Practical Matters: The FA's Executive Council

by Sarah Kain Gutowski, Chair, New Member Program

If you would like a particular issue brought to the attention of the FA (separate from a grievance) your Executive Council Representative is the person you should contact.

 

An EC Representative's primary charge is to serve as a liaison between the union's membership and its officers. You may have noticed, however, that our officers are pretty approachable and easy to speak to, so the other significant function of the Executive Council is that it occasionally acts as a decision-making, or governing, body within the union.

 

Because that's a fairly important charge, EC Representatives are elected by members within their academic areas (although some academic areas are grouped together). This is one of the reasons it's so important to become a voting member of the union. (If you haven't yet, please do!) You'll find the following list available also on the FA's web site under Contact information:  

Ammerman Campus Representatives
Area	Representative
Nursing, Health & Human Services	Lisa Aymong
Music, Art, Theater, Philosophy, Women Studies	Alex Nohai-Seaman
Library Central	Krista Gruber
Social & Behavioral Studies, Legal Studies	Denise Haggerty
English	Audrey Delong
Business Admin, Business Information Systems, Accounting	Kevin McNamara
Biology & Physical Science	Matt Pappas
Counseling	Matt Zisel
Engineering, Computer Science, Industrial Technology	Mike Simon
Math	Jane-Marie Wright
Communications	Melanie Weinstein-Zeolla

Grant Campus Representatives
Area	Representative
Business Programs	Ali Laderian
Nursing, Health Science, PE, Veterinary	Carmen Kiraly
Social Science	Andrea Macari
Library, Counseling, Liberal Arts	Bruce Seger
Natural Science & Math	Deborah Wolfson
Humanities	Vacant

Eastern Campus Representatives
Area	Representative
Science, Math, Social Science, Business, Nursing, Culinary, PE	Nic Pestieau
Library, Humanities, Counseling	Teresa Morales
PA / Specialists Representatives
Area	Representative
Programmatic	Maureen Arma
Instructional Labs	Deb Kiesel
Technical Areas and Instructional centers	Andrew Stone

Adjunct Representatives
Area	Representative
At-Large PA & Specialists	Maureen Sandford
Counseling & Education	Vacant
Science & Engineering	Doug Cody
Math	Russell David
Social Science	Vacant
PA, Specialist- Instructional Labs	Joan Cook
Foreign Languages, ESL, ASL, Reading	Marshal Stein
Retiree, Guild	Christopher Gherardi
Nursing, PE, Health Science	Adam Holtzer
English	Katelynn Delduca
Humanities	Michelle LaPorte
Culinary, Fire Protection Technology, Library, Electrical Tech, Drafting, Interior Design	Pricilla Pratt
Business, Accounting, Communications, Telecom	Vacant

The Executive Council meets monthly throughout the academic year to discuss the business of the union and its membership. You can find the minutes of past EC meetings archived on the FA web site under Documents>>Executive Council Minutes. Looking through some of these documents might give you a better idea of what kinds of concerns the EC meetings cover.

And, if a spot on the EC is ever free in your subject area, I strongly urge you to consider running for the position of Representative. I was a member of the EC as an adjunct, representing the English adjunct faculty, and I learned a lot about the union and our college in my time there. Also, service as an EC Rep counts as College-Wide service, which helps around promotion time. 

Practical Matters: Being Prepared for Your First Promotion

by Sarah Kain Gutowski, Chair, New Member Program

You may have noticed that yesterday you received an email blast from the Faculty Association about the annual spring promotion workshops held on all three campuses. 

Why, yes, I am, Sean Tvelia! Thanks for asking!

Also, you may have ignored that blast, thinking, "Oh, I don't need to worry about that. I have such a long time until promotion!"

Actually, you don't. You'll be surprised at the speed with which that first promotion will sneak up on you -- really. One day you're confused about where to find chalk or how to fill out your leave report, and the next you're receiving a letter from your Campus Executive Dean reminding you that you're eligible for promotion in rank. 

