| 2009-02-06 13:03:21 Response by Shannon Lienhart Carlos Vonson | Where in the contract does it address a "priority list" in relation to part-time faculty getting courses assigned. How does a part-time faculty get on a "priority list"? Is it based on semesters taught or hours? Thank you Each department develops a "Preference List" for their part-time faculty. The rules are covered in Article 20 of the contract. You can access the contract by clicking on "Contract" to the left here. Scroll down to section 20.10 and that is the beginning of the language for the preference list.
The PT needs two sets of good evaluations to qualify for the preference list. If the PT is evaluated during the first semester of teaching, the second one comes three years later. In other words, it takes at least four years of teaching to get on the list. | |
| 2008-12-01 17:58:17 Response by Shannon Lienhart | I was wondering Palomar offers winter session courses? Yes. Here is a website that has a listing of the courses that are being offered during winter session. http://www.palomar.edu/instruction/webUpdates/reports/fall/wint.pdf | |
| 2008-11-12 20:00:09 Response by Shannon Lienhart | Is there any chance Palomar will be offering a SERP in May 2009? Not unless the State of California provides an incentive. I'd say that it is highly unlikely. | |
| 2008-09-26 14:47:28 Response by Shannon Lienhart | Why do I teach for 160 minutes a week (1 hour, 20 minutes times 2) when I teach a TTH or MW class, but only 150 minutes (50 minutes times 3) when I teach a MWF class? Why aren't these times consistent? Here's the answer that I just received from the instruction office: Shannon, it has to do with attendance accounting for a "class hour." I am certainly not the expert on this topic, but I am referring to the Attendance Accounting Manual from the Chancellor's Office. A "class hour" can be 50 minutes plus 10 minute "passing time." So, a class that meets 50 minutes plus a 10 minute passing time 3 times a week is said to meet 3 hours. The accounting manual can be confusing related to block scheduling, so I am not quoting it here. However, the bottom line is that there can only be one 10 minute passing period in a class that meets 1 ½ hours. The class that meets one hour plus 20 minutes (80 minutes total) plus a 10 minute passing time is said to meet 1 ½ hours; if this class meets twice a week, it is said to meet 3 hours. The only way I can explain the difference is that there are 3 "passing times" in one situation and 2 "passing times" in the other situation. I hope this helps. | |
| 2008-03-21 10:39:21 Response by Shannon Lienhart / Roger Morrissette | I have been an adjunct for 11 years at Palomar. I have applied twice for a full tine position and have not gone to the second round of interviews eventhough my record of student and peer reviews have been excellent.
How could I learn more about what went wrong in the one hour interview process that dismisses all this time of dedication and loyakty to the college?
Ana, as a full-time professor that has sat on many hiring committees, my recommendation to you would be to find a mentor in your department that you can talk to. Find out what the full-time faculty are looking for when they hire. Keep asking questions and use the answers to find develop your academic and or teaching skills to fit what the department is looking for. Part-time faculty are almost always hired as full-timers! They may not have been part-timers at Palomar College but you can damn well bet that they have worked part-time somewhere else. I worked part-time for three years in Northern California before getting the Palomar job, yet some complained when one of the long-time Palomar part-timers wasn't hired for my position even though I was more qualified. I have been involved in 5 hiring committees at Palomar and I can absolutely say that our process is the most objective I have ever seen. If you are one of the top 10 of 100-300 on paper you may get an interview. If you absolutely nail the interview you just might get the job. Other than that I agree completely with Shannon's comments and response. | |
| 2008-03-19 10:37:36 Response by Shannon Lienhart | It's wonderful to hear that a contract has been agreed upon. However, some time has passed now since we got that email saying the PFF and the district have come to an agreement. When can we expect to hear the details? And when can we regular faculty expect to finally see our pay raise and any retroactive pay?
Thank you to all of you for all of your hard work.
