March 2008 Board Notes

A summary of the March 8, 2008 University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) Board of Directors' meeting.

NEA HIGHER EDUCATION DIRECTOR’S REPORT

NEA Director for Higher Education Sally Pestana reported that her idea how to raise political action contributions for NEA-PAC was well received by NEA Board members.  In turn, she has challenged the 180 NEA Directors to do the same.  She will learn more in May—the next time the NEA Board meets.

She and other UHPA Board Directors will be attending the NEA Higher Education Conference, which is being held this year from March 28-30 at the Hilton Washington Hotel in Washington, DC.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

• President Joseph Chernisky reminded Directors that the Annual Membership meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 25, 2008 at Leeward Community College.  Committee chairs have been notified that their reports to be included in the Annual Membership meeting packet are due on Monday, April 14.  Committee chairs were asked to update their committee binders.  Additionally, he emphasized that we need to practice having clear communications between committee chairs, members, and staff to avoid any confusion as to the time, place, and date of a meeting.
• A draft of a funding template was shared with Directors.  President Chernisky explained that to have due diligence in their fiduciary responsibilities, the Executive Committee would appreciate at least 24-hours’ notice for any funding requests.  Because of the number of funding requests received recently and what may be anticipated in the future, a funding template has been created.  After it has been finalized, it will be put on UHPA’s website with guidelines.
• President Chernisky and Executive Director J. N. Musto met with Governor Linda Lingle and her Senior Policy Advisor Linda Smith on February 13 regarding the Hawaii Higher Education Commission.  The intent of the Commission is geared more toward K-12.
• It was reported that 22 candidates have been selected for the Board of Regents.  Regents Andres Albano, Jr., Michael Dahilig, Ramon dela Pena, and Kitty Lagareta are among those selected.  To view the Regents Candidate Advisory Council selections, go to http://www.hawaii.edu/rcac/.
• It has been nearly 5 ½ years since Bargaining Unit 7 members ratified the 2003-2009 Agreement between UHPA and the UH-BOR.  The faculty contract will expire on June 30, 2009, and UHPA’s priority will be to focus on negotiating the next contract.
• President Chernisky expressed his appreciation to the chairs and members of the Collective Bargaining Committee, the Legislative/Political Action Committee, the Nominations and Elections Committee and to the Ad Hoc Committee on Special Projects.  They have all been working diligently on a multitude of things and putting in long hours.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

• Executive Director J. N. Musto reported that the P-20 Council continues to meet.  The P-20 Council is a partnership of the Good Beginnings Alliance, the State of Hawaii Department of Education, and the University of Hawaii.  Their agenda focuses on preschool through postsecondary education.  For information about the P-20 Council go to http://www.p20hawaii.org/.  UH faculty members, including Director Karla Hayashi, have been participating in the American Diploma Project that reports that today’s workforce requires more education and training, with many high school graduates not prepared for college or work.  The Board of Education recently approved three graduating degrees—the normal 18-credit degree, an advanced 24-credit degree, and a more advanced 28-credit degree that concentrates on math and sciences.  To achieve a specific number of students graduating by the year 2020, the Council has sought commitments from employers, construction/technical unions, and the University of Hawaii to ensure that if high school graduates have those earned degrees, they would be accepted if they applied to their programs.
• Hawaii AFL-CIO President Randy Perreira is the new Executive Director of the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA).  Executive Director Musto has discussed the scope of bargaining with the state on matters such as health benefits.  Of mutual interest to all public sector unions is having paid family leave including child care and care for the elderly.  The public sector unions will be meeting to discuss these issues and the best approach to achieve changes in public policies pertaining to them.
• Directors were reminded that after July 1, 1996 newly hired public employees needed to work 25 years before they received the full health insurance premiums at retirement.  Employees with 10 years vested service would receive 50% health insurance coverage.  Those with 15 years vested service would receive 75% health insurance coverage, and employees with 25 years vested service would receive 100% health insurance coverage.  For public employees hired after July 1, 2001, the state will only pay the health insurance premiums at retirement for the retiree and not their spouse or dependants.  The spouse or dependant coverage is still offered, but the retiree must pay the full cost.  Employees are qualified to retire if they are 62 years or older (55 years for those that remained in the old contributory system) with 10 or more vested years of service.  If a faculty member, even if they are less than 62 years old, passes away during their employment, his or her spouse would receive health insurance coverage based on a prorated payout.  If a faculty member is already retired and death occurs, the spouse would receive health insurance coverage based on the election at retirement.  Information whether or not a domestic partner would receive similar benefits was not available.  Executive Director Musto indicated he would check on the matter further.
• Associate Executive Director Jim Kardash provided an overview of the different contract matters, faculty issues, and complaints he has been addressing, which include the following:  ŒThe department/division policies for UH-Manoa, UH-Hilo, UH-West Oahu, and the Community Colleges received by UHPA have now been included on UHPA’s website under the Members Only section at http://uhpa.org/members-only/DPP.  For the past two months, many of the calls received concerned contract non-renewals.  Recently, UHPA has had more calls regarding denials of promotion or tenure cases.  ŽOver the last year, Kapiolani Community College’s administrators were attempting to implement policies that they consider to be guidelines regarding summer session teaching load.  The KCC administration has attempted to limit the number of courses that faculty members can teach during the Summer Session.  UHPA is filing a class grievance to deal with this issue directly.
• Associate Executive Director Kristeen Hanselman reported that she has had similar complaint cases dealing with contract non-renewals and promotion denials.  Many of the problems stem from administrators’ behaviors and attitudes toward individual faculty members, and the administrators’ ignoring the contract or failing to understand its terms.  Directors highly agreed that UH administrators, including department chairs, need to be more knowledgeable about the faculty contract and recommend that UHPA work with the UH administration to establish training programs.
• Executive Director Musto reported that the UH Board of Regents’ monthly meeting was held at Honolulu Community College.  UHPA filed a class action grievance for violation of Article XXIII, Appointment, Duties, and Compensation for Academic Chairs, Section D, which indicates that the duties of academic chairs would be in a revised UH System Faculty Handbook.  This has deterred the Regents’ approval of the proposed change to BOR Policy 9-1a(3) regarding academic chairs.  (Note:  Since the time of the Board meeting, the UH System Administration has withdrawn the propose changes to the BOR policy and the creation of a new Administrative Policy concerning the duties of department chairs in response to UHPA’s class grievance.)