To help alleviate the natural stress and anxiety one can feel over promotion, one should be as prepared as possible. One way to do this is to actually attend the promotion workshops in your first year -- there, you'll hear our union's Vice President, Sean Tvelia, speak alongside your Campus Executive Dean about the process: how to apply, the timeline of promotion, what to consider while filling out your A-form. For those who are about to fill out the A-form, this will be reassuring and procedural. For new members, however, this should be strategic. Now is your time to plan:  what kind of items will I need to write on my A-form? What can (and should) I do at the department, campus, and college level to successfully fill out my A-form?

Guess who's gonna be busy this summer? This gal!

Another way we intend to help you anticipate and prepare for that first promotion is through our New Member Discussion Series. At the end of April, we'll hold our final event for the year, and I think it may be one of our best yet: "The Art of the A-Form: What You Can Learn from My First Promotion Cycle." This event, held in the Mildred Green Room of the Babylon Student Center (Ammerman Campus) from 11-12:15 p.m. on Friday, April 29, will feature three to four classroom and non-classroom faculty who will share the good and the bad parts of applying for promotion. Part inspiration, part cautionary tale, these faculty will give you advice on what to do -- and what to avoid -- as you ascend the promotion ladder (and the step scale) at SCCC.

If, by chance, you can't make your campus promotion workshop AND you can't spare time for that Friday event in April, take some time at the end of your first year here to peruse the FA's web site and the promotion materials available there. Just looking at the A-Form (and the observation forms that your chairs or supervisors will need to fill out) can give you a good idea of what to expect in that crucial year -- because the process, from start to finish, is almost a year long.

Also, remember that your faculty mentor is a great resource for candid conversations about promotion. Ask them about their experiences, and let them know what your plan is -- sometimes another point of view (particularly an experienced one) can help you navigate (or completely avoid) problems you didn't even know were possible. 

And then, once you've covered the basics and established a good plan, breathe a little easier and appreciate the fact that you're ahead of the curve. (And enjoy the springlike weather this week -- a new season is almost here!)

NMDS Archive: Hindsight: What You Can Learn from My First Year, Part I (2015 edition)

Editor's Note: Later today, we'll hold the third event in this year's New Member Discussion Series program, titled “Taking Your Show on the Road: How to Participate in Scholarship while Teaching at a Two-Year School” (Mildred Green Room, Babylon Student Center, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.). I hope to see many of you at this event: while continued professional development and scholarship is not only something many of us are interested in personally, it's also a requirement for promotion. This event aims to share some excellent advice on ways to engage in scholarship in a way that doesn't threaten or impede your regular duties at the college. (ALSO: Stay around the Mildred Green Room from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. for The Write Time -- another way to work some scholarship into your busy schedule, and there's coffee courtesy of the Faculty Association!)

Last semester, we began the New Member Discussion series with an event titled, "Hindsight: What You Can Learn from My First Year."  The following is Jared Dowd's paper on the topic.

See you soon! 

-- SKG

Hindsight: What You Can Learn from My First Year

by Jared Dowd, Counselor, Financial Aid

BRIDGING THE GAP

In starting any new job there is a tendency, as a new hire, to shy away from asking questions and acting as though you know it all. Do yourself a favor and utilize your relationships with your colleagues. Bridging a line of communication with those around you engenders trust and enables you to improve on your skills and shows you want to do your job to the best of your ability. Reach out beyond the larger community. Knowing all the avenues your students can take advantage of makes you a better advisor to your students. Plus, it also helps you whenever you are trying to get something done yourself. 

Although I have been with the college since 2010, prior to my current position as the Campus Coordinator for TRIO: Student Support Services, I have always found this to be helpful. In my first semester I took advantage of the veteran counselors around me at the Eastern Campus One Stop Shop. Through expanding my knowledge base on how the campus operated, I built relationships with each branch of student services. It allowed for my contemporaries to learn from me as well, knowing they could count on me for help and advice.‬ I am privileged to have such a supportive group of colleagues.

