PJC policy forbids individuals from addressing the Board of Trustees unless those individuals have requested to be on the agenda in advance. According to Tom Wazlavek, our UFF Service Unit Director, this is not the norm at other colleges in Florida. Most boards allow time to hear from the public. Our Board does not. Perhaps this practice needs to be changed. After all, we are the community's college. Doesn't it stand to reason that those entrusted with leading the college should allow--even encourage--community input?
During negotiations this year, Chief Negotiator Paige Anderson asked that faculty be allowed to speak to the board each month. Dr. Keith Samuels, Chief Negotiator for the Board, indicated that the Board was not interested in hearing from us. The Bargaining Team doubts the veracity of this statement. It's more likely that the administration is not interested in the Board hearing from us.
So, what must you do to be heard by the Board at the February 17 BOT Meeting? According to information received from the president's office, "Board policy requires that requests from individuals or organizations to be placed on the board agenda shall be made in writing to the President with a brief statement of the purpose not later than ten (10) days prior to the regular Board meeting date." This means that if you're willing to express your concerns to the BOT, you must file your request by Friday, February 6. Remember, there are just two meetings of the BOT before layoffs occur. The list of layoffs will be approved at the March meeting. It is imperative that we have a strong turn out for the February meeting. If you're willing to speak, submit your request early!
Remember, the meeting is in the newly-renovated BOT Room, Building 7, Pensacola Campus, at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17. For more information about BOT members, visit this link: http://www.pjc.edu/visitors/aboutPJC/trustees.asp
16 comments:
The attorney is retired. Send his mail to his home instead of his work.
"The real issue here is not a paltry 2 percent raise. The issue is a President who has alienated most of his faculty and he hasn't even served one year on the job. Dr. Delaino was a man of integrity and never would have acted this way. Dr. Meadows sees the need to assert this asinine position(violating the CBA and ignoring the Sunshine Law) in order to silence the Faculty in the hope that we will back down and not bring this to the attention of the Board of Trustees. Too late for that now. There are too many "fat cats" in the Administration. Count how many VPs, Provosts, Deans, etc., we have, and how much each one earns. Next we'll have a VP for media relations(Oops, I think we might already have one based on what was left out the PNJ article today)."
This comment was left at PNJ.com and it shows how out of touch and unreasonable we are getting. Dr. Delaino was a nice man but he left this terrible financial situation to deal with and did nothing about it. He was the one who hired 100 new professional people when there was money. And if you remember Dr. Atwell was the one who always wanted to keep us at the 60/40 ratio of full time to part time. The only reason we changed is because enrollment decreased over the years so there was no need for adjuncts and that's why the ratio got better. You guys have short memories! We could have not picked a worse economic time than this to play our impasse card. Lies and exaggerations are being repeated as though they are true. Please consider how you are destroying this college with this venom.
Well said. Sort out the issues to deal with them accordingly.
Mail for Edward Moore, Sr. can be sent directly to his son instead of the firm. You may use Edward Moore, 3370 Chantarene Drive, Pensacola, FL 32507; or you could use his e-mail.
Use the father's (Sr.'s) e-mail address or the son's (Jr.'s) mailing address
If you decide to speak to the BOT, please make sure you have your facts straight--right and true! Any other comments would be useless. Just remember when the nominating committee was ready to hand the president's job to a certain VP on campus. There were 3 or 4 people who spoke--faculty, career service and administration--those people put their jobs on the line that day with very thoughtful, true comments. The nominating committee listened and did not "shoe in" that person. Those same people need to speak again on this issue.
If in doubt, check your facts out. There are plenty.
The board should be informed clearly that fully-accredited Pensacola Junior College automatically becomes a marginally-accredited college in the eyes of every university our students want to transfer to and to every employer our graduates want to get a job with when we meet full-time and part-time teacher ratios at the lowest level. Everyone in education and business will know this whether it is shown on our documents or not.
It is very interesting that there are so many negative comments about the president who has been here less than a year. He has not hired any new people; I don't think he has "fired" or let anyone go! So perhaps PJC's excess in past years is finally catching up--more money going out than was coming in? Whatever budget shortfalls occur, at least faculty know in advance it is going to occur. We have not thought or said one word about other employees who can essentially be laid-off with a few days notice. The contract does require notice in advance whereas others do not have this notice.
And IF a lot of non-faculty employees were to be laid-off, who would do their work? I don't work during registration, or on accreditation, or on maintenance projects, or cleaning bathrooms. I think some faculty are screaming the sky is falling when we may have a rain shower, not a storm!
