Tri-County Technical College
Faculty Senate Minutes
Meeting Date: November 20, 2020
Location: Bb Collaborate
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Members Present: Jeremy McCracken, Amy Roberts, Tonia Faulling, Som Linthicum, Jim Deloache, Rachel Glanton, Shallin Williams, Melinda Hoover, Susan Curtis, Micah Bolin, Meredith Dickens, Jonathan Chastain, Stan Compton
Members Absent: Pam Goodman, Rhonda Whitten, Sharon Yarbrough, Bill Leverette, Jeremy Pickens, Ellen Hudson, Malisa Looney, Tracy Byrd
Welcome & Review of the Agenda:
Jeremy called the meeting to order at 12:30pm and briefly introduced the agenda.
Approval of Minutes:
Quorum achieved, the Minutes from October 20th were reviewed, and the Senate approved the minutes without further amendment. Som will forward them for posting to the Blogspot and update the TEAMS folder.
New & Ongoing Business: Constituent Concerns
Jeremy, noting that Senate is not scheduled to meet again until January 22nd, asked for constituent concerns and issues, particularly those that might carry over beyond the break.
Covid Dashboard
Som brought forward a constituent question concerning the college’s Covid Dashboard. The constituent had wondered how/if Bridge students were being included in the Dashboard counts, pointing out that the Dashboard represented less than 240 total cases, while Clemson, with whom we share roughly 1,000 Bridge students, had registered more than 5,000 cases. Jeremy indicated that he would seek clarification on the question.
Loading Model & Matrix
Meredith raised the issue of the Senate’s ongoing attempts to organize an informational discussion of the loading model and matrix with knowledgeable representatives of the administration in order to better understand how the model and matrix are being interpreted across departments and divisions. Meredith shared a constituent response, focusing specifically on the “overload request workflow,” that offered three primary areas of concern. Those three areas of concern were read into the minutes as follows…
1. Too many levels of approval and review. Like many processes at the college, we take a process that should be straightforward and simple and make them overly complicated. Pay is an important decision and one that carries a heavy liability potential. This has been my argument all along. The seriousness of the issue warrants accountability and transparency. It also warrants one area of the college taking responsibility; I submit this should be HR based on reasons I stated in my last email.
2. The loading matrix causes more problems rather than providing equitable and transparent solutions. It is too subjective and this is why it is not equitable. Our divisions and programs are too diverse in operation to have a one size fits all matrix. It has caused morale to tank for some people. COVID has only made the subjectivity worse.
3. Look at any industry, personnel matters, such as pay, are an HR function. They should know what their employees are doing and how to properly pay them. I understand they need to be informed of what a person is doing but when it comes to determining rates of pay, overloads, etc., this should be their responsibility. Otherwise, they should not be in the process and the sheet should go to Dean or VPAA for approval then straight to Payroll. If there is a concern that people may be getting paid too much or not enough for what they are doing, then HR should be the sole authority on pay and overloads. Having the VPAA, Deans, and DH’s be involved potentially puts them in a position of conflict and compromise that is unnecessary. Otherwise, a DH should be able to tell HR what someone’s salary is going to be, and when the DH might feel someone has done enough to be paid above their normal salary. That’s the issue and it is a large part of what contributes to the convoluted nature of the loading/pay process.
The constituent added…
I agree with the purpose of the loading matrix but I think there is no accountability for if and when things go wrong! Almost every semester there are disputes about pay, overloads, and the matrix. Pay is not something that should be convoluted or a mystery. Nefarious or not, this leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths and perception is the reality for many.
Meredith noted that such concerns were not unique, having been expressed by a number of other constituents -- if Senate could find an opportunity to sponsor an open discussion of those concerns, it could go a long way towards alleviating perceived confusion.
Jeremy noted that the current policy seems to be that specific disputes and queries regarding the loading model and overloads should be addressed at the level of DH. Jeremy also noted that, because departments will have different loads and challenges, a one-size-fits-all approach may not be possible. Some Senators noted that current practice emphasizes “chain of command,” when addressing disputes about loading, yet others indicated that, in past cases, HR has seemed to be the final arbiter. While this seeming incongruity may be the result of recent policy adjustments at the administrative level, a fuller understanding of those changes may not be widespread.