Jared Dowd presenting at the NMDS in September 2015

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT SUFFOLK HAS TO OFFER

Each semester Suffolk Community College runs many workshops and professional development opportunities for you to learn and expand your knowledge base. I also found the Faculty Association's New Member emails, and the Office of Faculty and Professional Advancement's Monday Morning Mentor emails, started my weeks off on the right foot.

You can also get involved with advising a club on your campus or becoming part of a committee. At the end of my first semester I was approached to be a co-advisor for the Students Against Depression Club. Twice a month I would sit down with the club's president and discuss their plans for the semester. They do a lot of positive work on campus.

These occasions are also a great place to meet some of your peers, build relationships, and enrich your own education.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH MENTORS

Prior to coming to the Eastern Campus, Lorianne Lueders-Yanotti, director of Student Support Services, was my professional guide and mentor in higher education. During my years working at Ammerman, she helped cultivate my understanding of higher education and always encouraged me to keep an open mind. I was always willing to take on new challenges. She taught me the proper way to handle myself at this level. Her guidance has helped me become the professional I am today.

In my first year at the Riverhead Campus, Matthew Okerblom was my Faculty Association mentor. He actually held my position in years prior, so knew the workload I had to deal with and helped my transition immensely. Throughout my first semester I feel as though I thanked him on a daily basis for clarity on an array of issues and for giving me advice on navigating my journey at Suffolk Community College.  He recently became the assistant dean of Curriculum, yet I know I can always go to him for advice.‬ (The free lunches didn’t hurt, either. I am now a fan of Turkish cuisine.)

Dr. Martinez, the Assistant Dean of Student Services, provided me with many one-on-ones throughout my first year. In our meetings I was able to bounce any issue off of him‬ and get his insight.  He was a big proponent of encouraging me to become more involved in campus and taking advantage of professional development when I could. I feel fortunate to have him advising me and his encouragement to make the most of my time with the college.

I was lucky enough to already know one of the mentors for the Faculty Association, Terri Morales. I knew her through my work with Student Support Services and EOP. She was my go-to for any questions regarding benefits, bereavement, vacation, and was an integral part of me becoming an adjunct professor in my first semester. She helped me figure out my syllabus and class lessons as I was appointed a COL 105 class 10 days before it began. I highly suggest contacting your Faculty Association Mentor on your campus at the start of the semester and getting to know them. They provide a wealth of knowledge. 

THE ART OF KINDLY SAYING NO

When beginning any new position you want to make an impact. Your intent is to show your colleagues that you have what it takes to be amongst them and excel. In some cases, people get themselves in trouble because they don’t know the power of the word "no." 

Obviously, being put in a situation to take on more work, or being asked to do something beyond your job description is hard as the new person on campus. In my first year, it was frequently acknowledged that I should get involved with a campus committee. I intend to sometime this year, but last year it was very important for me to be my 110% best at my current position as the Campus Coordinator of Student Support Services. When the issue of committees was brought up, my reply was simply, “At this point, I want to be the best counselor for the program I am serving. Perhaps later in the year, once I have everything in place, I will begin to seek out getting more involved in that way.” I think any colleague would respect this approach and still think highly of you, regardless.

Practical Matters: How to Stay Current in Your Field Without Breaking the Bank, Part II: Faculty Retraining and Development Fund

by Sarah Kain Gutowski, Chair, New Member Program

Greetings, new members! I hope you managed to survive the snowfall of this weekend without any traffic accidents or lack of electricity, and that today your classes and meetings and daily tasks are comfortably back on schedule. 

Remember our last blog post, when I wrote about Conference Reimbursement? I just want to emphasize how fortunate we are to have a faculty union that negotiated, and continues to protect, our right to funding for professional development. $1700 per person, particularly when multiplied by our membership, seems like a lot of money, doesn't it? And, of course, it is -- but we have to remember that $1700 is intended to stretch across two years. If you're familiar with the rising cost of airfare -- and/or the astronomical costs of staying in "the" conference hotel for the duration of a conference -- you'll know that this $1700 is not going to last beyond, well, one or two conferences (depending, of course, on how long you stay and how far away the conference is located). 

Winter sun. It likes to hide.