You've said it. After much thought and your very best efforts, you and one prominent administraor believe the solution for the college and the community is for heads to roll.
What's going to occur?
Thank you for visiting our blog. And thank you for letting us know your thought processes.
You have put us in the line of fire and we have not suggested harm to anyone else. This is our family. We don't harm the family.
When we use administrators in a negative fashion, we definitely don't mean all administrators.
How nice, a weather forecast.
Showers are coming that won't be heavy. Employees do not need to cover their computers. However, a portion of you will be required to leave the college permanently.
Weather Forecastor says he cannot clean toilets. We are pondering that.
Hasn't hired any new people. Forgive me, but I do read, and virtually every Green&White I've seen barring the last one has had openings for managerial/professional positions in it. The last one was last week's when a position for Clark Center was listed. I have yet to meet a faculty member who knows what that center is. I do believe that these positions require presidential permission.
True. While some professional/managerial/support positions have been left unfilled, look at how many faculty positions have been lost over the past few years. By indicating that he wants PJC to abide by the minimum 60/40 SACS ratio, Meadows is showing his lack of respect for faculty. The board must hear this message!
I have worked in other places where the President/CEO will have a meeting with the staff and discuss on what needs to do be done and how he intends to do it. But at PJC Dr. Meadows did not do this. It is cowardly to send Dr.Gonzalez and execute his intentions. It doesn't show any management quality. It is a shame for a community college to have this kind of presidency. He alienated his Faculty. The same faculty is applauding Dr.Gonzalez. I do not know Dr. Gonzalez personally, but from what I hear from others is nothing but good notes. One big question that I would like to get an answer for is, when more than 40 colleges and university systems in Florida are in the same situation (budget cuts), why PJC is the only college that cuts the Faculty? Faculty and the Students are important in a college than the support staff. After all Students and the Faculty are the essential parts in an education system. UWF president says that the last thing she wants to do is cutting her faculty. It is time for Dr. Meadows to reevaluate his actions and cut the costs in other ways. It doesn’t make sense to have around 200 faculty and more than 1000 support staff.
PJC is NOT the only college laying off faculty. Don't continue to pass along untruths.
http://chronicle.com/news/article/4435/u-of-florida-plans-layoffs-and-enrollment-cuts-as-state-funds-fall
Here is a college in Florida that is laying off.
Florida Atlantic University expects to lay off workers, curtail programs
By Scott Travis | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
January 22, 2009
DAVIE - Florida Atlantic University will likely lay off employees and shut down programs because of $22 million in budget cuts it anticipates during the next year, FAU President Frank Brogan said Wednesday.
To clarify on other colleges not laying off.
After attending the UFF Senate meeting it is confirmed that four year colleges are doing some layoffs. UF and Florida Atlantic are in the process of laying off. There is, of course, discussion of such at the other schools, as well.
At two year community colleges, however, it appears PJC is the only school actively retrenching. Other schools are looking at it as an option but aren't doing it. This word comes from the leadership of UFF.
What's important is that we not get overly tied up in finger pointing and deal with our situation at hand. Our students need teachers and our state educational system is failing them. We need our legislatures to stop the cuts and get moving on a recovery package that includes funding for higher education.
We also need to see administration stop this drastic move at least until the impact of the Obama relief program is hashed out. There will be money coming to Florida. Exactly how, when and to whom is unknown, but it will happen.
We need to see administration stop this drastic move because stopping is the right thing to do. Involve your employees in seeking solutions. We're a bunch of smart people. We can help, but not if you don't involve us. Be respectful to us. More importantly, be respectful to the citizens of our two county area who rely on your teachers and our school. Do you really want to do this to them?
In the meantime, PJCFA members, speak your voice. Print out the BOT contact sheet at PJCFA.orgf and give it to all of your friends, families and co-workers. Tell them to speak up and write. Get them to our BOT meeting on Feb 17th. . Go to the meeting yourselves, and write, write, write. Write someone everyday. Write your legislators. Write the BOT. This is very important.
We'll be posting updates and asking for help. One way you can help now is to ask others to join PJCFA. If you have faculty in your departments who are not members, be brave and recruit them.
Here's is a link to our member form:
http://www.unitedfacultyofflorida.org/documents/UFF_Memberform_rep-policy_0109.pdf
Copy and paste it into your browser's search window. RETURN THE FORM TO ME IN A SEALED ENVELOPE:
CINDY APP, PJC VISUAL ARTS BLDG., ROOM 1558
Do not let anyone intimidate you and stop you from doing the right thing. We need to stand up for ourselves and, most importantly, our students.
Administration needs to be held accountable for the situation this college is in.
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