The Word from CSEA
November 28, 2016
In This Issue:
A Message from the CSEA President
Know Your Contract
Did You Know?
Board of Trustees Meeting
Faculty Updates
Know Your Representatives
A Message from the CSEA President
Dear Colleagues,
Two weeks ago President Harrison sent an important message to the campus community emphasizing the importance of tolerance in a learning environment. CSEA applauds his firm statement that, “The College will not tolerate any conduct in which differences in beliefs, appearance, or opinion descend into intimidation or discrimination.” We also support the free and open discussion of ideas on our campus. This is one of the most important foundations of an educational institution. We, the faculty, should continue to do everything we can to strengthen tolerance and to make this college an oasis of fairness, respect, equality, and safety for all.
On a related note, the Office of Equity and Compliance and the Office of Student Life have launched an online training program for students that focuses on sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking and sexual harassment. Please encourage your students to participate.
Finally, I want to thank all of you who are stepping forward to volunteer for CSEA. Faculty are working together to prepare for the challenges ahead. Several times a week faculty ask me how they can help. Participation has never been greater, and we have never been more unified. We are organizing specialized action teams in a variety of areas. Please let your rep know your interests. This is your professional organization.
Thanks again.
Tom
Know Your Contract
Article 20 – Corrective Action outlines the processes involved that the college must follow when taking corrective action against a faculty member. In general, the corrective action is to be imposed on the faculty member with the intention of correcting his/her behavior. Ideally, this should be accomplished informally between the faculty member and chairperson/supervisor, with advice and assistance from CSEA and/or Human Resources. However, if the behavior is not corrected, formal corrective action will be applied in a progressive fashion (becoming more severe) up to and including removal. Note that certain major offenses will warrant severe discipline which could include removal on the first offense.
Section 20.05 – Pre-Corrective (Loudermill) deals with the corrective action process where the faculty member is to be suspended without pay, demoted, have their salary reduced, or be removed (fired). In these instances – the most severe in the corrective action process - the faculty member has the right to a meeting prior to the decision to be formally disciplined in one (or more) of the methods listed. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the faculty member to tell his/her side of the story as to why he/she should not be disciplined. Note that the faculty member has the right to have a designated representative of CSEA at the meeting and to speak on his/her behalf, if the faculty member chooses to do so. Also note that this designated CSEA representative can be an outside lawyer working on behalf of CSEA through OEA.
The faculty member must be given at least 5 days advance notice of the pre-corrective meeting via registered mail and regular mail by Human Resources. At the meeting the faculty member and a member from Human Resources, along with a designated representative of CSEA will be present. The faculty member’s chairperson/supervisor who has recommended the discipline, may (or may not) be present as well.
Accompanying the written notice, both the faculty member and CSEA will be given the actual charges, a copy of the evidence, and a list of witnesses that the college will use to support the allegations. Note that there cannot be any witnesses or witness testimony – from either side – at the meeting. In addition, there will be no cross-examination of the faculty member nor of the faculty member’s chairperson/supervisor. The faculty member (or designated CSEA representative) is there to ask questions about the charges and to tell his/her side of the story. As a representative of Human Resources will be present, they may ask questions of all parties involved.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Human Resources representative will write a summary report of the meeting and determine if there was a violation of work rules, policies or procedures. No later than 10 days after the Pre-Corrective (Loudermill) meeting the faculty member will be notified of the corrective action in writing in a meeting with the chairperson/supervisor, Human Resources representative, and CSEA.
CSEA encourages all faculty to inform their department representative (or Executive Committee member) of any instance where corrective action – either informal or formal – may take place. Being proactive and keeping CSEA informed at the earliest stages of any potential corrective action will help ensure no unwarranted corrective action is taken by the college against you and that the corrective action process is adhered to as outlined in the contract. If you have any questions regarding Article 20 – Corrective Action, please consult with your department representative or a member of the CSEA Executive Committee.
