GOVERNING BOARD
MAY 14, 2002
MINUTES
An executive session and work session of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board was scheduled to be held at 5:30 p.m. at the District Support Services Center, 2411 West 14th Street, Tempe, Arizona, pursuant to A.R.S. ยง38-431.02, notice having been duly given.
PRESENT
GOVERNING BOARD
Nancy Stein, President
Ed Contreras, Secretary
Linda B. Rosenthal, Member
Don Campbell, Member
Gene Eastin, Member
ADMINISTRATION
Fred Gaskin
Carol Myers for Ron Bleed
Anna Solley
Raul Cardenas
Phil Randolph
Arnette Ward
Larry Christiansen
Ken Atwater
Stan Grossman
Gina Kranitz
Jim Van Dyke for Linda Thor
Art DeCabooter
Corina Gardea
Pete Kushibab
Homero Lopez
Kathy Kunath for Gene Giovannini
ABSENT
STATE BOARD
Nick Balich
CALL TO ORDER
President Nancy Stein called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Governing Board met in executive session, notice having been previously given.
The meeting recessed at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting reconvened at 6:35 p.m.
WORK SESSION - Adjunct Faculty - "Dispelling Misconceptions, Erroneous Harmful Attitudes, and Prejudices"
Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA) President, Paula Garner, facilitated the Work Session. Ms. Garner expressed her appreciation to come before the Governing Board and members of the Maricopa Community College community to first of all thank them for increasing the hourly rates and allowing adjunct faculty teaching service to be taken into account when faculty members are hired as full-time employees. She thanked them also for the opportunity to conduct the work session on behalf of adjunct faculty.
In an effort to dispel myths or misconceptions that might exist, the Adjunct Faculty Employee Group chose this opportunity to showcase the achievements, accomplishments, experience, and education of their board members and several outstanding adjunct faculty members. Ms. Garner described the makeup of their employee group board and introduced those present. She highlighted their education, teaching experience, special achievements and areas of expertise. Those present were: Patricia Marchok, Vice President; Jane Leaf-Miller, Treasurer; Angeline Surber, Secretary; Bob Senzer, Phoenix College Representative; Donna Hanna, PVC Campus Representative; Vilja Thompson, SCC Campus Representative.
Ten members of the adjunct faculty group were selected for their outstanding work. They were:
ยท A. J. Walter, Ph.D., Chandler-Gilbert Community College
ยท Diane Stonebrink, Estrella Mountain Community College
ยท Pat Lathan, GateWay Community College
ยท Linda Landrum, Glendale Community College
ยท Heidi Hutchins, Mesa Community College
ยท John Linda, Phoenix College
ยท Randy Reule, Paradise Valley Community College
ยท Janet E. O'Brien, Rio Salado Community College
ยท Dixie Swan, Scottsdale Community College
ยท Irene Gaither, South Mountain Community College
Ms. Garner mentioned that the AFA Group would like the campuses to institute an award for outstanding adjunct faculty members to provide an incentive. She provided an adjunct faculty profile, which shows that these employees are critical to the success of the Maricopa Community Colleges as they teach the majority of unprepared students. According to Ms. Garner, Adjunct Faculty will teach 58% of FTE's, will continue leaving MCCD to teach for competitors in unacceptable numbers, are paid at 50% or more below comparable local competition, are paid 25% below the average pay of adjunct faculty in major metro areas, are paid at a flat rate regardless of their education and experience, and are in the 45% of surveyed colleges that are not recognized for their experience and education.
Their recommendations for resolving salary discrepancies for this employee group are contained in their Model for Adjunct Progress and Promotion. This model requests an increase in their hourly rate from 50% to 60% of full-time faculty base pay and recognizes their education and experience by implementing an adjunct faculty matrix system, which mirrors the full-time faculty matrix. The benefits of implementation to MCCD would be a reduction in turnover and recruiting costs, maintaining marketplace competitiveness and reputation and high national standards, avoiding a faculty shortage crisis. The benefits of implementation to adjunct faculty would be recognition and respect, motivation to seek additional education and training, motivation to build long-term relationships with MCCD, and strong relationships with students.
Vice President Pat Marchok described the history of the Adjunct Faculty Group Initiative at PVC, which was established in 2001. She spoke about their goals and achievements which included two "share and learn" events, an orientation for new and returning faculty, personalized name badges, formation of a distribution list, a learning event on classroom strategies, revision of their handbook and evaluation forms, and development of an outstanding adjunct faculty recognition program.
Pearl Williams and Jane Leaf-Miller from Estrella Mountain Community College made another presentation. They spoke about the Adjunct Faculty Institute, which provides for training in new technology and pedagogies, supporting adjunct faculty's teaching experience, assimilating the adjunct faculty into the campus culture, and workshops on developing a comprehensive syllabus. Other workshops they sponsor include blackboard basics, teaching with PowerPoint, critical thinking with blackboard discussions, and classroom assessment. They highlighted that the benefits of the Institute are that residential faculty serve as facilitators, it helps create community, the quality of instruction improves, a culture of sharing is created, and teachers model learning.
Monica Zontanos, Director of Adjunct Faculty Services at Rio Salado College, spoke to Rio Salado's experiences with their faculty and students. Testimonials from students indicated that they were unaware about whether their instructors were residential or adjunct and that in most cases instructors received high marks with reference to experience, knowledge, and instruction provided. Recruiting adjunct faculty at Rio Salado is a college-wide effort. They recruit new faculty at job fairs and through other adjunct faculty. Three areas within the Rio Salado System provide support for adjunct faculty. Faculty Chairs serve as resources and guides for adjunct faculty and determine their assignments. The Instructional Help Desk provides training and serves as the liaison with students and faculty chairs, as well as collecting and reporting performance data. Lastly, Course Support for Distance Learning takes care of rosters, mailing labels, envelopes, voice mail, and couriering all information and student work to instructors. Adjunct faculty are included in workshops, conferences, meetings, focus groups, as well as rewards and recognition activities.
Governing Board Member Ed Contreras commented that in response to a comment about vacancies created by adjunct faculty leaving MCCD to teach for competitors out of state, the only job market we should be concerned about is Phoenix. Issues pertaining to disparity in salaries needs to be from the local level. He requested information pertaining to salary inequities with local competition. Ms. Garner indicated she would provide this information.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting concluded at 8:24 p.m.
_____________________
Ed Contreras
Governing Board Secretary