October 2007 Board Notes

A summary of the October 6, 2007 University of Hawaii Professional Assembly Board of Director's meeting.

NEA HIGHER EDUCATION DIRECTOR’S REPORT  

NEA Higher Ed Director Sally Pestana reported that Congress passed the NEA supported “College Cost Reduction and Access Act (H.R. 2669).  This law provides for the biggest increase in student financial aid since the GI Bill!  The law will:

• Increase the maximum Pell Grant award
• Reduce interest rates on subsidized student loans by 50%
• Create new tuition assistance grants (up to $4000 per year) for undergraduates who commit to teaching in public schools in high-poverty communities or high-need subject areas
• Create an Asian American and Pacific Islander Higher Education Serving Institution designation

The Asian American and Pacific Islander Higher Education Serving Institution designation will allow increased access to federal grants and other benefits, similar to the benefits the “historically black college” designation has provided.

NEA would like to update higher education faculty that the Senate passed the Higher Education Amendments of 2007 (S. 1642) to reauthorize the Higher Education Act.  NEA opposes the Senate inclusion of the so called “academic bill of rights”.  The ABOR would undermine academic freedom under the guise of protecting students against purported, unproven bias by faculty.  NEA believes colleges and universities already have sufficient policies and procedures in place to ensure the quality of education, while guaranteeing the rights of students and faculty.

The House has not yet taken up the Higher Ed reauthorization.  However, the Education Committee Chair, Congressman Miller, supports the omission of the ABOR provision.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

President Joseph Chernisky summarized the issues indicated in his written report.

As a follow up to last month’s report, President Chernisky clarified the consultation versus the negotiations process, and when it would be appropriate to have UHPA representation.

President Chernisky attended the UH-Manoa Faculty Senate reception on September 18 that was hosted by Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw.  He suggested that Directors work cooperatively with the Faculty Senate Chairs from their campus.  Board Directors were informed to check out the links on the All Campus Council of Faculty Senate Chairs’ (ACCFSC) website: http://www.hawaii.edu/accfsc/.

The UH Community College Faculty Classification Task Force met on September 26.  Members of the Task Force are Chancellors Clyde Sakamoto (Maui CC) and Peggy Cha (Kauai CC), Faculty Senate representatives Harry Davis (Kapiolani CC) and Marcia Roberts-Deutsch (Honolulu CC), UHPA Executive Director J. N. Musto, UHPA President Joseph Chernisky (Leeward CC), and Community Colleges Director of Human Resources Sandra Uyeno.  Executive Director Musto has continued to question the unnecessary distinction between teaching and learning, the risks of outcome and performance driven measures, which are included in the draft document.  UHPA and the faculty representatives on the Task Force have recommended changes and clarification in the language.  Executive Director Musto suggested using the SurveyMonkey on UHPA’s website to get feedback from Community College faculty members regarding the proposed Classification Plan.

UHPA Executive Director J. N. Musto, Collective Bargaining Committee Chair Karla Hayashi, and President Chernisky consulted with Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda Johnsrud and Director of Academic Planning and Policy Joanne Itano on the proposed new Executive Policy E9.113 regarding the duties and responsibilities, criteria, selection process, etc. of Division/Department Chairs and the appointment of Program Directors and Chairs of Academic Subdivisions.  Numerous concerns were raised such as they are not supervisory or managerial staff but they have “oversight,” there is expansion of duties, etc.

President Chernisky expressed his appreciation to Professor Michael Cooney, Associate Executive Director James Kardash, and Faculty Senate Panel members Harry Davis (Kapiolani CC), Daniel Kruse (Maui CC), Linda Currivan (Leeward CC), David Chin (UH-Manoa), and James Tiles (UH-Manoa) for putting together an excellent Faculty Forum.  He thanked UHPA Vice President Adrienne Valdez for her initiative and follow through on the membership drive.  They plan to look at vacancies amongst the UHPA Faculty Representatives.

In closing, he reminded Directors that there are 12 Board of Regents seats that need to be filled and the committee will be looking at candidates beginning November 1.  Additional information can be found at www.hawaii.edu/rcac.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Executive Director J. N. Musto reported that UHPA has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Hawaii at West Oahu to incorporate the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs into their promotion and tenure review procedures.  UH-West Oahu is in the process of developing division personnel procedures now that the size of the institution’s programs has significantly grown.

Executive Director Musto has met with UH-Hilo administrators and UHPA Faculty Representatives to discuss the contract provisions governing tenure and promotion procedures.  UH-Hilo departments with six or more full-time faculty members may choose to have Departmental Personnel Committees, rather than utilize the Division Personnel Committee structure.  However, the contract does not refer to the number of tenured faculty members in a department, where at UH-Manoa, if a department or program has fewer than five tenured faculty members, the Dean may constitute a Faculty Personnel Committee made up of UH-Manoa tenured faculty members from the department and other related disciplines.

Kapiolani Community College has been the source of multiple administrative policy initiatives that have a significant, if not negative, impact on the faculty.  For example, a new policy was proposed by the KCC administration that would require 11-month Department Chairs to teach a class or two during the summer as part of their “load” and without any additional compensation.  They have also proposed to limit the number of summer session classes that 9-month faculty members could teach during the summer.  The contract does not set any limit on a 9-month appointed faculty member’s ability to teach, research, or conduct any other outside employment during the off-duty period.

