United Facutly of Ohlone College

United Facutly of Ohlone College

United Faculty of Ohlone

Minutes from Executive Committee meeting held at Ohlone College, Fremont 2202

28 February 2008 at 3:00 p.m.

Present:

Alan Kirshner, President

Bennett Oppenheim, Negotiator

Alison Kuehner, Full-time Rep at Large

Heather McCarty, Committee-on-Committees Chair

Bob Bradshaw, Past President

Carol Lawton, Part-Time Rep at Large

Chris Bolt, Vice President and Treasurer

Absent:

Victoria Loukianoff, CEER Committee Chair

Darren L. Bardell, Secretary

Proceedings:

Meeting called to order at 3:00 p.m. by President, Alan Kirshner

1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

The minutes from the prior meeting of the Executive Committee where distributed via e-mail. Alan asked if there were any editions or corrections. Hearing none, he declared the minutes approved.

2. TREASURERS REPORT

Financial Report: Christine Bolt, Vice President and Treasurer,

Balance in our 4 accounts: $111,682.32

BofA Checking: $18,287.24

BofA 11 Month CD: $10,337.79

BofA 8 Month CD: $16,737.97

Franklin Templeton Income Fund: $66,319.38

Monthly Income from Dues: $2614.00

3. CEER

CEER: No new info. Victoria sent request for schedules. Michelle will not be able to be on CEER committee. Alan will sit in.

Changing language on CEER in contract to call meetings only on a need basis, instead of monthly.

4. NEW BUSINESS

a. Rewording of Contract (Bennett)

Bennett reported that he is trying to get rid of language that doesn’t materially affect anything. Lyle and Bennett have gone over and agreed in principle in changes. Lyle will present to Jim Wright. If it meets with Jim’s approvalthen we canapprove it. The old language will be posted in the new contract and the new language inserted.

Heather asked if number of days required to be on campus was part of the changes in discussion. They are not as that would be a material change (ie working conditions).

b. Report on Child Lab MOU (Bennett)

Bennett explained the problems with the current relationship with an outside agency we contracted with (Kadango) and Ohlone certificated faculty. This relationship has switched the mission from a learning center focused on enrichment and education to essentially babysitting. Reassigning time to develop a business plan so that Ohlone can use the facility for teaching.

Bennett moved that we accept and implement the MOU regarding this matter.

Alan seconded.

Christina called question

Unanimously passed

Alan signed the MOU for the UFO.

c. Professional Liability (Alan)

Alan also reported that he is still accruing information on liability insurance and will report back when he has more info. Bob asked if perhaps this might be something the Academic Senate would be interested in. Bennett discussed carrying personal liability policy. Chris discussed risk of travel abroad program and her experiences in Australia and Bennett shared his experiences as ski club advisor. Bob suggested that maybe this could be an optional benefit we could ask for through negotiations. Alan want to look into it being provided for those engaged in high-risk school service like travel abroad. Heather explained that this benefit is provided at other schools.

5. NEW BUSINESS

a. Recommendation for Negotiating Committee: (Bennett)

Our negotiating committee will be Matt Freeman (as part-timer), Bennett, and Bob Bradshaw.

Input forms asking for suggestions for items for this year’s negotiations are in faculty boxes. Bennett will meet face to face with folks to discuss specific issues. These new items and older “legacy” items will be put together to develop an initial proposal to be shared with everybody. Then put it forward to district in a proposal with vague language. District will review it, respond formally, and then have the first session.

Carol had concerns about not being in the loop as the part-time rep. She suggested Matt be invited to join the exec committee. Bennett explained that this was not needed and his own availability to Carol so that she can be in the loop.

b. Discussion on Negotiations for 2008-2009

1.) History of (Alan)

2.) Recommendations too date (Alan)

Alan will be writing an institutional history for the website. The original concept for the contract was as guidelines like a constitution and it has obviously expanded. We have not spelled out every detail in the contract so that we are not bound/ micromanaged. Details that are there pertaining to faculty obligations during their work week came out of an idealistic effort to explain to the community what we do, and management requested it be in our contract.

Alan passed around the Bay 12 salary schedule and discussed how faculty are in good shape, but part-timers are not in nearly as good a shape. Carol asked how we’re going to resolve it. Bennett said it will only get resolved is at the state level via AB1343 and AB591. It won’t be resolved at the local level, and every district that has attempted has set themselves up for an unfunded liability. Carol and Bennett went back and forth on the issue, and Carol asked why we solicit feedback from part-timers if all we can get is more money for them. Discussed trying to get language in the contract so that if the state offered funding it would automatically go in to place. Bennett explained the district would only go for it if it was fully funded, not partially funded. Carol shared language from the De Anza contract. Decided that Carol will do more research on this issue.

2.) Recommendations too date (Alan)

Discussion of Newark load with the Friday flex format. Contract has language about on-line teaching office hours now. You can have a proportional amount on-line to your on-line course load.

Darren Contract Issues Raised:

Discussed potential language around the 5 day/ week on campus issue. Identified now as an issue for negotiating. Bob believes there is an MOU permitting deans to negotiate schedules as they see fit.

The language on number of on-line classes permitted to be taught is up in the air. Darren (and I believe all of us) agree that we don’t want any language in the contract restricting the number of on-line classes a faculty member may teach. Bennett said that state/ administration insisted on it to come into compliance with the state. Thinks it is 40%, but not sure. Not currently in contract, but the issue was raised by the administration. Alison and Alan, both on the Distant Learning Committee, indicated that when the item came to them, they voted that there should not be a restriction placed on the number of on-line classes a faculty member may teach.

Heather Contract Issues Raised:

Double section size = reducing the number of students for a double section. Both Alan and Chris did not feel this issue was important. Alan believes that people choose double sections. Heather explained that in fact, faculty do not always have the option to choose. Chris confirmed this fact, and reported that she frequently has regular classes as large as 60. She did not feel that the double section size should be reduced. Heather explained that the Ohlone numbers are not competitive with the other Bay Area colleges double section size.

Maternity/ paternity leave = The contract provides for the legally mandated by the state

and federal gov’t 24 weeks and a one time only in entire service career at Ohlone additional unpaid semester off. The 24 weeks is paid exclusively from an employees sick time, once that sick time is used up faculty go on extended sick leave at a significantly reduced pay. Several younger faculty (both male and female) have expressed dissatisfaction with this. Heather indicated that concerns had been raised privately with her that non-academic employers provide paid leave, and the CSU and UC system (she indicated that she had not research this but was told this by another faculty member) also provide paid leave. Alison raised that she feels this is a reasonable package and shared her personal experience with the leave policy. Heather indicated that she knows from other young faculty (and she personally believes) that we do not have a generous package. Alan mentioned that we also have a provision in the contract for parenting leave that is open to men, but it also is unpaid although it provides fringe benefit continuation.

Banking overload:

Bob said that he can carry over hours from Fall to Spring only. Other banking of time is not permitted except for sabbatical. Banking of overload hours is permitted at many other community colleges throughout the state. Bennett reported that accounting problems prevent us from doing this.

c. UFO Missile (Alan)

Our constitution requires us to produce a newsletter. Will do it in the form of an electronic e-mail. Everyone will be responsible for writing a blurb.

Meeting Adjourned at 4:55 p.m.

Heather McCarty

Committee on Committees filling in as Secretary