In your first years as a tenure-track faculty member, you'll be expected to stay current in your field by attending relevant local and/or regional conferences. There's no magic number -- although I'd suggest that a minimum of one per year demonstrates a comfortable commitment to one's professional development. With each subsequent promotion, however, and as with most aspects of your career, the stakes are raised the higher you climb toward full Professor or PA 2 or Specialist 2. You'll be expected to attend -- and eventually present at -- larger, more widely-recognized events on a national scale.

This, of course, will take money. My trip to LA in March, for instance, to attend the annual conference of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, will cost well over $1700. Such is life -- it's the premier conference in my field and I'm presenting on a panel, so I've said "bye-bye" pretty swiftly to my conference allowance, haven't I? (Yes. Yes I have.)

SO: if I want to attend the annual Southampton Writers' Conference this summer I'm out of luck, then, right? And I shouldn't even dream about AWP in 2017!

Not necessarily. Because, well, I'm a planner by nature, I anticipated having all of my conference money sucked away by this AWP visit in March. ALSO, I anticipated wanting to attend the Southampton Writers' Conference and finally (FINALLY) finishing the play I've been tooling away at for almost ten years. And yes, I'll probably be attending AWP next year.

The catch is that I had to anticipate most of this almost a year ago -- in April of 2015 to be precise. You see, the Faculty Association has ALSO negotiated an additional amount of money for faculty development and retraining: $30,000 per year, to be exact. Assistance for the next academic period is awarded to faculty who apply by April 15 of each year. The committee that oversees these applications will award funds first and foremost to faculty who require retraining. Then, after retraining needs have been met, those faculty who have applied for assistance for faculty development (like my attendance at the summer writers' conference) are awarded based on the strength of a faculty member's application and the amount of money still available in the fund.

So if you anticipate attending a conference or two next year -- and if you suspect you'll use your entire $1700 conference allowance pretty early, like yours truly -- you should consider applying for Faculty Retraining and Development assistance this spring. One way to make sure you understand the process and follow it correctly is to attend a Faculty Retraining and Development workshop one of our three campuses this semester, held by FA Secretary Marie Hanna (who is also a member of the Faculty Retraining and Development Committee -- so she knows what she's talking about).

The Ammerman Campus workshop was last week -- but that doesn't mean you can't attend on a different campus if you're interested in learning more. The dates for the remaining workshops, held during common hour (11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.) are as follows:

Wednesday, February 10 (tomorrow!) on the Grant Campus in Sagtikos 221.

Wednesday, February 17 (next week!) on the Eastern Campus in Corchaug 18.

Of course, if you can't make either of these workshops, simply email Marie Hanna with your concerns at marie [at] fascc.org. She'll be happy to help. Or ask your mentor, who may be able to answer your questions after having gone through the process him or herself. 

(And if you are interested in attending one of these workshops, give Marie a heads up by registering here.)

p.s. Want to learn more about how to balance professional development and scholarship with your regular job duties? Make sure you attend next Friday's New Member Discussion Series Event:

Friday, February 19: “Taking Your Show on the Road: How to Participate in Scholarship while Teaching at a Two-Year School” Faculty from various departments and disciplines re­flect on finding time for writing, research, and other forms of scholarship at an institution where teaching is the focus. While describing their own personal paths to publication and conference presentations, panelists will offer advice and share resources for new hires looking to balance their day to day duties with professional and scholarly concerns. Mildred Green Room, BSC, Ammerman Campus, 11:00-12:15 p.m.

Practical Matters: How to Stay Current in Your Field Without Breaking the Bank, Part I: Conference Attendance & Reimbursement

by Sarah Kain Gutowski, Chair, New Member Mentoring Program

By now, hopefully you've settled into your second semester as a full-time faculty member quite nicely. You're fully prepped for classes or you resumed your duties shortly after the holiday -- and now you feel comfortable enough with your regular job duties to venture out to some conferences or seminars for a little professional development.

