The following history comes from The MCCEA: The First 25 Years, 1969-1994, which was written by the MCCEA 25th Anniversary History Committee and published by the MCCEA. Members of that committee included Nancy Tyler, Paul Rozycki, Grayce Scholt, Fred Cross and Leatha Terwilliger. Currently, a new EA History Committee is working on an oral history of our union to commemorate the 30th Anniversary.
MCCEA: An Emerging Political Force . . .
Though the official birth of the political arm of the MCCEA was several years away, a number of MCC faculty members were involved in the first campaign to elect an independent board of trustees when MCC, then Flint Community Junior College, became independent of the K-12 system and Flint in 1969.With that independence came the selection of the Michigan Education Association as the bargaining unit for the college. In the first board election, the EA endorsed Dr. Louise Baum, Elsie Seay, Manney Colish, Paul Gadola, Dr. Ralph Ettinger, Dr. Alfred Gwillim and Sheridan Lee and worked for their election. Paul Gadola and Ralph Ettenger were victorious.
After that initial foray into board politics, the official organization of a politically active group in the union would wait until 1975. After a change in the MCCEA bylaws, the "EA Public Affairs Council" was organized with Jim Hanley as chair. Other members were Anna Bradley, Bill Bradley, Fred Cosway, Earl Ferrell, Tessie Sharp and Dick Saunders. The activities of the Public Affairs Council were financed through voluntary contributions of EA members.
In the years that followed, the Public Affairs Council would become the MCCEA Ed-Pac and would be regularly involved in political campaigns of concern to the college and its faculty, most importantly the election for the MCC Board of Trustees.
Every two years the members of the Ed-Pac interview the candidates running for the board, endorse those who seem to embody the goals of the faculty and the college and work for their election. For every board election, Ed-Pac worked the polls and Ellen Howe, though a number of faculty supported Jesse Sirna. Bailey and Howe won. Sirna finished third.
In 1979, Ed-Pac did not choose to endorse.
In 1981, with Guy Yeaster as chair, Ed-Pac worked for the election of Kay Huber, Jesse Thompson and Frank Goodroe. Huber and Thompson were elected.
In 1983, Jim Campbell served as chair, and Ed-Pac again endorsed Archie Bailey and Ellen Howe. This time both won.
In 1983, the committee, chaired by Paul Rozycki, endorsed Lenore Croudy and Jerry O'Rourke. O'Rourke won.
In 1987, in a campaign coordinated with other area unions, James Bettendorf, Lenore Croudy and Hal Keim received the group's support. Bettendorf and Croudy won.
In 1989, Ed-Pac endorsed Bill Cavanaugh, John Snell and Bill Walworth. All were elected.
In 1998, the endorsees were Jerry O'Rourke and Ramona Sain. O'Rourke was elected to his second term.
In 1993, with Rozycki still chairing the committee, Ed-Pac endorsed Jim Bettendorf, Lenore Croudy and Tom Donnellan. Bettendorf and Croudy were re-elected.
Ed-Pac's activities have gone beyond the MCC Board election. The group has worked for the college bond issues and has kept in contact with other elected officials on matters of concern.
With the help of Ed-Pac, the Michigan Education Association and the National Education Association have emerged as major political forces on both the state and national level.
MCCEA Active in National Faculty Concerns
Ed-Pac's activities have gone beyond the MCC Board election. The group has worked for college bond issues and has kept in contact with other elected officials on matters of concern.With the help of Ed-Pac the Michigan Education Association and the National Education Association have emerged as major political forces on both the state and national level.