Hi and thank you for your questions. I am sure that many faculty have the same concerns. We agreed, in principle, with the District on compensation. It is a good contract and an especially good one given the economic situation. There are a few minor points that need clarification. The final agreement will not be reached until after spring break. After that, we go through a process where the district will need to put the contract together, the negotiations team will review it, then it will be placed on the web for union members to review and ratify. This will take several weeks. Once that is done, it goes to the Governing Board for final approval. That will probably not occur until May. Once it is approved by the Board, it will take the District a month or so to process the retro-checks. I'm thinking that we may see the increase in our pay around June or July and our retro check in July or August. This is just my best guess at this point. It all takes so long and I know everyone is eager to get their raise. Thank you for being patient. | |
| 2007-10-23 17:49:09 Response by PFF eBoard | I am a part-time, adjunct faculty member whose income comes entirely from teaching. I am very concerned that, with each passing day that colleges are closed due to the fires, we will not receive pay for those days. Can you tell me what I can expect at Palomar? Can we use "sick time" to make up hours lost due to campus closures? I am now very worried about paying bills - if we will not be paid for these days then I have already lost hundreds as my classes here are concentrated on Mondays and Wednesdays (both closure days). Please let me know (1) if we will be paid for the classes we would've held but for the mandatory closures and (2) if not, what our options are, what we can do to mitigate the loss (i.e., use sick hours, etc.). Thank you. All teaching positions, both full time and part time, will be covered (paid in full) for any time out due to the fires. For specific needs extending past the restart dates, please contact the PFF. | |
| 2007-10-17 10:48:45 Response by PFF eBoard | I am looking for rules for "overload/banking" in the contract. Can you direct me to the proper place? Article 9 of the current contract (which can be found under the CONTRACT link to the left) addresses overloading and banking. There is also a Memorandum of Understanding which can be found under the DOCUMENTS | MOUs link to the left that updates items. | |
| 2007-10-10 01:04:03 Response by PFF eBoard | Is there going to be an Early Retirement Incentive offered in May 2008? The district has not offered any early retirement incentives for the current year. | |
| 2007-10-05 15:42:46 Response by Executive Board | Will there be an early faculty retirement incentive for May 2008 since last year did seem to work out?
The District has not offered an early faculty retirement incentive for this academic year. | |
| 2007-09-18 12:54:57 Response by Shannon Lienhart | Regarding assignments for part-time faculty and the "seniority" issue: is it true that a department only needs to offer one (1)class to a part-time faculty member? If the part-time faculty member has previously been teaching multiple sections at Palomar, can the department "limit" the offerings to one (1) section? Also, assume this faculty member has "seniority." A quick response would be very much appreciated. Hi Bob -- Here are the sections in the contract that speak to that issue:
20.10.2.1 All faculty members on the preferential
consideration list for a given discipline shall have
equal standing. For the purposes of assignment
and scheduling, no part-time faculty member shall
receive preferential consideration over a full-time
faculty member.
Essentially, the contract states that a faculty member on the preference list must be given an assignment (does not specify how much of an assignment) before that assignment is offered to any person not on the list. The contract also specifically states that everyone on the preference list has equal standing -- which means that seniority issues are not written into the contract. Department chairs may choose to make assignments based on seniority if they wish, but the union felt that it was important to allow departments a lot of autonomy rather than dictate to departments what they must do. | |
| 2007-07-16 23:37:51 Response by PFF Executive Board | I find that our contract does not have a seniority clause. I really want to have the seniority clause in our contract for the PT faculty. This issue is really crucial for me and for most of the PTs.
I found that it is possible to negotiate this issue with the district. I do not see any harm for the FT to have a PT seniority clause in the contract. Below is the contract from Cabrillo College regarding PT seniority. I really hope that our negotiating team pushes this agenda in negotiation with the district.
Contract
Between CCFT & the Cabrillo Community College District
July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2007
Article 16
Adjunct Faculty
16.1 Definitions
An "adjunct instructor" means a bargaining unit member who is employed and classified as a temporary employee in accordance with Education Code Sections 87478, 87480, 87481, 87482, or 87482.5.
16.2 Notification of Full-Time Vacancies
The Human Resources Department will notify all faculty by electronic mail at their District email address of all available tenure track faculty vacancies. Alternatively, faculty may file an interest card each academic year with the Human Resources Department and will receive notification of job openings by mail. The Human Resources Department shall notify CCFT of all tenure track bargaining unit vacancies prior to any public posting or advertising.
16.3 Scheduling: Adjunct Assignment
16.3.1 An adjunct unit member shall have the opportunity to state his or her availability and list preferred courses by submitting an "Availability Statement" to the appropriate Dean (or program head when the course falls outside the division) prior to the development of the schedule for each semester or session.
