This is the text of a letter sent by UF President Jeff Michels to deans and department chairs on August 31, 2009, regarding part-time staffing and scheduling.

To:     Division Deans, Department Chairs and Department Scheduling Committees
From:    United Faculty of Contra Costa Community College District
RE:    Contractual Requirements and Recommendations regarding Part-Time Faculty
Scheduling
Date:    August 31, 2009

Dear Colleagues:

As we begin dealing with unprecedented funding cuts to our colleges, it is important to consider the needs and employment of our current part-time faculty members.   Many of these faithful faculty members have been with us for years and rely on teaching as their main source of income and access to health benefits.   It is important that all divisions and departments follow both the letter and spirit of the contract concerning these matters.  The UF has prepared this information as a reminder of the contractual language concerning PT scheduling (both with and without PT Staffing Preference) with commentary about interpretation and recommendations for implementation.

Article 20.3.2.8    Part-time Assignments (General Requirements)

“Part-time assignments will be made available after contract, regular overload (AC), long-term substitute, and categorically funded assignments have been made.

The District recognizes, according to the California Education Code, the fact that part-time instructors have no legal right to or expectation of continued employment.  However, when making part-time assignments, first consideration shall be given to current part-time instructors based on qualifications, educational preparation to fulfill a particular assignment, performance (evaluations), availability and the needs of the District.  Consideration of current part-time instructors need not be given for courses outside the employee’s discipline or to effectuate an increase in teaching load.”

1.     Note that the contract says first consideration shall be given in scheduling to current employees before any new hiring.  In other words, departments should not on the one hand lay off part-time faculty or cut their schedules while on the other hand hiring new faculty.  The UF also strongly recommends that consideration for increasing loads of current employees be made before new hires (although this is not contractually required).

2.     The UF recommends that departments try to maintain loads within the 67% state maximum.  Before asking for contract variances, departments should spread loads among current employees, thereby maximizing all current employees’ opportunity to work to the legal limit.

3.     The UF recommends that scheduling be based upon seniority in the department, especially when the need to cut sections occurs.  A seniority system not only rewards loyalty and experience but increases transparency.

Article 25.6    Part-time Staffing Preference Scheduling

“Whenever possible, a faculty member with staffing preference must be offered his/her historical modal load taught within the past 5 corresponding semesters.  If there is no modal load, then median load will be used.”

If you are unsure of what a faculty member’s modal load is or how to compute it, be sure to contact the UF.  Contractually, division deans are responsible for providing this information to department chairs, and every department needs it before they start their scheduling process.

Note too that a faculty member’s historical modal load is the minimum and not the maximum that can be offered.

“Part-time faculty members with preference have priority for long-term substitute positions whenever possible.”

Unless a PT faculty member with staffing preference is not educationally qualified, he/she should have first right of refusal to a long-term sub position.   Also included in this should be first right of refusal for a sabbatical leave replacement position.

“Part-time staffing assignments shall be made in accordance with departmental scheduling guidelines based upon the following base criteria in order of priority: contract, regular, overload (AC), long-term substitute, categorically funded assignments, part-time faculty with preference and part-time faculty without preference.  Exceptions to this staffing order can be made for curricular expertise necessary for the departmental program.  Departmental staffing guidelines and policies shall be made available to all faculty members in the department.”

“Departments will address in their written guidelines what will be the process for implementing part-time preference in scheduling (taking into consideration such things as expertise, experience, seniority, rotation of offerings, first right of refusal to new sections, increase of load as available, ability to teach new courses as qualified).  The United Faculty will provide departments with guidelines, suggestions and templates that they may choose to use.”

The contract requires that all departments have written scheduling guidelines and that these guidelines be published and given to all PT faculty members so that they are made aware of the process.   The UF strongly urges departments to include some sort of seniority clause or rotation process for fairness and transparency in scheduling.   You may also want to include a clear time line for making and accepting assignments.

“Department chairs or staffing committees shall provide part-time faculty with preference the opportunity to state staffing preferences (including but not limited to days/times available, historical schedules, course preferences). Whenever possible, preferences will be honored providing they do not conflict with departmental or student needs.”

Each department should give each part-time faculty member with preference a list of available “C contract” sections so that he/she has the opportunity to state his/her preference for class assignments.   Once the assignments have been requested, offered and accepted by the part-time faculty with staffing preference, then a list of remaining available classes should be given to part-time faculty without staffing preference.  The only exceptions should be classes that are staffed by people with unique expertise.

Please keep in mind as well that a part-time faculty member needs to average a minimum of 30% load over two semesters to be eligible the next semester for health insurance through the District.  For many part-time faculty, therefore, maintaining this minimum level of employment is doubly important.

Clearly, we are heading into tough times, and our part-time faculty will bear the brunt of any schedule reductions.  Departments will face difficult choices and may want to consider other ways to minimize the impact on their part-time staff.  But at the least, the UF urges departments and deans to work as transparently as possible and to give faculty as much notice as possible if scheduling changes are in the works.

Thank you for your efforts.

Jeffrey Michels
United Faculty President