledged to cover out of the State budget the loss of property tax revenue for schools, higher education will again be targeted for cuts when the State covers these new expenses for schools.

With the economy worsening and with Amendment One passing, we could face a total of as much as a 15% cut from our budgets next fiscal year.

Campus administrators around the state are now talking about faculty lay-offs, eliminating programs, and cancelling summer sessions as possibilities. Students face a dramatic reduction in classes offered and increased difficulty in graduating on time.

This comes at a time that Florida is already at the bottom (49th) in national rankings of faculty/student ratio. (Only Louisiana- - after Katrina- - is worse.) For a decade Florida has been at the bottom in rankings of per capita funding for higher education.

Join us in efforts to save higher education from the worst possible effects of what is now on the horizon. Join us in sending messages to legislators this spring when the calls go out. And join us in defeating Amendment One on January 29!

Sincerely,
Tom Auxter
President, United Faculty of Florida

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

MEET PJCFA'S UFF LIASION

Candi Churchill, UFF, will be on the Pensacola campus tomorrow, January 24th. If you'd like to meet Ms. Churchill, please get in touch with me at 484-2007 or csweeney@pjc.edu to schedule a meeting time.

She will be meeting with the Executive Board and Negotiating Team tomorrow from 12:30-2:00 in the PJCFA Office and all PJCFA members are welcome to attend that meeting.

LAST NIGHT'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

Last night's Board of Trustee's meeting was business as usual.

During the recognition part of the agenda, Mrs. Dona Usry was very generous in her praise of Bill Clover, Visual Arts, who was a tremendous help to Manna Food Pantry and their recent fund raisers "Throw a Bowl for Manna' and "Fill a Bowl for Manna." More than 400 bowls were purchased and the event raised about $15,000.

Dr. Delaino announced that enrollment was up by 6.1%. Because PJC had planned for 0% increase in enrollment, PJC's budget will not be as severely hurt in the next anticipated round of state budget cuts. Of course, the greater concern is for the 2008-2009 budget which the Legislature will be approving during the next regular session beginning in March.

Mr. O'Connor reported to the Board on the Presidential Screening Committee's meeting with Dr. Hockaday. (See previous posting.) I cannot begin to say how impressed I am with the seriousness that the BOT is showing in regard to the hiring of PJC's next president. The Board was very concerned that they have every opportunity to get as much input from the Screening Committee as possible. They also wanted sufficient time to review the applications of those recommended by the Screening Committee before they meet to determine which of the applicants will be asked to PJC for interviews. Kudos to all Board members and particulary Ms. Usry, Ms. Young, Ms. Norris, Mr. Moore and Mr. O'Connor.

The Board will hold a special meeting on February 29 to hear the report from the February 28 Screening Committee and to meet with Dr. Hockaday. The BOT will then be given the applications and other relevant materials for each of the 4-8 candidates recommended by the Screening Committee. On March 11 the Board will meet to determine which of the candidates will be asked on campus for interviews.

The Board has already submitted possible interview questions to Dr. Brigham for consideration.

Monday, January 14, 2008

LATEST ON PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH

Thanks to all of you who posted during the holiday break. I've taken the time to read your posts and appreciate your willingness to comment.

Last Thursday, January 10th, the Presidential Screening Committee met with Dr. Jeff Hockaday who will be assisting the Committee and the PJC Board of Trustees as we continue the search for the next president of PJC.

My impression of Dr. Hockaday was a favorable one. This is either his 100th or 101st presidential search so he definitely has the experience. He seemed willing to ask questions of the committee and listen to our responses.

Dr. Hockaday had reviewed the applications of the 13 candidates whose names had been to given to the Board of Trustees by the Screening Committe on December 3rd. He felt as though there were 2 or 3 good candidates and 1 very good candidate. Obviously, at this point he did not name names.

PJC has also received 18 new applications that the Screening Committee has not yet reviewed. The position has been readvertised in major national and local journals and newspapers with a closing date of January 31st. There is an expectation that there may be an additional 12 or so applications submitted because of the readvertisement.

Dr. Hockaday will be "head hunting" among sitting community college presidents and other high level college administrators and will bring another 8 (minimum) applications to the pool.

From this group (the 18 applications which have already been received, the expected 12 more applications, the 8 that Dr. Hockaday is to locate as well as 12 of the 13 original applicants who made the short list*), Dr. Hockaday will review applications and then send a list of 10-12 to the committee by February 15.

From February 15 - February 27, the committee will review the 10-12 applications for the applicants Dr. Hockaday recommends. If a committee member feels strongly in favor of a candidate that has not been recommended by Dr. Hockaday, the committee member has until February 25th to contact Dr. Hockaday about placing that candidate on the consideration list.

On February 28th, the Screening Committee will meet with Dr. Hockaday to discuss the knowledge, skills, and abilities of each applicant. At the conclusion of that meeting, the Screening Committee will submit a list of 4-8 candidates for consideration by the Board of Trustees.

As has been the policy all along, the Screening Committee and any interested parties may review any or all of the applications at any time. The applications are kept on file in the Office of Institutional Advancement or in Human Resources.

*Dr. Cantor has withdrawn his application.