If an adjunct unit member does not receive an assignment for any given semester or session, the appropriate administrator shall notify the unit member in writing and shall specify in this notice one or more of the following reasons for this decision. Reasons for not receiving an assignment shall include:
(a) less than satisfactory evaluation
(b) termination of course offering
(c) return of a probationary or regular contract member from leave, where the adjunct unit member was employed as a temporary replacement
(d) consolidation of positions toward a contract position
(e) the need of a regular or contract unit member to complete a normal load
(f) reduction in force
(g) maintenance of continuity and quality of educational program
(h) violation of or refusal to obey laws governing community colleges and/or regulations of the District.
(i) demonstrated need of the District. In this case, the District need shall be identified.
If an adjunct unit member does not receive an assignment for any given semester or session, the unit member may continue to submit "Availability Statements" to the appropriate administrator for up to four (4) semesters.
16.3.2 "Availability Statements" shall be used in making decisions pursuant to Section 16.4 below.
16.4 Notification of Assignment
In offering an assignment to an adjunct unit member each semester or session, the District/Division Office will make use of the following criteria:
(a) Availability
(b) Evaluations
(c) Length of service as defined below in 16.8.1
(d) Assignment preference as defined in 16.8.2
(e) Continuing comparable assignment
(f) Educational preparation or study, relevancy or recency of related work and teaching experience, in specific course or assignment.
(g) Maintenance of continuity and quality of educational programs
16.5 Cancellation or Withdrawal of Tentative Assignment
Adjunct teaching assignments are made by the District on a tentative basis, subject to a number of institutional factors: (1) Administrative approval; (2) class size; (3) possible assignment of a contract or regular instructor, as a part of a normal load, to one or more classes tentatively assigned to an adjunct instructor. If an assignment is canceled or withdrawn by the District, the cancellation or withdrawal will be effective when the adjunct unit member is notified by the Dean. If the instructor is notified within the 14 days before the first class meeting or during the first week of class, he/she shall be compensated for one-sixteenth of the number of hours the class is scheduled to meet and for time spent meeting the flex requirement. If the instructor is notified on the day of or after the first class meeting of the second week of classes, he/she shall be compensated for two-sixteenths of the number of hours the class is scheduled to meet and for time spent meeting the flex requirement. This formula for compensating for canceled classes applies to all classes: summer, fall, winter and spring sessions, and full-term, short-term and weekend classes.
16.6 Arbitrability
Grievances concerning the interpretation and application of Sections 16.3, 16.4, and 16.5 are not subject to the Arbitration provisions of this Agreement.
16.7 Work Load
An adjunct unit member's workload shall not exceed sixty percent (60%) of the standard full-time unit member workload (see Article 11). The following activities are excluded from the sixty percent (60%) workload and thus are not to be calculated toward it. Such exclusions are not limited to this listing:
(a) classes taught for Cabrillo Community Education;
(b) service as a substitute teacher on a day-to-day basis as provided by Education Code Section 87482.5(b). (For purposes of definition, day-to-day substitutes are not required to engage in long-term lesson planning, to attend department or division faculty meetings, to hold office hours or do final grading). A day-to-day substitute, working consecutively up to 12% of the total hours of a single course, is paid at the rate stated in Article 13.11; thereafter, the day-to-day substitute will be paid at the appropriate adjunct unit pay rate, Article 13.1.2.4 or 13.1.3.5.
(c) classes taught during any summer session and winter session.
16.8 Length of Service, Cabrillo College Service Credit and Assignment Preference.
16.8.1 An adjunct unit member's length of service list for each academic discipline shall be established and updated each semester by the District Human Resources Office. The list shall be based on and sorted by the first date of paid temporary academic employment of each adjunct unit member (see also 16.3.1) and by academic discipline. In addition, the Length of Service List will identify those adjunct members who are currently eligible to receive benefits from the District (14.4), and those who currently have assignment preference (16.8.2). These Length of Service Lists will be used by each Dean in making assignments each semester according to 16.4. The Length of Service Lists by academic discipline shall be available to an adjunct unit member and CCFT upon request.
16.8.2 "Cabrillo College Service Credit" means the credit toward assignment preference that an adjunct unit member earns for having completed one or more assignments in an academic discipline. An adjunct unit member must serve satisfactorily for the full term of her/his assignment(s) in the academic discipline during one semester. After earning eight semesters of Cabrillo College Service Credit in an academic discipline, an adjunct unit member shall have assignment preference in that academic discipline. Denial of assignment preference shall be based on evaluations or other contractual criteria as specified in 16.3.1.
