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!

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.

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.

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
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__________________________________________________________________________________

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

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

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