Section 20.05 – Pre-Corrective (Loudermill)
If the proposed formal corrective action involves suspension, demotion, salary reduction, or removal, the faculty member is accorded a meeting (Loudermill) prior to the decision to discipline/remove. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the accused faculty member, either personally or through the Association’s designated representative(s), the ability to tell his/her side of the story as to why he/she should not be disciplined/removed. The faculty member and the Association will be given at least 5 days written notice before the meeting by registered and regular U.S. Mail at the last known address on file in the Human Resource Department. In attendance at the meeting will be the recommending supervisor if necessary, the faculty member, a representative from Human Resources, and representation as designated by the Association.
Accompanying the above-referenced written notice, the faculty member and the Association will be given the actual charges, a copy of the evidence, and a list of witnesses that the College will use to support the allegations. Any additional such information that becomes available will be immediately forwarded personally to the faculty member’s Association representative. There shall be no witnesses or testimony at the Loudermill meeting. The faculty member may individually, or through his/her representation as designated by the Association, ask questions to clarify the issues and charges. However, there will be no cross-examination of the faculty member or the supervisor. The Human Resources Representative may ask questions of all parties involved.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Human Resources Representative shall write a summary of the meeting and determine if there was a violation of the work rules, policies or procedures. That report shall be sent to the Vice President of Human Resources within 5 days of the conclusion of the meeting. The supervisor, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs/designee, and the Vice President of Human Resources/designee shall meet to discuss the proposed corrective action. No later than 10 days after the Loudermill meeting, the faculty member will be notified of the corrective action in writing in a meeting with the supervisor, the Vice President of Human Resources/designee, and the Association.
Did You Know?
Did you know that all reassigned time opportunities are voluntary on the part of faculty? The only exception to this is the Program Coordinator role in programs that have only one full-time faculty member. If an administrator pressures or directs you to take on a reassigned time project or role that you do not want, please ask the administrator to put the directive in writing and contact your department or senior representative of CSEA immediately.
Next Board of Trustees Meeting
Committee of the Whole: Thursday, January 19th, at noon (location TBD)
Board of Trustees: Thursday, January 26th, at 6:00 (location TBD)
Faculty Updates
Presentation at the Columbus Dietetic Association Meeting
Paula Gallagher, annually contracted faculty in Nutrition, co-presented a session at the Columbus Dietetic Association meeting Thursday, November 17. She spoke on “Microbiome-Related Diseases IBS, SIBO, and Leaky Gut” with Dr. William D. Salt II, a gastroenterologist.
Presentation at the ATE in Washington, D.C.
Gary Clark, assistant professor in Computer Science, presented at the Advanced Technical Education (ATE) conference in Washington, D.C. The program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology and STEM fields that drive our nation's economy. There are currently five active projects funded at Columbus State, including modern manufacturing, logistics engineering technology, cybersecurity, alternative energy automotive, and construction management.
The annual conference provides an opportunity to share best practices and develop partnerships with like-minded schools, projects, and faculty. Each Columbus State project participated in a showcase session presenting their progress and achievements, as well as networking with potential partners from other colleges.
Panelist at the STEM Regional Collaborative Pre Meeting on Engineering Technologies and Math Pathways
Lee Wayand, assistant professor of Mathematics, was recently a panelist at the STEM Regional Collaborative Pre-Meeting on Engineering Technologies and Math Pathways, held at Lorain County Community College. Wayand’s presentation focused on Columbus State’s redesign of math sequences for Columbus State’s technical programs, or “contextual mathematics.”
Info Security Instructor Promotes Cyber Security Month
Larry McWherter, Information Security instructor at Columbus State, reports that Columbus State has become a “Champion” for National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2016. Columbus State will join a growing global effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations and individuals to promote online safety awareness.
Recognized every October, NCSAM was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure all digital citizens have the resources needed to stay safer and more secure online while also protecting their personal information. As an official Champion, Columbus State recognizes its commitment to cybersecurity, online safety and privacy.
You can read lots more about National Cyber Security Awareness Month at https://staysafeonline.org/ncsam.
Students Assist in Out of the Darkness Event
Sixteen service-learning students in Dr. Mary Lewis’ Psy2340: Human Growth and Development Across the Life-Span class participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention “Out of the Darkness” event, October 9.
