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Course Materials and Office Hours (01/2017)

Full-time and Part-time Day Unit Faculty Course Materials Under the Day Contract – – Please Note-This does not apply to DCE day/evening/weekend/summer adjunct faculty (DCE Contract Applies)
Faculty are required to distribute course materials to each student and forward a copy to the immediate supervisor prior to the conclusion of the add/drop period.  The course materials shall include all materials listed on the attached Checklist for Course Materials. (Form XIII-E2).

NEW COURSE MATERIALS
Please note that Course Materials Form E-2 has new requirements which I have underlined on the attached form.  Student Learning Outcomes  (SLOs) have been added to the form along with a principles statement (Attached).  This SLO principle statement provides protective language for faculty as follows:

  1. SLOs are faculty-driven.
  2. Protects academic freedom rights during the process of producing SLOs.
  3. Ensures that SLOs will not be evaluated in any way, including the content of SLOs, students achievement of SLOs, the results of SLO assessments, or the methods used to assess the SLOs.
  4. Provides protections regarding how SLO information is used and distributed.
  5. Provides  administrative support and funding for SLO training and professional development that may include, but not limited to, reassigned time, stipends, and other related items

PROCESS AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM
As in the past, the confidentiality of all course materials shall be maintained and the  employer may not distribute these materials to anyone without your permission.  The immediate supervisor must return all course materials to the  faculty member by the end of the fifth (5th) week of classes.  If items on the checklist are missing or if the immediate supervisor has concerns, the faculty member will be advised in writing and will be given fourteen (14) calendar days to submit the missing items and respond to the concerns.

The intent of this 14 day response period serves two (2) purposes:

  1. To give the faculty member the opportunity to correct an oversight without a negative comment being placed in the summary evaluation.
  2. To insure that students have all of the items on the checklist. NB: Please note that faculty have full freedom in the selection of course materials. If the faculty member believes that a directive from the immediate supervisor to change the course materials infringes upon academic freedom,  then the faculty member has the right to initiate the grievance process.   Full freedom in selecting course materials includes full freedom to:
  1. Select all reading materials,
  2. Adopt SLOs,
  3. Adopt teaching procedures,
  4. Give Assignments and/or supplemental reading,
  5. Select tests,
  6. Determine the basis for student grading,
  7. Determine the criteria for evaluating student performance, and
  8. Determine attendance policy.

OFFICE HOURS
Full-time Faculty Office Hours
1) All faculty are required to submit their preferred office hour schedule at the beginning of the semester and post their office hour schedule by the end of the first week of classes.
2) Office hours are required on campus unless a faculty member is approved to hold office hours at an off campus instructional site or if the faculty member teaches an online course.
3) If a faculty member is assigned one (1) or more online course(s) as part of the faculty member’s day unit workload, the faculty member may, at his or her discretion, conduct one (1) weekly office hour online. Notwithstanding the above, faculty members may be allowed to conduct one or more office hour(s) online upon the approval of the College President or President’s designee in his or her sole discretion.
4) Faculty are required to maintain four (4) office hours per week over four (4) days unless a faculty member has a reduced instructional workload.
5) For faculty with reduced instructional workloads, one (1) office hour is reduced for each three (3) credit hour course reduction.  This means that the number of days required for office hours is reduced by one (1) day for each office hour reduced.
6) Faculty can advise students during their office hours.

Adjunct Faculty Office Hours
Adjunct faculty are not required to submit and/or post office hours under the day contract and/or the DCE Contract.  If you are a day/unit part time faculty member, then there is no requirement to post/ hold/provide office hours.  If you are a DCE unit member (day or evening), there is no requirement to post and hold set office hours, but there is language in the DCE contract that states you are obligated to be available to students by appointment when mutually convenient.