TREASURER’S REPORT

Treasurer Ming-Bao Yue reported on the fifth month (January 2008) of the UHPA fiscal year.    She explained the various expenditures incurred for the past month that includes attorney fees for the work done to be in compliance with the not-for-profit corporate laws of Hawaii, outside service fees for the design modifications of the Akala building, etc.  Directors passed a motion to receive the Treasurer’s report and to refer it to the Finance Committee.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

◘       President Chernisky reported that the Executive Committee approved two requests from the Ad Hoc Committee on Special Projects.  §Students from Maui Community College, Leeward Community College and UH-Manoa are planning a two-day visit with state legislators, UHPA’s lobbyist, and UHPA leaders to experience and learn about Hawaii’s politics.  The visit is tentatively scheduled for March 13 and 14.  The Executive Committee passed a motion to approve $600 for the travel costs of five Maui Community College students.  Chair Joshua Cooper was asked to communicate this activity with other campuses via their student groups and suggest that funding for travel expenditures be supported by those groups.  §The Fourth Annual Human Rights Day will be held on March 13.  The theme this year is “Human Rights: Quality of Life.”  Organizations will have their displays on the third floor of the State Capitol.  The Executive Committee passed a motion to approve $500 for tee shirts for volunteers and a banner to hang during the event.

◘       The Executive Committee received additional information on the 2008 Hawaii Symposium on Palestine; however, the event was already half way through and there were still some unanswered questions.  Due to the untimely submission of the request, funding could not be considered.  The Executive Committee also received a request from the Ad Hoc Women’s Committee, who were participating in Women’s Rights Day by providing a series of films that would be free to the public to view on March 8, 9, 10, and 14 at the Art Auditorium on the UH-Manoa campus.  Director Josh Cooper was instrumental in getting the films at no charge from the United Nations.  The Women’s Committee requested funding for tee shirts for this event, which had already begun and tee shirts still needed to be printed.  Due to the untimely submission of the request, funding could not be considered.

◘       Due to the number of funding requests UHPA has received, a draft of a funding request form has been created and shared with Directors.  Guidelines are still being worked on.  Directors agreed with the concept and felt it should be accessible to members via the UHPA website.

