AFTCollege Guild
WestL.A.College
Adjunct Orientation Meeting
August 23, 2010
Attendance: Jack Fujimoto; Anthony Battle; Gary Willoughby; Doug Blechner;
Javier Zaragoza; Rosemary Most; Susan Herdzina; Stafanie Frame; Jennifer McIntosh; Peter Micle; Kevin Dungey III; John Borsum; Lorena Leslie; Lloyd Noonan; Juliqan Segura Camacho; James Ulrich; Robert Perez; Diane Matsuno; Angela Jane Coccio; Vaita Nicholas; Kevin Fraser; Curtis M. Shaw; Peter H. Lee; Leo Lynch; Iris Maybruck; Michael Tracey; Bill Buchniski; Nicole Hoelle; Angela Orlando; Diane Fuller; Jenelle Blount; Lisa Cain; Hari Vishwanadha; Frances Israel; Sandra Scranton; Bernice Fillerman; Francis Manzon; Mary-Jo Apigo; Kenneth Taira; Lisa Saperston; Anna Chaing; Michelle Kadzi; Stephan T. Scott; Sherry Briedenthal; Lisette Arriola-Gardetta; Nicole Webster; Mary Hardy; Eva Piken-Nagler; Tracy Levin; Yichen (Jenny) He; Othelia Garcia; Donna Lawrence; Sandra E. Frazier; James Berns; Sherrie L. Bellamy; Ana R. Valdivia; Mi Kyung Sung; Barbara Slaughter; Patricia Morris; Sandi J. Pinio; Betty Jacobs; Luo YiLan; Jrcbert Gharamancan; Mary Jane McMaster; Francine Zexter; Bruce Anders; Olga Shewfelt Guests: Bob Sprague; John Oester; Betsy Regalado; Judith Ann Friedman; Susan Aminoff.
Meeting Summary
The meeting convened in H-LRC – 4 for the purpose of orienting adjunct faculty.
Olga Shewfelt, Chapter President reported:
In the last contract negotiations in 2008, the AFT Faculty Guild working in collaboration with the District approved language in the current Agreement (Article 40 C. b) that authorizes large online classes.
In Fall/2009 at the request and with the approval of faculty members at West, our Guild's WLAC chapter signed an MOU authorizing the same language of the Agreement to be applicable for large onsite classes at our college.
In order to obtain authorization for a large class online or onsite, an instructor must make a request in writing in a particular form that needs to be signed by the requesting instructor, the appropriate Division Chair and Dean of Academic Affairs, and last by the AFT Guild Chapter President. Once these approvals are in place, course limits are extended up to 80 students per class and the appropriate stipend will be paid according to the number of students that are enrolled in these particular large classes on census day.
In Spring/10, due to budget cuts and lack of available funds, West Administration decided that due to lack of funds, it would not authorize any large classes this Fall/10. Both the language in the Agreement and the local MOU rule authorizes the approval of such large classes if funds are available and the Instructor, the Division Chair, the Dean, and the Guild sign the paper work.Until new funding is available, no authorizations have been signed for this Fall/10 and thus, no stipend will be paid.
Adrienne Foster, Academic Senate President reported:The Academic Senate deals with academic and professional issues, as distinct from labor issues, handled by the Guild. The Senate meets monthly, the second Tuesday. Adjunct Faculty are represented by duly elected representatives, and urged to participate.
Betsy Regalado, VPSS reported: Student services maintains a comprehensive group of services to West’s students including Counseling, a Transfer Center and added Transfer e-Chat, Assessment in Math and English for course placement, Financial Aid and related services in EOP/S, a disabled student services (DSPS), and a full-services Admissions Center, which handles adds/drops and offers instructors opportunities to maintain their class rosters online.
Bob Sprague, VPAA reported: While enrollments are up, class sections have been sharply reduced, driving up class sizes. The Scheduling of teaching assignments is now on-time, and in conformity with the Contract. The administration has been working with the Guild to follow the Contract and send galleys of the Schedule for faculty perusal in order to catch any mistakes. Bob stated that there will be a number of opportunities for faculty, including Adjunct faculty, to apply for positions within newprograms to generated through grants.
John Oester, VPA reported: John handed out a map indicating road access, new construction, and parking in current configurations. Projected work on the new North Parking Lot has necessitated the move of the AFT facility and the Adjunct Workroom and Lounge to the D-Village.
Grievances, Bruce Anders, Grievance Representative reported: Bruce said that the great majority of grievances are around seniority and assignment disputes. He urged all adjuncts to become familiar with Article 16 on seniority, and Article 19 on evaluation.
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