Download Attachment
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Dennis Fitzgerald
MCCC Grievance Coordinator
170 Beach Road #52
Salisbury, MA 01952

email mcccfitzy@comcast.net
tel   978-255-2798
fax  978-255-2896

New to the 2015-2018 Day Unit Contract and unit members may opt out of email communications

Leave a Comment

In accordance with Article 18 of the Day Unit Contract, all contractual notices, recommendations, reports, and official communications shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be given if delivered by:

  • Hand
  • Mail Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested First Class Mail • Email to the Unit Member’s Email Address, Return Receipt Requested
  • Facsimile Transmissions

NB – The above-referenced email communication is new to the 2015-2018 Day Unit Contract and unit members may opt out of email communications under the following conditions:

Notice to Employer Required to Opt Out of Email Notification

All Unit Members

  • Outside of Fall and Spring Semesters, When Off Contract, or When on Leave:
  • By Written Notice to Director of Human Resources and Immediate Supervisor

Part-time Unit Professional Staff and Faculty

  • As above, but also can opt out for any duration.
  • By Written Notice to Director of Human Resources and Immediate Supervisor

College Service and Work to Rule

FACULTY REQUIREMENT ONLY:
No later than February 15, faculty are required to submit a list of college service activities to be performed during the semester. This list is completed in section 1 of the attached form (Form XIII-E5) and submitted to the immediate supervisor. Section 2 and section 3 will be completed at the end of the semester and submitted on the last day of classes.

  1. College service activities may include:
  2. Serving as advisor to student activities;
  3. Serving on governance, ad hoc, college standing committees, system-wide task forces or committees, or labor-management committees;
  4. Preparing grant proposals;
  5. Participating in college, division, department or other related college meetings and/or activities;
  6. Participation in the improvement and development of academic programs and resources, including recruitment.
  7. Serving as a department chair/coordinator pursuant to Article XX and college-wide coordinators.

If faculty receive reassigned time to perform non-instructional activities such as department chair work, curriculum development, professional development activities, or administrative (non-managerial) duties, then these activities should be listed under the College Service Activities.

NB: When the 2000-2003 Contract was negotiated with an increase in instructional workloads, the MCCC Negotiating Team stated that there was an understanding at the bargaining table that attending department meetings, division meetings, and all-college meetings; and serving on one (1) committee would fulfill the contractual obligation of being available for college service activities for an average of four (4) hours per week. This requirement has not changed in subsequent contracts. In addition, the MCCC negotiators have made it clear that the purpose of the submission of this new list of college service activities to be performed is to provide the immediate supervisor with knowledge of your planned activities for the upcoming semester. The intent was not to increase college service workload, not to begin counting hours, minutes, or seconds, and not to obtain prior approval. Finally, at the end of the semester, the immediate supervisor will probably hold you accountable for the completion of all activities that you list.

Work to Rule: Since the MCCC remains on work to rule, the leadership advises the you fulfill the minimum college service requirements as stated above and do not volunteer for additional college service activities.

Download NEW College Service Form.pdf

Dennis Fitzgerald
MCCC Grievance Coordinator
170 Beach Road #52
Salisbury, MA 01952

email mcccfitzy@comcast.net
tel 978-255-2798
fax 978-255-2896

 

posted Feb 3, 2016

Contract Tips: Professional Staff Off-Campus Days

The day after Thanksgiving – Article 12.04C6

A professional staff should request 3 off-campus days per fiscal year (beginning ) for participation in off-campus activities are outside those assigned as part of the regular professional staff workload. These free days for professional staff to be off campus. There is no reporting requirement. One days shall be the day after Thanksgiving. Professional staff should not be using compensation or personal leave time for the day after Thanksgiving. The other 2 off-campus days may be segments or greater. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied.

2013-2015 Contract Language

Article 12.04C6 – “Upon request of a professional staff member, the President of the College designee may assign
up to three (3) days during the fiscal year in half-day segments or greater for participation outside those assigned under the provisions of 12.04; one of these days shall be granted for Thanksgiving holiday. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied.”

You should put on your leave form “Article 12.04C6 day off.”

DCE Missed classes

Missed classes must be made-up by four possible means with the approval of the college. One must either schedule a make-up class; add time to the remaining class meetings; assign a paper, project, or a self-directed learning experience which will require a time span equivalent to one class period; or by another method that is proposed by the unit member.

