The Faculty Council completed their review of the proposed new Faculty Organization Constitution at a called meeting on Monday, May 3. Following extensive review and discussion at separate Division meetings and by the Council, the Constitution was approved by an overwhelming majority in a roll call vote as amended. Both AFO representatives on the Council, myself and Cecelia Fox, voted in the affirmative. The Council then approved the scheduling of a vote on this proposal by the full-time faculty on May 10 and 11. Under the provisions of the current Faculty Organization, adjunct faculty will not have a vote in this election.
If approved by the full-time faculty, the new constitution will become effective in April 2011. This proposal integrates adjunct faculty into the Faculty Organization as full members. Adjunct faculty members with six-or-more regular semesters of service (i.e., fall and spring semesters; summer semesters excluded) will become full voting members, and the separate Adjunct Faculty Organization will be dissolved.
This proposal greatly expands the opportunities for adjunct faculty to participate in all aspects of academic life and shared governance as first- rather than second-class citizens and colleagues in this institution. It is my opinion that this involvement will only become truly effective if adjunct faculty somehow become more fully involved in the discussion and decision making at the discipline and division level. This will take a certain amount of creativity and give-and-take on the part of our full-time colleagues, including for some a radical shift in attitude.
Members of the drafting committee, which began their work prior to the beginning of the fall 2009 semester, included the AFO President, Terri Marquis. The members developed what I believe to be a creative and highly workable solution that offers the potential to greatly streamline the functioning of the Faculty Organization. The full membership list is:
- Pam Watkins, chair
- Terri Marquis
- Heather Burns
- Jeb Baxter
- Caroline Mellinger
- Suzanne O’Hop
- Seth Martin
You can review the proposed constitution here.
This will be my last posting as your representative, as I am moving at the end of this semester to Oregon to “play with my grandchildren”. I am presently scheduled to teach at Portland Community College for the fall semester, and look forward to meeting my new colleagues and students. I wish you all every success in your tenure at HACC.
Dan Moseler
