Faculty Senate Minutes
Thursday, October6, 2011
3:15pm- 5:00pm, Gwynn Room, A221
In attendance: (President) Mike Gavin, (Vice-President) Rosanne Benn, (Secretary)Bekki ZeiglerSTEM/Biology; (delegates) Darlene Antezana- Liberal Arts, , Joseph Hamilton- Library, Tammy O’DonnellCommunications, Kathi Linville- Nursing, Nancy Meman- Allied Health, Jackie Sumner- Liberal Arts, Barbara
Sanders- At-large, Laura Ellsworth- Public Safety and Law, Sadra Thomas- Learning Foundations, Sherry
Kinslow- Social Sciences, Beth Adkins- Student Development Services, Eldon Baldwin- At-large, Charles
Thomas- IET, Danny Jones, RikKarlsson, Barbara Kirkwood, ,.

Mike Gavin called the meeting to order at 3:20pm.
o Gavin briefly discussed short term benefits, including domestic partner benefits. He stated that
domestic partner benefits will be discussed by the board by December.
o Gavin mentioned that approximately 300 adjunct faculty members would be receiving
recognition for their lengths of service to the college. These faculty members were selected via
formulated data identification. There was concern regarding Janet Carlson, who was not selected
to receive recognition. Baldwin asked if the faculty senate could give an award. Gavin
wondered if a life-long award was possible. Kinslow moved to present Janet Carlson with a
Life-long Service Award for all her accomplishments and achievements. Antezana seconded the
motion with unanimous agreement. Baldwin felt that we should recognize all adjuncts.

Draft Minutes
o Baldwin noticed an error in the 5/4/11, minutes. The EHC is to be changed to ECH. With these
changes proposed, Sanders moved to approve the minutes. Ellsworth seconded the motion, with
all faculty members in agreement.

Adjunct Faculty Pay
o Gavin opened the discussion by mentioning that ECH pay translates differently for adjuncts. He
suggested that adjuncts could collect the work they were doing and apply in the second year of
the three year period to maintain the thirty-three percent increase in pay. Chairs must sign off on
the adjunct application and verify their statements. Gavin stated that Dr. Dunnington and the
Chair’s Council supported this document. Hamilton asked if this would apply to adjunct faculty
librarians. Gavin replied that it did not at this time, and this would need to be amended. Not all
faculty are in teaching positions. Section B was then discussed. Jones asked if the minimum six
hours was equivalent to work experience. Baldwin explained that this would be 450 hours. It
was discussed if this could be addressed separately for librarians. Gavin proposed that this could
be added as section B1. It would need to be stated as non-teaching adjunct or something
comparable. It was questioned whether the document could state three academic years.
However, Baldwin stated that many employees in divisions such as work-force development,
continuing education, library, and student services may have zero hours if stated this way.
Karlsson asked for a list of activities that would count towards this service. The F-1 form was
discussed. Adjuncts should get their chair’s approval prior to activities, collect their evidence,
and apply. Gavin stated that the chair should agree upon all flexible activities pertaining to this
form. Possible activities that would be applicable were discussed. Potential issues include
adjuncts working in multiple departments, department chair changes, and accounting for
paperwork from three years ago. Baldwin suggested that the department chairs need to keep
records every semester. Adjuncts and chairs need to meet and discuss their plans for the next
upcoming years. Adjunct faculty need to maintain responsibility and ask their chairs what they
could be involved in. This process needs to be similar to the process of applying for promotion
and tenure. Karlsson wanted to understand exactly what we are trying to solve with this
proposal. Gavin responded that it is to further engage adjuncts on campus and to increase
adjunct faculty pay. O’Donnell inquired if adjuncts’ work at other schools would contribute to
their knowledge and experience for this application. Gavin responded that it was their chairs’
decision. Karlsson discussed the incremental pay scale for adjuncts at institutions focused on
teachings. Those institutions that offer continuing education opportunities are performing best.
Gavin said we should come back to this as an action item. Baldwin addressed the problems with
gender terms in the adjunct faculty pay form. The gender wording needs to be consistent. He
was also concerned with the term ‘positive’ evaluations. Gavin said he would remove this term
from the document.

Professional Development
o Kirkwood told the senate that twenty full-time and part-time faculty went a conference. Two
individuals representing PGCC presented at this conference. She is hoping to take an even larger
group next year. She also let us know that they are still trying to get a new coordinator for newly
hired faculty.
o Gavin and Kirkwood had been meeting with those interested in enhancing professional
development within the last month or so. The focus was to address problems and to discuss
solutions and strategies with different committees. The goal was to find agreement on ways to
develop different opportunities for professional development and how to provide funding for it.
Gavin informed the senate of the discussed ideas, as follows: better definition of professional
development for all constituents; funds- everyone gets money for travel, if not used by the
individual then the department could use it, opportunities at the department and divisional levels,
instead of the entire college; summer retreat- have follow through to enhance teaching in future.
o Baldwin informed us that the math department had doubled their travel money to $350 per
faculty member. Any unused money is pooled by the department and used for creative ideas or
is given back. They don’t have any official policy to aggregate the money. Gavin stated that
there was a general lack of knowledge about where to put support. He posed a question asking
for what is lacking that can be advocated for. O’Donnell felt that better technology packages
could be purchased. Kinslow agreed. PGCC has technology training on programs that are not
even used by the school. The idea of using unutilized travel funds to purchase new hardware
was mentioned. O’Donnell informed us that her department pulls the initial funds so that a
couple of faculty are able to travel long distances for professional development opportunities.
Ellsworth remarked that there needs to be other options than money just for travel purposes, as
not all faculty want to travel. Kinslow thought the money should be used to bring speakers to the
college, especially in motivation evidence-based teaching. It needs to be interdepartmental,
otherwise ideas can’t cross-fertilize. It was mentioned that adjuncts should also have these
opportunities. Kinslow informed us that adjuncts were present at the summer retreat. O’Donnell
proclaimed that we need to fight for College Enrichment Day to include workshops and
professional development. She felt the summer retreat was also a good time to do this. Kinslow
commented that the summer retreat was very well done with a professional setting. Gavin
emphasized that he wanted approximately ten ideas to bring to the administration, as they may
not know what we want. Baldwin stated that there has never been a consortium on what
professional development is. O’Donnell emphasized that these conversations need to take place
at the divisional level. Kirkwood would then be able to work with them. Gavin concluded this
discussion by letting the senate know that they could email him with future ideas before the next
meeting.

Bookstore
o O’Donnell inquired about the progress and solutions to the issues at the bookstore. Baldwin
commented that the Nebraska supplier was still on campus because the school gets a 15% cut
from their sales.

Reports
o Vice-President Benn stated that the new application form creation was coming along very
slowly. She was looking for a department chair to test it and to enter all the job qualifications.
She also informed us that they were still missing adjuncts on the list of those to be recognized.
o College-Wide Forum:
 Ellsworth informed the senate that a brief survey on faculty and student dress codes
would be emailed on Monday. Deirdre Hall is working on a new brand for the school .
Some possibilities include, it fits my life and transforming lives. Approximately five
programs will be highlighted.
o Chair’s Council
 No report (no meeting)
o Adjunct Faculty
 No report (Carlson not present)
o Old Business
 None
o New Business
 Thomas mentioned some dangerous roads on campus. He stated that he wrote to Moby
and Walker regarding this issue. They responded that they weren’t aware of any
problems but they would watch the area more. Thomas also addressed the lack of
lighting around the sculpture building which was not being addressed. Gavin said he
would put these issues on the agenda for the next meeting and would speak with Dr.
Mosby regarding this.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:03pm.