Maybe you feel like engaging in some pretty major professional development. In fact, maybe the  professional development opportunity takes place in another state. Maybe that state is far away, like, say, California. Maybe the city in California is a fairly expensive city, like, oh, Los Angeles. Maybe you need to stay for three or four days just to attend all of the panel discussions and workshops and poster sessions that would make a trip like that worth the trouble and expense. 

And maybe your bank account will be flat-out busted by the time you're done paying for expenses like registration fees, air fare, lodging, and meals.

Who's going to Los Angeles in March? This girl!

Or wait -- maybe it won't be! 

One of the most beneficial parts of the contract negotiated by our Faculty Association is the part that provides for 1) "T" days that you make take (instead of sick days or personal leave days) for conference attendance and 2) reimbursement for expenses such as the ones listed above. According to our most recent Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), each faculty member is allotted a total of $1700 to attend conferences over the next two years -- from September 2015 to September 2017. In September 2017, the amount allotted increases to $1800. 

How do I access this money? you ask. Great question! The answer is, like at most institutions, slowly and sometimes painfully and through the careful application to the college's administration via forms -- a necessary evil, and one that shouldn't prove too cumbersome or unwieldy provided that you download the right forms and follow the proper steps. 

1. First, you need to submit a request at least six weeks prior to the date of the conference or professional obligation. The request form requires you to estimate the cost of travel, hotel, registration, meals, etc. and support it with documents that prove your intention to attend the event (like a conference registration receipt, or the letter that confirms your participation as a reader or panelist). You can find this form here, as well as the Travel Expense Voucher (see below) on the front page of the college's governance web site. (Wait -- you didn't know we even had a college governance web site? This post is chock full of information, isn't it? More on college governance later -- that's a story for a later blog!)
2. You'll need to have this form signed by your academic chair -- he or she must approve your attendance first -- and then you (or the chair) needs to give the form to your department's administrative assistant. He or she will forward this on to the Executive Dean's office for your campus. 
• Note: Why can't you just forward it to the Executive Dean's office yourself? Well, the administrative assistant for your department needs to know about (i.e. actually see; become familiar with) the request because eventually, after the Executive Dean approves the request and forwards the appropriate material to the Business Office, he or she will need to enter a requisition into Banner for you, which will generate a Purchase Order Number, which will result in you being reimbursed the requested funds. If these steps aren't followed, you won't receive a payment. So long story short is: fill out the paperwork, have it signed, give it to the department administrative assistant.
3. Once the Executive Dean's office and the Central Business Office have finished doing their thing, they'll send you a nice letter in the mail notifying you that your conference attendance has been approved. Also, they'll provide you with copies of the College Business/Contractual Travel Payment Request Form & Instructions, as well as the Travel Expense Voucher. Hold on to these items until you return from your conference.
4. When you attend your conference, you have to note your absence from your campus in your faculty leave report. There's no option for "conference attendance" in that screen, so instead you should type a note to your supervisor (reminding him or her about the approved conference attendance) in the notes section of your monthly leave report.
5. Once home from your conference, you need to fill out the Travel Expense Voucher as well as the Payment Request Form. Once again your academic chair will be asked for his or her signature the Travel Expense Voucher and the Payment Request Form, and then you'll forward those forms, as well as everything listed below to the Executive Dean's office:
• The Payment Request Form
• The Travel Expense Voucher
• Your conference badge
• Your conference brochure (hang on to all of the handouts, people)
• The conference daily agenda or program
• A conference report (an account and evaluation of the meetings you attended along with comments about its usefulness to you as a faculty member)
• Relevant receipts, including those for payment of the conference fee, payment for hotel accommodations, payment for an auto rental, payment for tolls, payment for parking, payment for cab fare if a shuttle isn't available, and payment for airfare or train tickets, etc. If you drive to the conference, you can submit a mileage request form, also available on the college web site.

It's important to note two things: The first is that you should submit your travel vouchers and supporting documentation and mileage requests within two and a half months of attending the conference -- otherwise reimbursement may be denied. The second is that it generally takes a campus Executive Dean's office two weeks to process the paperwork, and sometimes longer. So while you shouldn't expect to be reimbursed instantly, if you follow the guidelines and fill out everything correctly, you'll receive a reimbursement check before too long.