The students spent hours researching, designing, creating, and organizing prior to the event, and then ran the entire children’s area during the four-hour event. Activities included self-esteem chains, strength stones, face painting, bead bracelets, and pumpkin decorating. There were more than 1,770 participants and the walk raised close to $100,000, with half of that money staying in Central Ohio for suicide prevention efforts.
Faculty Participate in Video Game Conference
The fourth annual Game Developer Expo (GDEX) was held at COSI from October 28 – 30. More than 100 game studios showed their work at the conference, the largest expo of its kind in the Midwest. The newly initiated Dev Day (http://www.thegdex.com/dev/) was sponsored by Columbus State, and many of our current and former students were speakers, vendors, and volunteers at the event. Henry Bawden, lead instructor of Video Game Art and Animation gave a workshop at Dev Day on narrative in games, and gave a talk on pedagogy for games. Bawden is on the board of the Ohio Game Developer Association, host of the conference. Bawden, Assistant Professor Peter Carswell, and student volunteers attended to promote the two video game degrees that are offered at Columbus State.
CSEA Representatives
Executive Committee - Officers
Tom Shanahan President 287-2623 tshanaha@cscc.edu
Adam Keller Vice President 287-2562 akelle10@cscc.edu
Rachel Brooks-Pannell Secretary 287-2328 rbrooksp@cscc.edu
Michelle Duda Treasurer 287-2607 mduda5@cscc.edu
Catherine Ritterbusch Parliamentarian 287-2622 critterb@cscc.edu
Executive Committee - Senior Representatives
Heather Johnston Arts & Sciences 287-2679 hjohnst1@cscc.edu
Lydia Gilmore Business & Engineering 287-3908 lgilmore@cscc.edu
Dianne Fidelibus Health & Human Services 287-5015 dfidelib@cscc.edu
Department Representatives
Eric Kenz Biological & Physical Sciences 287-5176 ekenz@cscc.edu
Rachael Romain 287-5467 rromain@cscc.edu
Lyndsy Wolff 287-5365 lwolff@cscc.edu
Scott Milsap Communication 287-5124 smillsap@cscc.edu
Beth Barnett Developmental Education 287-2593 bbarnett@cscc.edu
Rebecca Fleming English 287-5186 rfleming11@cscc.edu
Tim Davis Humanities 287-5830 tdavis@cscc.edu
Phil MacLean Mathematics 287-5308 pmaclean@cscc.edu
Terry Eisele Justice & Safety / Modern Languages 287-5202 teisel02@cscc.edu
Elizabeth Hammond Psychology 287-5199 ehammon1@cscc.edu
Irene Petten Social Sciences 287-2004 ipetten@cscc.edu
Dan Collins Allied Health 287-2435 dcollin1@cscc.edu
Mark Mitchell Automotive & Applied Technology 287-3612 mmitchel@cscc.edu
Chuck Kassor Bolton Field 287-7108 ckassor@cscc.edu
Lydia Gilmore Business Programs 287-3908 lgilmore@cscc.edu
Deb Dyer Computer Science 287-2477 ddyer3@cscc.edu
Jeff Bates Construction Sciences & 287-3652 jbates@cscc.edu
Engineering Technology
Brenna Michelis Delaware Campus (740) 203-8151 bmicheli@cscc.edu
Antoinette Perkins & Hospitality, Massage Therapy, 287-5754 aperki01@cscc.edu
Christine Creagh Human Services 287-5805 ccreagh@cscc.edu
Jon Lundquist Integrated Media & Technologies 287-5647 jlundqui@cscc.edu
Jackie Miller & Nursing 287-2601 jmiller@cscc.edu
Tammy Montgomery 287-2509 tmontgom@cscc.edu
Carla Mayers-Bletsch Veterinary Image & Surgical Tech. 287-5232 cmayers@cscc.edu
The Word from CSEA
is produced by the Communications Committee of the Columbus State
Education Association – Frank A. Barnhart, Rachel Brooks-Pannell, Eric
Neubauer, Amy Ng, Irene Petten, and Shauna Sowga. We welcome your
participation, comments, news, and insights. Our initial deadline for submissions or ideas is around the 15th of each month. Please send all correspondences to Rachel Brooks-Pannell at rbrooksp@cscc.edu. Other information and back issues of The Word from CSEA are available at CSEA's web site.