16.8.3 An adjunct unit member with assignment preference in an academic discipline shall be offered an assignment therein before an adjunct unit member without assignment preference, provided she/he is qualified for the assignment as noted in 16.4.
16.8.4 If, during any semester, there are more adjunct unit members with assignment preference than there are available assignments in an academic discipline, the available assignments shall be offered to those adjunct faculty who are most senior according to the Length of Service List, provided she/he meets the criteria specified in 16.4.
16.8.4.1 After an adjunct faculty member has been offered and has accepted an assignment, orally or in writing, an adjunct faculty member shall not be displaced by a more senior adjunct faculty member.
16.8.5 An adjunct unit member shall retain her/his assignment preference unless it is terminated pursuant to the provisions of this article.
16.8.5.1 The assignment preference of an adjunct unit member of an academic discipline is terminated:
(a) if that unit member declines, after the end of the prior semester, an assignment during a subsequent semester, or winter or summer session, for which she/he has announced an availability and which assignment has been published in the appropriate schedule; or does not complete an assignment after it has begun.
(b) if the President or her/his designee concludes that the adjunct unit member does not meet the standards of performance and academic excellence that are required of certificated employees by the District, and the re-evaluation process (16.9.6) has been completed.
16.8.5.2 The assignment preference of an adjunct unit member in a division shall not be terminated if:
(a) an assignment is cancelled because of low enrollment;
(b) an assignment is withdrawn to fill the load of a contract member;
(c) the adjunct unit member is unable to accept or commence an assignment because of verifiable illness or other extenuating circumstances which the member and the appropriate Dean mutually agree make acceptance or commencement impossible.
16.8.5.3 An adjunct unit member who has lost assignment preference may later re-qualify according to 16.8.2.
16.9 Evaluation
Refer to Article 17.
16.10 Salary
Faculty Salary Schedule, and G.2, the Adjunct Academic Specialist Salary Schedule. Refer to Article 13.1.2.
16.11 Health and Welfare Benefits
See Article 14 Section 4.
16.12 Office Hours
Adjunct unit members are required to hold pro rata office hours. See Articles 8.6 and 11.1.3.
16.13 Other Procedures
Except as otherwise provided in this Article, all other provisions in this Agreement apply equally to adjunct unit members on a pro rata basis except Sabbatical Leave, Article 10.7 (Leave Without Pay for Child Bearing Preparation and Child Rearing), Article 10.10 (Exchange Teaching Leave), Article 10.11 (Military Leave), Article 10.13 (Other Leaves Without Pay), Article 15 (Layoffs), and Article 18 (Retirement).
16.14 Conference Attendance
An adjunct instructor may submit a request to attend a professional conference following established District procedures. Approved conference attendance shall comprise part of the adjunct instructor's regular duties and the instructor shall receive no additional compensation for professional conference attendance. An adjunct instructor may request expense reimbursement for approved conference attendance in accordance with District policy (see Section 9.3).
16.15 At the request of an adjunct instructor, the District shall assign voice mail and email accounts and make a reasonable effort to provide the instructor with access to a college-networked computer.