◘       Associate Executive Director Kristeen Hanselman reported that in preparation for Hawaii’s 2010 Constitutional Convention (Con Con), she has had meetings and conversations with the leadership of the National Education Association and the Hawaii State Teachers Association, namely with their new Executive Director Michael McCartney.  The three organizations have agreed to a coalition to do a base-line political poll to deal with the issues relating to the Con Con and to determine how to proceed.  Each party will put $20,000 toward this poll, which will be conducted by Market Trends Pacific, Inc.  Funding from UHPA will come from the PAC Fund.  Directors were informed that if there is a Con Con, citizens of Hawaii will be looking at 3-4 years attached to a new governance document that could be radical, dealing with delegate selection, etc.  Directors passed a motion recommended by the Executive Committee to designate $20,000 from the PAC Fund to be used to survey and poll members in preparation for Hawaii’s Constitutional Convention.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COMMITTEE

Directors received copies of UHPA’s initial draft bargaining proposal package, including salary schedules, for their review and input.  They were asked to send their comments/suggestions to UHPA by 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 10.  The draft document will be placed in the Board of Directors’ folder on the UHPA website, which would enable comments from them.  UHPA Executive Director Musto reviewed each of the changes being proposed.  The Collective Bargaining Committee will meet on April 11 to finalize the draft.  At its monthly meeting on April 12, the Board of Directors will be asked to approve the bargaining proposal for submission to the State’s Chief Negotiator, the Board of Regents, and UH President David McClain.  On Monday, April 14, UHPA Executive Director J. N. Musto will send a formal letter to the employer, demanding that bargaining begin.  Directors gave a round of applause to show their appreciation to UHPA Executive Director Musto, Chair Karla Hayashi and members of the Collective Bargaining Committee for their hard work and dedication in putting this proposal together.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

In the absence of Chair Richard Nettell, Associate Executive Director Hanselman reported that in the interest of accruing funds for Con Con, the Legislative/Political Action Committee agreed not to contribute the maximum amount allotted political candidates in this second round of endorsements.  The recommended candidates will be posted on the website and may be viewed at http://uhpa.org/members-only/committees/legislative-political-action/uhpa-political-endorsements-for-march-2008/.  Directors passed the motion to approve the list of political endorsements and allowable contributions subject to the membership’s concurrence.  It should be noted that UHPA members who objected to have $5 from their statutory dues go toward the Political Action Fund will not have access or be able to participate in this process.

The House has approved HB2521 HD2 which provides funding for UH maintenance and repairs from 2008 to 2014.  It has crossed over to the Senate.  Faculty members will be asked to submit photos to UHPA of UH campus buildings in dire need of repair that can be shared with legislators to support passage of this bill.  Photos will also be placed on UHPA’s website and may be viewed at http://www.uhpa.org/legislature/photos-march-2008/

NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

Chair Adrienne Valdez reported on the activities of the Nominations and Elections Committee. 

• Since UHPA needs about 300 proxies to meet the quorum requirements in order to take a vote on the Amended Articles and Amended By-Laws at the Annual Membership meeting on April 25, a plea was made for Directors and Faculty Representatives to contact their constituencies to turn those proxy forms into UHPA.  Even if members plan to attend the Annual Membership meeting, it is recommended that they submit their proxy forms, which can be taken back on April 25 if they wish to change their vote and attend in person.

• The biographical information and personal statements of candidates running for the 2008 UHPA Board of Directors’ election have been received and may be viewed at http://uhpa.org/members-only/2008-uhpa-board-of-directors-election/.  Only one-third of the UHPA Board of Directors is elected annually.  Active UHPA members in those constituencies have been sent written ballots.  The deadline for Board election ballots to be received at the UHPA office is 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 4, 2008.

• During the week of March 17, all active UHPA members will be notified by email that nominations will be accepted for UHPA delegates to the 2008 NEA Representative Assembly (NEA-RA) meeting.  The NEA-RA is the annual meeting of the primary governance and policy-making body of the National Education Association.  This year, the NEA-RA will be held at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC from July 1 through July 6.  Delegates who currently serve as a Board of Director, a Faculty Representative, or as a committee member are allotted reimbursement of expenditures up to $800.  The deadline for nominations to be received at the UHPA office is 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 1, 2008.

• Nominations for the election of Faculty Representatives will open shortly.  The entire election process will be conducted electronically.  It is anticipated that we may have 67 Faculty Rep positions up for election.

• The election of officers and at-large Executive Committee members will take place at the UHPA Board of Directors’ May 10 monthly meeting.  Since UHPA President Joseph Chernisky is serving a two-year term, there will not be an election for the Office of President.  Current Directors are eligible to vote in this election.

• Due to the resignation of Mari Nakamura, Faculty Representative for Primary Academic Unit (PAU) 124, Directors unanimously passed a motion to approve the appointment of Professor Mary Bass-Segura, Windward Community College, as the Faculty Representative for Primary Academic Unit 124 effective immediately.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Hawaii CC Director John Cole recently underwent surgery and is recuperating at home.  Directors requested that their get well wishes be conveyed to Director Cole for a speedy recovery.