pres_report_200311

Student Work
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Columbia College Chicago


November 7th CCFO Report to the College Council 2003

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The CCFO noted in its October report to the college council that the search committee for the Music Department is out of compliance with the faculty handbook. Specifically, more than one chair as on the committee. The faculty of the Music Dept. met Oct 27th. It decided that its search committee would comply with the handbook. Dean Lehrer has agreed to re-constitute the Music Chair committee in accordance with the handbook.

The faculty workload committee met on Oct 21. The proposal for workload and reduction is being rewritten at the request of the provost. The draft of the workload proposal was approved by the committee last June (with minimal changes). The provost indicated then that workload reduction needed to be phased in. The CCFO expects to see further commitment from the institution to accomplish workload reduction.

The CCFO has been requested by its constituency to research and recommend a process whereby, the deans the provost, and key administrators, along with college-wide centers which serve faculty, such as the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Center for Information Technology, would be evaluated. The AAUP has a position statement on this. It reads: ÒInstitutions should develop procedures for periodic review of the performance of presidents and academic administrators. .. the purpose of which would be to improve performanceÉ Fellow administrators, faculty students, and others should participate in the review according to their legitimate interest in the result with the faculty unitÉÓ The CCFO will work, along with other constituencies, to research methods of evaluation and implementation of such evaluation.

The new retirement investment plan is in effect. It takes the place of the old pension plan. The letter from faculty regarding a request for a forensic review of the old pension, has not received a response from the president or Board of Trustees.

The faculty salary study has not been delivered. Institutional Research has indicated the study will be ready by the end of November. The administration agreed to the study last May and the delay continues to impede the progress of the salary and rank committee.

The CCFO and its faculty constituency find the policy and procedure recommendations regarding sabbatical eligibility to be in need of revision. The CCFO has received a list of recommendations on sabbatical policy and procedures from the Faculty Development and Sabbatical Committee.

In development of its timeline, the committee endorses a sabbatical Òclass model.Ó The Òclass modelÓ requires employment of six full FALL and SPRING academic years prior to sabbatical. This means that the half year of employment which comes before or after sabbatical is not on the eligibility clock. This runs counter to institutional practice and constitutes a workload increase. As noted on the Columbia College Faculty Sabbatical web page under the subtitle ÒELIGIBILITYÓ-- sabbatical eligibility is based on Ò6 consecutive years or 12 semesters.Ó In the proposed policy and procedures recommendations, the Faculty Development and Sabbatical Committee acknowledges that individuals Òwill now actually serve six and one half years before being eligible to take their sabbatical leave.Ó

Most importantly, the CCFO believes this impairs a faculty members ability to distinguish their reputation and accomplishments in the area of professional expertise for which they were hired to teach, and upon which tenure is based. CCFO recommends review and rewriting of the policy and procedure recommendations to include the 12 consecutive semester model.

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