Practical Matters: Making Plans In the Face of Inclement Weather

by Sarah Kain Gutowski, Chair, New Member Program

Welcome back, new members and mentors! I hope everyone had a peaceful and productive holiday season and/or break, depending on your job duties.

Snow and sand and pine needles: Winter on Long Island

Like me, you probably spent a good amount of your time off (whether a few days or a few weeks) preparing for the new semester and the particular set of responsibilities and requirements it brings. Many teaching faculty, for instance, align course material with the academic calendar and plan a schedule of lectures and assignments. Many non-classroom faculty, too, anticipate deadlines or "busy seasons" based on the academic calendar (especially if you work in a skills center or the library). And committee members begin scheduling their meeting times and dates with an eye toward completing any number of charges.

If there's one thing I've learned about preparing for a new spring semester, however, it's that quite often the best plans are upstaged by the worst weather.

We've just experienced (some might say finally) genuine winter weather on Long Island: low temperatures, a dusting of snow, patches of ice on the road and frost on our cars when we leave the house in the morning. And it looks as though this weekend, while it won't be as much as other parts of the country (HAHAINYOURFACEBALTIMOREANDWASHINGTONDC), we'll be getting more snow, and maybe even more than a dusting -- stuff you have to actually shovel.

If we get more than what's predicted, or if some of it melts and then refreezes and then creates ICEPOCALYPSE on the LIE, we may have our normal class schedule disrupted. The administration really dislikes cancelling classes, but sometimes inclement weather forces a late start or an early closing to the school day. If this happens, you'll be notified a couple of different ways:

1. Facebook will erupt in a bunch of "no school today!" posts. Just kidding. (Well, kind of.) 
2. The school will post news about the closing on the home page. 
3. Also, inside the MYSCCC portal. 
4. Also, also, in an email to your school account announcing the closing. 
5. Also also also in a voicemail message (particularly if the closing occurs during the already-in-process school day).
6. Additionally, on any number of local radio stations, including 97.5 FM or 1370 AM, 102.3 FM & East 95.3 FM, 106.1 FM, 92.1 FM 92.1 FM, 103.9 FM, 103.1 FM, 96.1 FM
7. Aaaaaaannnnnddd: News Channel 12 (As Local As Local News Gets!) on TV

So my point is that it'll be really easy to tell whether or not you're expected, as a Faculty Association member, to report to your campus. If you have extenuating circumstances, though, brought about because of the weather -- such as childcare or transportation issues -- and you need to take a personal day and cancel classes, try not to stress too much about the cancellation. I would advise, however, accessing your Blackboard course space and posting an announcement -- easily emailed to students with the click of a button in the Announcement screen-- as soon as possible, so that your students can avoid driving all the way to campus only to find out you're not holding class.

(You can also access an email list on Banner (if, of course, you can actually access Banner  . . . *le sigh*) under the Faculty Services Menu: select "Class Roster" and then scroll to the bottom, where you'll find a button that reads "Display Email List." Select all of the revealed text, copy it, and paste it into an Outlook email -- and this way you can avoid using Blackboard if you really, really want to  . . . even though it's really, really easy (read: much easier) to use Blackboard.)

Additionally, it might help you to know that many of our students rely on public transportation and/or family and friends to get to campus, and their ability to travel may be hindered greatly. On days when there's really bad weather involved, it's best to be gracious and flexible regarding your attendance policies. And if you're forced to cancel class while the rest of Suffolk spins on, be gracious to yourself, too, and don't have a melt down because you can't cover all of the material you planned originally, pre-snow (like *cough* I did, just a few short semesters ago). Remember that if your students can meet all of the learning outcomes on the college's course syllabus by the end of the semester (you can find all of them posted here), you'll be doing your job -- even if this semester's covered material doesn't look exactly like that of previous semesters.

So, fingers crossed that we have just enough snow to play in over the weekend -- with the bulk of it disappearing by Monday! And best of luck with your first weeks of the spring semester -- even if it doesn't feel very spring-like at the moment.