The executive board has decided to place the issue on the agenda for a formal discussion at the next PFF meeting (Friday, July 20th) on the main campus. | |
| 2007-07-13 22:52:18 Response by Julie Ivey | I have decided not to return to my adjunct position at Palomar. I have a balance of 90+ hours sick leave. What happens to these hours? Am I compensated for these? Your leftover sick hours can be converted into STRS service hours. I will find out what the conversion rate is, whether or not you need to be vested in STRS DB (defind balance, vs. STRS DC--defined contribution). There is no provision anywhere to "cash out" your sick hours. While I'm waiting for information, you might want to phone HR and find out what the conversion rate is and whether or not you qualify. *************Update******************* I have found out more from those more knowledgeable about STRS: 1. You must be enrolled in STRS DB in order for accumulated sick hours to convert into retirement hours. You can ask HR if you are enrolled in STRS DB, or you can see if 8% of gross pay is going to STRS (if so, you're in DB). 2. These hours will be converted only upon retirement--age 55 for early retirement, 65 for "regular" retirement. 3. If you are or are planning to teach at a college in which STRS DB is deducted, your accumulated sick hours go with you. Just be sure to notify HR within one year of your last work date that you want your hours transferred. 4. I am still trying to find out what the sick hours-to service hours conversion rate is, but I hear you need several accumulated sick hours to convert to a retirement day, month, or year. If you are not enrolled in STRS DB, I'm afraid those sick hours are "lost." In that case, you might actually use up the hours by taking sick days. | |
| 2007-01-19 10:26:39 Response by Roger Morrissette | While we all appreciate keeping the medical benefits as they have been in the past, is anything going to be done about the fact that our benefits are greatly reduced (reimbursement at 80% of the Medicare rate) if we are out of the area for travel, a leave, children away at college, retirement? Although it is true that the PFF and the District have agreed to maintain our current coverage of health benefits, Article 16: Benefits, is not closed. There are still several issues concerning full-time, part-time, and retiree benefits that need to be discussed. The PFF Negotiations team already has this issue slated for discussion. We should have some information on progress by mid-semester. | |
| 2006-12-14 12:31:09 Response by Julie Ivey | I am an adjunct at Palomar and I want to find out if I qualify for medical insurance benefits. How do I do it?
Thank you.
Bob Garrett To be eligible for the current Kaiser benefits, in which the employee and the district each pay half the monthly premium, you must have taught a minimum of a 50% load for the past three out of four regular (fall and spring classes count, but summer or intersession classes do not) semesters in a row. In most, but not all, departments a full-time load is 15 units, in which case a part-timer must have taught at least 7.5 units for 3 out of 4 semesters. This Kaiser plan runs in six-month cycles; the next window of time in which to sign up will be late January or early February. HR will contact PT's who become eligible for coverage before each new enrollment period, but those who believe they have become eligible and do not receive a notice of the option to enroll mailed to their homes or campus mailbox should phone HR at extension 2609 or visit HR (room A-1) in person. | |
| 2006-12-11 21:33:53 Response by Roger Morrissette | There was mention awhile ago about looking into a faculty retirement incentive plan for May 2007. What is the status or who do I ask? The status of the Special Early Retirement Program (SERP): The PFF has asked the District to look into the possibility of a SERP this year. They said they would and have hired an outside firm to conduct a feasibility study. We are still waiting for the results of that study. The updated status of the SERP will be discussed at the Jan 22 negotiations meeting. | |
| 2006-11-30 21:09:47 Response by Shannon Lienhart | Will PFF strive to put back the districts unilateral removable of summer loadbanking?
Isn't it in the best interests of the district to allow it and therefore keep the postponed pay, earning considerable interest?!! The PFF has just submitted a proposal to the District to allow summer loadbanking. They have yet to give us a response on this proposal.UPDATE! see negotiations link to left for 12/14/2006 by Chief Negotiator or click here. | |
| 2006-11-30 15:34:52 Response by Julie Ivey | Could you explain the process of taking a sabbatical, especially the purpose of taking a sabbatical, but also the process. In other words, can an adjunct take a sabbatical and still be assured or being rehired at the end of her sabbatical? Sabbaticals have typically applied only to full-time, permanent faculty, in part because having a contract legally compels the employee to return to work after the semester away from teaching. Part-time faculty do not have contracts and thus no guarantee of return after the time off, even though the employee contracts to produce a work of value to the college during the semester away. In a few districts, a strong rehire rights policy for part-timers just about guarantees the same class load after the PT takes a voluntary--but unpaid-- semester off. In earlier negotiations, a proposal that part-timers who had accumulated a certain number of teaching hours over ten years be paid to take a professional growth leave, in which to produce a work of value to the college. The district nixed this idea, but there is always hope that it will be on the table in the future. | |
| 2006-11-04 00:00:00 Response by Shannon Lienhart | Can a full-time faculty member demand to teach a full load of online
courses? There is much discussion of this topic and the Senate and PFF are working together to help facilitate an in-depth and inclusive dialogue on campus regarding this issue -- we will be seeking input from faculty and that, at the end of this discussion, we hope to reach some consensus regarding the scheduling of online courses. That being said, our current contract states that the full-time faculty members of a department will agree upon a process whereby all full-time faculty select their contract -- and so at this point, it is up to the department to come to an agreement regarding how faculty schedule their assignments. If the department cannot come to an agreement, the decision will be made by the dean. |