​COD Officials Share Update on New Contract Negotiations

College of DuPage officials and the COD Full-Time Faculty Association (CODFA) are currently in negotiations for a new contract. Please see below frequently asked questions regarding the process.

Why are negotiations still continuing even though CODFA’s contract expired Aug. 14?

The current full-time faculty contract negotiations began March 2019 and are continuing as both parties work towards reaching a fair contract. Both sides have presented proposals that are complex and involve multiple components. Full-time faculty and the College Board of Trustees are parties to a labor contract that outlines specific terms and conditions of employment for full-time faculty, including duties, evaluations, wages, appeals, etc.

The contract is negotiated between full-time faculty members and College Administration representing the College Board. College of DuPage Administration and CODFA are working to ensure that the parties work in good faith to reach a fair contract. The last time a full (non-rollover) contract was negotiated, talks occurred over 16 months until an agreement was reached. The current negotiations have entered its seventh month with only one mediation session. Thus, the length of the current negotiations is not unusual.

CODFA representatives said they requested mediation on July 30, 2019. Why did College officials wait until August before officially agreeing to mediation?

College officials have always been open to engaging with a mediator regarding new contract negotiations. At no time did College officials turn down the possibility of involving a mediator. However, at the time the request was proposed on July 30, 2019, CODFA had not fully responded to the College’s proposals; thus, officials felt that the timing was premature, though they would be open to mediation at a later date.

After further discussing the matter with the CODFA team at the next negotiating session on Aug. 13, College officials concluded that the involvement of a mediator could be helpful in the negotiating process. On Aug. 14, both parties signed a formal mediation agreement.

How has mediation, which began on Aug. 27, impacted negotiations?

The parties have had one mediation session. The College is encouraged by the improved tenor and dialogue with the mediator present. College officials are looking forward to the mediator’s continued support of the negotiating process to bring the parties closer to reaching a fair contract.

CODFA has pointed to the College’s healthy fund balance of more than $187 million. What is this fund balance and how can it be used?

The main purpose of the fund balance is to fund future capital projects including capital replacement items, new capital initiatives, capital equipment needs, and other long-term initiatives or one-time costs. Also, the fund balance serves to help the college weather adverse operating circumstances such as downturns in enrollment and delays or reductions in state funding. Indeed, the distribution of state funds to the College has been delayed in the recent past.

In general, current operating expenses are not paid out of fund balances. It is important to note that College of DuPage has a healthy fund balance and it is critical that our fund balance be maintained to ensure a strong and stable financial future. If you think of an individual’s personal finances, conventional wisdom suggests that one should have accrued savings and utilize those savings only for specific one-time purposes or emergencies and not for continuing operational needs.

Are College officials seeking to restructure faculty jobs through a new contract?

No. The College is not seeking to restructure faculty jobs. Rather, College officials are seeking to clarify job duties, which will further improve and ensure student success.

How are full-time faculty currently evaluated and why do College officials want to implement classroom observations as part of their evaluation process?

The current “Formal Evaluation” for tenured faculty consists of three main components:

a self- evaluation

“feedback provided by the Student Rating Questionnaire,” and

“other information as agreed upon in the preceding Planning Conference.”

Our goal with additions to this requirement include in-classroom evaluations, which is a common practice for faculty evaluation processes. CODFA members would be evaluated by their deans, who are their supervisors. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has conducted a survey of deans asking what was the “‘major factor’ in evaluating overall faculty performance.” The top criterion was “classroom teaching,” with 99.3 percent of deans considering “classroom teaching as the most important index of overall faculty performance.” Our deans currently conduct in-classroom evaluations of pre-tenured and temporary full-time faculty. The College proposal would only expand the practice to all full-time faculty to ensure the quality of instruction and provide feedback for improvement. Without in-classroom observations as part of the evaluation process, a CODFA member could potentially go through an entire career of 20 to 30 years without a supervisor ever observing the individual’s teaching after the initial three-year, pre-tenure period.

Both parties talk about achieving a fair contract. What are the important points being discussed that will produce this?

College officials are seeking a fair and appropriate contract for our full-time faculty that will ensure continuous improvement and the success of our students. This includes compensation that is highly competitive and fiscally responsible to our taxpayers. Recognizing that College of DuPage is a teaching institution, a fair contract also includes a supervisory, in-class observation, which encompasses 70 to 75 percent of faculty work. Also, a fair promotional structure for all faculty, not just those with doctorates, is also a necessity for a fair contract.

When is the next mediation session and when do College officials hope to have negotiations completed?

The parties have agreed on several dates this month with the next session scheduled for Sept. 17, 2019. College officials hope to have negotiations completed as soon as possible to reach a fair contract.