From the EA President

I received a number of positive e-mails and telephone messages from faculty regarding my column about academic conflict in last month's Forward. A few people also asked me for re-prints of the Gunsalus article "Basic Guidelines for Handling Complaints." Please contact me directly if you would like a copy. The only negative comment I've received about my column was distributed in a memo at the faculty meeting last week. It read:

"We were recently admonished in the Forward about Conspiracies and Complaints. Apparently, they don't exist at MCC or at least our union doesn’t wish to hear about them. We don't do Grievances any more, so what's left?"

First, any faculty member who felt "admonished" by my column has my sincere apology. The intent of my message, based on 10 years of experience, was to identify three factors that needlessly intensify academic conflict. The faculty members who contacted me genuinely appreciated this effort. Does conflict exist at MCC? Of course it does, and it is a large part of our work as union leaders to resolve and mediate that conflict. Simply put, our union hears about and deals with conflict every day.

As for the perennial misstatement that the union doesn't file grievances, ask your divisional representative if this is the truth. At the end of last semester, we filed and settled Grievance #198. We are currently negotiating a settlement to Grievance #196. Last week we filed Grievance #199.

EA Clerk Position

The former MCCEA Membership Clerk, Sherry Weeder, recently left our organization to accept an Administrative Assistant position at Mott Community College in the Student Services area. Sherry served with distinction for two years, bringing solid interpersonal and professional skills to her work. During her tenure as MCCEA Membership Clerk, Sherry implemented a new dues structure, further streamlined the management of office record keeping, and administered member service and elections functions with confidentiality and professionalism. Sherry's dedication, insight, and skill will be deeply missed in our office.

Our new Membership Clerk, Danielle Jenkins, is no stranger to Mott Community College. She previously worked in Educational Systems and the College in the Workplace program as a student employee. She also served for a time in the Provost's Office at UM-Flint. Please join me in welcoming Danielle to the MCCEA. I also wish to thank our faculty members in the Business Division, especially Barb Shultz and Bettie Goodman, for helping to find a number of qualified candidates for the job.

- Steve Robinson

From the Forward Editor

Heard in the Halls: A Response to One Concern

The comment in the last Forward about the Distance Learning faculty “coming under the gun for failing to pass enough students” is not exactly accurate.  The Distance Learning Advisory Subcommittee regularly looks as student success rates.  The unfortunate truth is that some courses regularly have abysmal success rates.  The DLAS suggestion was that faculty who had had less than a 50% success rate in all of their classes over four consecutive terms should have to take a look at what they’re doing and what they might do to improve those rates.  The calculation includes only those students who completed the class, not those who received a W or NS. Personally, I would think any teacher with really poor results over four terms would want to take a long, hard look at what he or she was doing and try something different. 

-Caitlin Rollins

 

Congratulations to MCC’s National Champs

Last week, Mott Community College won the 2007 NJCAA division two championship and became the only junior college team to participate in four title games. It was the second national championship for the Bears and Steve Schmidt, who was also selected as the 2007 Coach of the Year.

 

Forward Focus: Jolene Stewart

As a regular feature the Forward introduces our new full-time faculty with their answers to ten questions about themselves. Jolene Stewart has joined our faculty this year.

1. Name and position at MCC...

Jolene Stewart full-time Mathematics faculty

2. Educational/occupational background...

M.A. mathematics from Wayne State University

I taught at Wayne State for two years while working on my graduate degree and I also taught at Adams State College in Alamosa, CO for a year after finishing my masters.

3. I came to MCC because...

It's in Michigan and close to my family.  Living out of state was fun for a year but now its time to be close to home again.

4. I teach what I do because...

I love watching students grow to like mathematics, yes sometimes they actually begin to like math.  I know it sounds crazy.  Math really isn't all that bad.

5.  WhatI like most about being at MCC is…

My students so far. 

6. The thing that bothers me most about MCC is...

All of the logins and passwords

7.  The most important or significant book I have ever read is...

I’m not sure--there are so many

8. One person I admire is...

My father.  He is the most easygoing person I know.

9. To get away from the classroom I enjoy...

Skiing, snowboarding, white-water rafting, mountain biking, camping, etc... and traveling of course

10. My proudest accomplishment is…

Earning my masters in mathematics without going crazy

 

From the Ed-Pac Chair

By the time this Forward is out the Ed-Pac committee will have completed the interviews of the three candidates for the MCC Board of Trustees and will have made recommendations. This year incumbents Ehren Gonzales and John Snell are facing challenger Sally Shaheen Joseph. We will keep you informed of our recommendations. The committee members this year are Paul Rozycki, Lillie McCain, Janet Westhoff, Brian Ivory and Terrence Stewart. The election is May 8 th.

 

-Paul Rozycki