Fifty percent of summer classes will be paid at adjunct rate again this summer, kinesiology and dance Chair Bill Richardson reported at College Council Tuesday. He was reporting on Faculty Senate in the absence of Chair Dawn Elmore-McCrary.
Last spring, Chancellor Bruce Leslie, vice chancellors and the college presidents decided summer pay would be decided in a lottery to ensure a 50-50 full-time to adjunct ratio in a budget-driven decision.
Until summer 2011, full-time faculty were paid on a pro rata basis of their full-time nine-month salary.
President Robert Zeigler said Tuesday he supported a flat rate of pay for all full-time faculty but was voted down by other district colleges.
"Nobody is really pushing the flat rate other than us," Zeigler said.
He said the deans of the two college divisions are seeking reasonable ways to decide who will be paid at the adjunct rate. He suggested that those who taught at the adjunct rate in summer 2011 receive pro rata pay in 2012.
The lottery method for summer 2011 was widely criticized and left to the discretion of departments. The English faculty, for example, drew Sticky Notes from a cardboard box.
In other business, Dr. Jessica Howard, vice president of academic affairs, said her counterparts rejected a proposal to require students to take at least 25 percent of courses in the major at the degree-granting college.
"Because we're all the same," multiple voices returned sarcastically.
Howard said she was told the stipulation would indicate a difference in quality among the colleges.
Currently, students are required to take 25 percent of degree hours at the degree-granting institution. There is no requirement that courses required for a major have to be taken at the degree-granting college.
In other news, a policy revision was tabled for re-evaluation because it created a burden for online instructors who live a distance from this college. The policy states, "Online instructors must be located within a day's travel of the campus at any time in order to meet with a student in person if they request it, and within 24 hours of the request."
Psychology Chair Thomas Billimek said he has instructors in his department who reside in Indiana, Houston and Waco, and it would be unrealistic to put that burden on adjunct faculty, especially if the district is going to expand online offerings to a broader base.
He read a statement from Elmore-McCrary that said the Teaching and Technology Committee also opposed the initiative.
Zeigler said he was unaware the college was hiring out-of-state instructors, and he is uncomfortable with the idea of faculty teaching if they have not been on campus.
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