Academic Affairs Committee: A Work in Progress
This spring the Academic Affairs Committee (AAC), as detailed in Article 6.16 of the CBA, has begun in earnest its enormous task of developing policies and procedures to enable true faculty governance of academics and curriculum at Brevard Community College.
The process began with election of representatives from both curriculum cluster committees and campuses at-large. Laura Dunn was then elected to chair the initial AAC with one of her first tasks being appointment of a AAC Handbook sub-committee to research and propose policies and procedures for operation of the committee, curriculum development, and other academic issues and decisions.
Review and approval of a backlog of curriculum changes in time for catalog publication deadlines was one of the first tasks of the committee. With those changes reviewed, approved, and moved forward, the AAC has focused on the Handbook development.
Faculty Ratify Contract
With an overwhelming eighty-five percent of BCC's 227 faculty voting, the bargaining unit ratified the recently negotiated new collective bargaining agreement between UFF-Brevard and Brevard Community College. The final tabulation was 153 "YES" and 38 "NO" ballots. One vote was cast as "Abstain" and one was declared invalid.
The contract now takes effect immediately. The Memorandum of Understanding that accompanied the contract spelled out implementation that allows the administration some time to make needed changes in computer systems to compute the point system by which workload will be calculated in the future. While the goal is Spring Term, 2010, both sides understand that such changes may not be made until Fall Term, 2010.
However, salaries, workyear and workweek and other such changes will be put in place as soon as possible and made retroactive to the start of this academic year. The Academic Affairs and Tenure/Rank/Promotion Committees will be organized this term with implementation expected in the Spring Term.
Board of Trustees
Ratifies Contract
At the regular monthly meeting of the Brevard Community College Board of Trustees, Monday, August 17, the Board voted unanimously to ratify the collective bargaining agreement with UFF-Brevard and the memorandum of understanding regarding implementation. After many months of discussion and review, the 2009-2012 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was presented to faculty Thursday, August 13, in a college-wide information session in the Cocoa Campus Fine Arts Auditorium.
While a few faculty members expressed concerns about several provisions of the new CBA such as a reduction in the total number of scheduled workdays and scheduled workweek hours, the majority appeared to welcome the CBA which finally provides fair and equitable pay for all faculty based on actual teaching time rather than student credit, greater faculty governance, and codifies tenure and rank in the CBA rather than leaving them up to the faculty handbook.
Faculty ratification voting began after the information session Thursday, and continues on individual campuses throughout the week with Thursday, August 20, the last day to vote. Ballots will be counted August 20.
Dr. Drake Credits UFF-Brevard With Fair Treatment of Faculty
For a variety of reasons, some 70 Brevard faculty were required to monitor and assist with the Florida College Prep Exit Exam on Saturday, May 2. This was planned despite Saturday not being a faculty workday according to the current collective bargaining agreement. Faced with many angry faculty members, UFF-Brevard first approached Melbourne Campus Provost Katherine Cobb in an effort to understand the problem. It was determined that the exam really did not have to occur on Saturday but could actually have been given in their individual cloassrooms during the following final exam week. Provost Cobb was very receptive to ideas to fix change the circumstances next year but believed it too late to change this year's testing as many students and faculty had already adjusted their schedules and made plans to attend.
Knowing that correcting the problem next year would not make this year's issue satisfactory, UFF-Brevard President Judi Schatte and UFF Regional Service Unit Director Michael Moats met with College President Dr. James Drake to discuss the options. After careful deliberation and consultation with his Cabinet, Dr. Drake determined that the fair and equitable resolution would be to provide extra pay to all faculty participating.
At a College-wide faculty meeting Tuesday, May 12, Dr. Drake announced his decision to pay a $250 stipend to each participating faculty member. He also credited the union leadership with bringing the situation to his attention and being reasonable and cooperative in jointly seeking a solution to the situation for this year and future years. Dr. Drake and Judi Schatte both expressed gratitude that the administration and the union worked well together to resolve this and other recent issues.
©2008 United Faculty of Florida
FEA/NEA/AFT/AFL-CIO