Meredith again emphasized that, in the eyes of this constituent, equity issues, particularly under the current Covid restrictions, were an important factor to consider and that timing of responses to overload disputes was also a significant concern. Senators noted that faculty, who move forward with the understanding that overload pay will be forthcoming, are left in a particularly difficult situation if that overload doesn’t materialize, with virtually no time for adequate decision-making and both classes and students also affected. Amy proposed that a more explicit policy statement be developed focusing specifically on the timing issue.
A number of Senators pointed out situations this semester in which, due to Covid restrictions, class sizes were being adjusted downward administratively, yet the instructor was asked to justify running the class at the smaller size. It appears that we’ve struggled in some cases to balance class sizes, student numbers, and potential preps with (over)load calculations. While different departments and divisions may be addressing such issues differently, that difference may contribute to a perceived lack of equity and transparency.
Several Senators noted that, ultimately, it seems to be the DH who must communicate most often with individual instructors about load, and the quality of that communication goes a long way towards creating a mutual understanding. Similarly, while requests for clarification or appeals are purportedly made through the chain of command, faculty are not always clear on who ultimately has made the final decision regarding the appeal.
In addressing the matrix more generally, some Senators noted that it was sometimes challenging for instructors to obtain access to committee work and other service assignments that could potentially help balance their load, and that such circumstances might inadvertently create a disincentive for some faculty to do additional work or make further contributions.
The idea was raised that a broad survey of faculty (mis)understandings of the loading model and matrix might help us move beyond anecdotal evidence and establish a clearer view of baseline concerns.
The discussion was tabled due to time constraints.
Standing Items:
Committee Updates
Academic Calendar Committee – no new report provided
Curriculum Committee – no new report provided
Placement Committee – no new report provided
Service Excellence Committee – no new report provided
21st C Skills Committee – faculty and staff surveys intended to help gauge perceptions of the skills are in process and early returns are encouraging. The surveys will remain open through 11/25.
PAC – no new report provided. Jeremy indicated that PAC will likely not reconvene before the spring semester.
ALT – no new report provided
Faculty Choice SOAR Award – following the recent ConTribute campaign the SOAR fund now stands at roughly $2800 with a modest $40 per month drip.
Division Updates
A&S -- no major updates
BPS -- no major updates
E&IT – the annual Lego League will again be hosted by the college, but this year the event will move online. It is scheduled for February 19th.
A&CF – No major updates
HE – No major updates
SSE - Learning Commons – the Spring events calendar for the SSE is in development. Currently, four themes have been proposed to organize the calendar – academic success, career readiness, wellness, and global perspectives. Skillshops will be back again in the spring and will continue to operate both in-person and online. The Learning Commons, in concert with PASCAL, is working on several ebook and affordable learning initiatives. The Learning Commons also joined with Clemson University and several other public and academic libraries in the area to support an online Q&A with poet Claudia Rankine. The session focused on Rankine’s work and writing around social justice issues and was deemed a success with more than 300 registrations and more than 200 synchronous participants.
Good of the Order
While the college does not currently have a childcare center – and childcare is a critical need for many of our students -- Meredith shared that the proposed voucher program to support students with childcare needs was happily moving forward via a grant from CCAMPIS and that a search would soon begin for a grants director to help manage the effort. The voucher is intended to help students with childcare needs who are not currently eligible for other programs.
Adjournment
All business completed for the day, the meeting was adjourned.
Next meeting: January 22, 2021 at 12:30pm, online, link forthcoming
Key Takeaways
· Jeremy, on behalf of the Senate, will seek clarification on the Covid Dashboard, specifically how/if Bridge students are being factored into the counts.
· Senate continues to seek clarification on a variety of issues surrounding the loading model and matrix, with particular reference to equity and transparency, as well as Covid-related concerns.
· The proposed voucher program to support students with childcare needs is moving forward, and a search for a grant director is anticipated to begin shortly.
