Faculty Council meets monthly with Chancellor May

The Faculty Council meets monthly with Chancellor Joe May. During his 18 months in the job, the Council has been impressed with the extent to which he has informed us of his vision for the District, engaged with us on many important issues, and listened to the concerns and perspectives we have brought forward from the faculty we have the privilege to represent.

During our Sept. 11 meeting with Chancellor May, we brought him up to date on recent faculty “water cooler” discussions. For instance, we informed him about the various faculty perspectives on the new compensation program. In addition, the new policy in which adjunct instructors (and other part-time staff) are automatically terminated after 60 days of not earning pay has caused consternation for academic divisions and program coordinators. Apparently, this affected many adjuncts and many programs over the summer. We shared with Dr. May that it would help us tremendously if we could have any information to answer questions from adjunct instructors. Talent Central Vice Chancellor Susan Hall joined us for this part of the discussion and shared with us some information about why the automatic termination happens after 60 days, and some developments that might help mitigate problems in the future. Many of the changes are driven by more stringent requirements from the state government regarding the automatic payment of child support and other liens directly withdrawn from affected employees' monthly pay.

Chancellor May and Vice Chancellor Hall also invited the Council to engage in a discussion about reviewing the overall faculty job description in light of the recent changes passed by the Board of Trustees on Sept. 1, particularly regarding professional development expectations for new faculty hired in Range 1 or Range 2 after Sept. 1, 2015, the Chancellors Faculty Fellows program, the Performance Pay Incentive program, and the new longevity step increases.

We also shared with Dr. May that several Faculty Council members will participate in the Compression Planning session on the future role of the LeCroy Center in the academic operations of the seven DCCCD colleges this Friday, Sept. 18, at the LeCroy Center. Pat McNellis, of the Compression Planning Institute, will facilitate the session. Chancellor May shared some of his thoughts on what might best be accomplished during this Compression Planning session.

At a future meeting, the Council plans to discuss with Dr. May the role of faculty in maintaining academic standards and appropriate rigor in our courses and programs in light of the "completion agenda" and the new emphasis on competency based education.

District Talent Central publishes new Compensation Guidebook

The District Talent Central office has released an updated Compensation Guidebook, useful for calculating new base salaries for faculty. Please understand that this document will be expanded over time, including guidelines in the Performance Pay Incentive plan that have not yet been finalized.

As always, your faculty association presidents welcome your questions, concerns, and comments.

September is a great time to join or renew your membership in DCCFA

Today's rain breaks the heat wave. The first week hustle gives way to the high of the still-new semester. We're back in our classrooms, labs and shops. Our students are engaged and excited, and we have not yet been deluged with committee work. We are happy to see our colleagues after a summer break. It's the sweet spot of year.

The Faculty Council hopes you are taking this time to work ahead on a few things. Make sure your IAP is up to date. If you are in your "formal year," schedule your class visit with your dean. Make sure your Spring 2016 schedule is to your liking. And renew your membership in the faculty association.

Joining your faculty association is the means by which you participate in the shared governance of your college and the DCCCD. Maintaining your membership provides a resource for you to resolve conflicts and improve communication and collaboration, both among faculty and with our administration. We support members in meaningful professional development. We secure better salaries and working conditions. We ensure academic freedom. We provide legal consultation on contractual issues through our significant legal defense fund.

Faculty at other community colleges throughout Texas marvel at the solidarity and strength the DCCFA has built since 1977.

Last year, 92% of District faculty joined DCCFA. We hope everyone will join this year. The greater our numbers, the stronger our voice is in the decisions being made at our colleges and in the District.

Rather than wait until the last minute, please consider joining or renewing your membership now.

DCCFA seeks faculty input on issues raised in the wake of the Sept. 1 Board of Trustees meeting

Dear faculty,

As most of us now know, the DCCCD Board of Trustees on Sept. 1 approved a new compensation model for faculty in which all faculty will receive, at a minimum, a 3% increase in base salary, and many will receive an increase of 5% or more. The Board also voted to create the Chancellors Faculty Fellows program (to replace the Visiting Scholar program), to create a performance pay incentive plan, and to amend policy pertaining to initial placement on the salary schedule

As District Faculty Council President Fred Newbury wrote in this Sept. 2 entry, “This (salary increase) is one of the most significant improvements that we have seen in a number of years, although there were provisions that cause concern. Virtually all of the recommendations made by the (DCCFA) Welfare and Benefits Committee last spring were approved but there is still a great deal of work to do. We must have a compensation system that will allow us to attract and retain the best faculty. We have a commitment from Chancellor May that these efforts will continue and that conversation about compensation will resume in January.”

It is helpful to understand that the Board of Trustees, elected by the voters of Dallas County, sets the policy and votes on policy changes for the DCCCD. How those policies are implemented and promulgated through operational guidelines, processes, and practices, is the responsibility of the Chancellor and his subordinates in the District Office and at the colleges. The District Faculty Council participates in the shared governance of the DCCCD by continuously engaging in dialogue with the Chancellor, vice chancellors, college presidents, and vice presidents, on these issues.

Among the things on which the Faculty Council would like your input during the next few weeks are:

1.       The standards by which eligibility for Performance Pay should be determined;

2.       How the Chancellors Faculty Fellows program can ensure current faculty continue to play a role in the process to hire new faculty;

3.       What a program to replace Visions of Excellence should include.

Please contact your college faculty association president if you have concerns or questions about any of these issues. It is important, though, that your make your suggestions quickly, as we will have a matter of weeks – not months – to provide input to District Talent Central in establishing the operational guidelines to carry out Board-approved policies.

Brookhaven: Bill Hammerschlag

Cedar Valley: Tommy Thompson

Eastfield: Matt Hinckley
El Centro: Jessie Yearwood

Mountain View: Ken Alfers

North Lake: Shirley Thompson

Richland: Fred Newbury

In the meantime, we also encourage you to join the faculty association today. The faculty association is your voice in the shared governance of your college and our district.

September 1 Board Meeting Update from DCCFA President Fred Newbury

The DCCCD Board of Trustees approved the 2015-16 budget last evening (6-1 vote). The proposed changes that were presented to the Board in July for faculty compensation were approved. Here are the links to the budget, the policy pertaining to the Chancellors Faculty Fellows and the changes to faculty salary schedule placement approved by the Board.

This is one of the most significant improvements that we have seen in a number of years, although there were provisions that cause concern.  Virtually all of the recommendations made by the Welfare and Benefits Committee last spring were approved but there is still a great deal of work to do.

We must have a compensation system that will allow us to attract and retain the best faculty.  We have a commitment from Chancellor May that these efforts will continue and that conversation about compensation will resume in January.