The state now has a sick time law which took effect on July 1, 2015. The law is applicable to DCE faculty and allows for the accrual and the use of sick time. The link to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office regarding the sick time law is noted below.

Please note paragraph 20 of the state regulations stating that the employer cannot require make-up work as a condition of using sick time. There can be mutual agreement to perform additional work so not to use accrued sick time.

http://www.mass.gov/ago/doing-business-in-massachusetts/labor-laws-and-public-construction/earned-sick-time/

(4) Employees accrue earned sick time on all hours worked at a rate of one hour of earned sick time for every 30 hours worked, including overtime hours, up to a cap of 40 hours per benefit year.

(5) Employees accrue earned sick time only on hours worked, not on hours paid when not working. For example, employees do not accrue earned sick time during vacation, paid time off, or while using earned sick time.

(6) Employees exempt from overtime requirements under 29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(1) shall be assumed to work 40 hours in each work week for purposes of earned sick time accrual unless their jobs specify a lower number of hours per week, such as salaried part-time employees. In such cases, earned sick time shall accrue based on that specified number of hours per week.

(7) Employees paid on a piece work or fee-for-service basis accrue earned sick time based on a reasonable measure of the time the employees work, including established practices or billing. (a) Adjunct faculty compensated on a fee-for-service or “per-course” basis shall be deemed to work 3 hours for each “classroom hour” worked.

90-Day Vesting Period:

(29) Employees begin accruing earned sick time on the first date of actual work and may begin to use any accrued earned sick time 90 days following their first dates of actual work, regardless of the number of days worked during the 90-day period.

(30) Employees who have been employed for at least 90 days as of July 1, 2015, meaning their first dates of actual work occurred on or before April 2, 2015, may use earned sick time, whether paid or unpaid, as it accrues.

Break in Service:

(31) Following a break in service of up to four months, an employee shall maintain the right to use any unused earned sick time accrued before the break in service.

(32) Following a break in service of between four and 12 months, an employee shall maintain the right to use earned sick time accrued before the break in service if the employee’s unused bank of earned sick time equals or exceeds 10 hours.

Selected excerpts from state regulations
Joseph Rizzo
MCCC DCE Grievance Coordinator
603-898-6309
Grievance-dce@mccc-union.org

Contract Tips: DCE Salary Increase

January – Fall 2016 DCE Salaries will increase 4% for the spring semester 2016 as provided by the collective bargaining agreement. These rates will be applicable to courses offered January 15, 2016 through the fall 2016. The new rates are as follows:

  • Step 1 – $1,025 (1-5 courses taught at the college)
  • Step 2 – $1,097 (6-10 courses taught at the college)
  • Step 3 – $1,180 (11 or more courses taught at the college)
  • Step 4 – $1,239 (8 years seniority or more at the college)

.74 Lab ratio

There is also the system wide salary provision noted below that was effective for the fall 2015 semester.

Please feel free to contact Joseph Rizzo, MCCC DCE Grievance Coordinator, if you have any questions. Grievance-DCE@MCCC-union.org

A new salary provision of the DCE collective bargaining agreement became effective in the fall 2015 semester. Previously, DCE salary step determination was based on the DCE work history at each community college. Salary can now be determined based on the DCE courses and years taught at other community colleges in our system. The unit member must initiate this process by asking the College to include the work history at the other institutions(s) and to authorize the other College(s) to disclose this information. Unit members with a two year break in service in the system are not eligible. This contract provision pertains only to the calculation of salary. Unit members who wish to exercise this contractual right should contact the Human Resources office at their College. The DCE contract article is included below.

DCE Article 14.05 F. Effective commencing with Fall 2015 semester course assignments, a unit member teaching at more than one Community College may, for salary purposes only, request that his or her salary step include courses and years taught at such other community colleges; any such request provides authorization for such community colleges to disclose all College records pertaining to such unit member. Upon confirmation of the courses and years previously taught, the member’s salary shall be calculated accordingly. Except for salary purposes, this article shall not alter individual college’s seniority lists and seniority is not transferred from one community college to another. This provision does not apply to a DCE faculty member with more than a two (2) year break in service in the Community College system.