Executive Director Musto reported on the Board of Regents (BOR) meeting that was held in Hilo on September 27 and 28.  In addition to the controversial approval of the Navy contract to form a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), the Regents approved the 2008 supplemental budget request and the UH’s legislative package.  Although Chancellor Tseng was pressing hard to get funding for new UH-Hilo soccer and softball fields, it was not listed as a tier one high priority.  UH President David McClain pointed out that UH-Manoa had made their Title IX women’s athletic requests as a top priority, and the Regents only approved those listed in the first grouping.  Regent Chair Kitty Lagareta informed the BOR that she would not continue as the Chair of the Board of Regents; therefore, an election for a new Chair was held.  At its meeting the prior month, the Regents were unable to elect a new chair, although Regent Andres Albano, Jr. was elected Vice Chair.  In a historic display of openness, there was a contested election for the Chair position, between Regents Ronald Migita and Allan Landon.  The first vote produced no result, but after a second ballot Allan Landon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Hawaii, was elected as the new chair of the UH Board of Regents.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Treasurer Ming-BaoYue reported that Comptroller Linda Sawai has been processing non-members’ dues rebate requests.  As of September 13, UHPA sent out 740 rebate packets to non-members and have received 35 requests.  The rebate request deadline is October 17.  Treasurer Yue reported that as of October 4, UHPA has received 126 objections from members to have $5.00 from their dues go toward the Political Action Fund for this fiscal period.  Due to the schedule of the Board meeting, there was insufficient time to prepare the financial statements for last month.  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, at its meeting on October 5, 2007, approved the purchase of two laptop computers, one for the Executive Director and the other for incoming Associate Executive Director Kristeen Hanselman.

New Directors were informed that UHPA’s Constitution and By-Laws are being reviewed to ensure our language is in compliance with Hawaii’s not-for-profit corporate laws.  Directors were given copies of the proposed draft of UHPA’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws and assigned to review the language thoroughly.  Attorney Jeff Piper, who has been working with UHPA on this, will meet with Directors in November to answer any questions.  When the document is finalized, it will be shared with UHPA members, who will need to vote to approve the changes.

NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

Vice President Adrienne Valdez, who also chairs the Nominations and Elections Committee, informed Directors about UHPA’s Membership Drive.  At the Faculty Forum, Faculty Representatives were enlisted to make personal contacts with non-members and new hires to request that they become members.

The Nominations and Elections Committee requested confirmation of new Faculty Representatives.  Directors passed a motion with one abstention to confirm the appointments of Marcia Roberts-Deutsch (Honolulu CC) for PAU 007, Mimi Yen (Kapiolani CC) for PAU 012, Scott Robertson (UH-Manoa) for PAU 060, and James Cartwright (UH-Manoa) for PAU 116 effective immediately.  Terms for Faculty Reps Mimi Yen and James Cartwright will expire on May 31, 2008, and terms for Faculty Reps Marcia Roberts-Deutsch and Scott Robertson will expire on May 31, 2009.

NEW BUSINESS

Directors passed the motion to confirm the appointments of Joshua Cooper (Maui CC), James De Ste Croix (Leeward CC), Earl Hishinuma (UH-Manoa), Richard Morris (UH-Hilo), Richard Nettell (UH-Manoa), Derek Oshiro (Honolulu CC), Mark Rognstad (UH-Manoa), Sharon Rowe (Kapiolani CC), Alan Teramura (UH-Manoa), and Glenn Teves (UH-Manoa) as members of the UHPA Collective Bargaining Committee (CBC).

Directors unanimously passed the motion to confirm the appointments of Belinda Aquino (UH-Manoa), Brenda Cartwright (UH-Manoa), James Cartwright (UH-Manoa), Joshua Cooper (Maui CC), Malia Manol (UH-Manoa), James McFarland (Kauai CC), Barry Nakamura (Leeward CC), Suzanna Reiss (UH-Manoa), Nandita Sharma (UH-Manoa), and Elizabeth Tam (UH-Manoa) as members of the UHPA Legislative and Political Action Committees.

Directors unanimously passed the motion to confirm the appointments of Amy Anderson (UH-Manoa), Margaret Bruck (Maui CC), Ruth Horie (UH-Manoa), Peter Rappa (UH-Manoa), Jonathan Schwartz (UH-West Oahu), and Jeffrey Zuckernick (Kapiolani CC) as members of the UHPA Nominations and Elections Committee.

Directors unanimously passed the motion to confirm the appointments of Roy Fujimoto (Windward CC), Thomas Jackson (UH-Manoa), and Ming-Bao Yue (UH-Manoa) as members of the UHPA Ad Hoc Committee on Special Projects.

Terms on the above committees take effect immediately and will expire on August 31, 2008.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Directors were informed that former Director Jerome Comcowich’s written report on his attendance at the NEA Representative Assembly (RA) was included with their Board material.  His report can be viewed at http://uhpa.org/members-only/national-education-association-nea/nea-ra-delegate-reports/070925-j-comcowich-nea-ra-report.pdf/view.  In quoting Director Comcowich, President Chernisky encouraged Directors to attend and participate in future RA’s.