Standard Seven: Faculty and Staff
Committee Members:
| Faculty Lisa Palmer, Co-Chair Phil Egan Evan Innerst Barbara McCarthy Paul Stegner Romy Thiele |
Classified Jeanne Stalker, Co-Chair Jose Romero Roberta Chock |
Administrators Greg Marvel Carol Green |
Student Cynthia Boyd |
A.1 The institution has sufficient faculty and staff who are qualified by appropriate education, training, and experience to support its programs and services.
Descriptive
Summary
For the early years of the 1990s, the college experienced declines
in the number of fulltime faculty, classified staff, and administrators.
Because of budget reductions, retiring fulltime faculty were
replaced by adjunct faculty; some classified positions were
eliminated. This trend started to reverse in the mid-90s and
budgets improved. The number of fulltime faculty has increased
steadily since 1998, and took a large jump in the fall of 2000
with the hire of 11 new fulltime faculty. Similarly, the number
of classified staff has been steadily increasing from the low
experienced in 1994. In fall, 2000, the college has 80.84 FTE
fulltime faculty, 56,70 FTE adjunct faculty, and 4.58 FTE fulltime
faculty overload. In addition, there are 60.43 FTE classified
staff, and 6 FTE permanent administrators. (ref - SMCCCD
Staffing and Staffing Ratios, 1982-2000; Staff Data Report,
Fall 2000). The college has been hiring faculty and staff to
meet program needs guided by the college's annual goals and
the annual process for identifying and prioritizing positions.
As one of the California community colleges, Cañada is
expected to make positive efforts to reach towards a goal of
a 75:25 ratio of full- to part-time faculty as mandated by Assembly
Bill 1725. The recent fulltime hires have assisted in moving
the college closer toward the goal.
The college has a well-defined process for identifying and prioritizing faculty and staff positions (ref. Guidelines and Criteria for Recommending Fulltime Faculty Positions for Fall 2001). This process, part of the annual Budgeting and Planning Process, has been in place since the early 1990s. Early in the fall, each department identifies the positions that it believes should be filled and documents the request with quantitative and qualitative information. The department requests are combined at the division level and prioritized before being submitted to the appropriate Vice President. Each Vice President, in collaboration with her unit, establishes the overall priorities for the unit and then submits to the college's Budget and Planning Committee. This committee establishes the overall priorities and recommends to the President who makes the final decisions. The President's decisions are communicated to the College Council.
All applicants for full time and part time teaching positions are screened for minimum qualifications, which are listed in the job announcement (EXHIBIT: any Job Announcement). Hiring committees initially check the applicant's qualifications, and the San Mateo County Community College Office of Personnel Services verifies that the applicant's degrees are from accredited U.S. or equivalent non-U.S. institutions before the applicant for a full-time faculty or administration position is hired.
In the case of part-time hires, the Dean of the appropriate division makes the initial check. Then the Vice President of Instruction verifies the official transcripts of the applicant against the minimum qualifications established by the California Post-Secondary Education Commission (CPEC).
In lieu of appropriate degrees, candidates for full-time or part-time positions may assert their suitability for employment through the equivalence process for minimum qualifications, as directed by AB 1725 and established by the Board of Governors. Assertion may be based on degree equivalence, academic background equivalence, or professional achievement equivalence.
If an applicant for an adjunct position claims equivalence, the hiring committee evaluates the applicant's qualifications. In addition, the candidate's equivalence must be approved by the Vice President of Instruction, the College President, the Academic Senate President, and the Board of Trustees.
When a classified staff vacancy occurs, a job description is distributed that describes the minimum qualifications for the position. Job announcements clearly state education and training requirements and candidates who do not meet those provisions are not included in the pool that is considered for hiring. The hiring process is designed to select from this pool of qualified candidates the best person for the job.
The College currently has seven administrators, each of whom meets the minimum educational and experience requirements as described by the state and by the approved district job description.
Self
Evaluation
As described above, budget constraints in the early to mid 1990s
prevented the college from replacing retiring faculty or hiring
sufficient support staff. Full-timers were replaced with adjunct
and some college services went unmet because of lack of staff.
In the past three years, more staff and fulltime faculty have
been hired. Careful budget planning over the past year has permitted
more funds to be made available to fill much-needed permanent
positions. The college is making significant progress towards
addressing staffing needs in all areas. The Budgeting and Planning
process for identifying positions involves constituents at all
levels and ensures that all departments have an opportunity
to request positions. The criteria for requesting positions
are made public; while specific and detailed, they are broad
enough to apply to disciplines with unique and differing needs.
In addition to other information and data, requestors are asked
to address the relationship of the position to the College's
mission and goals, as well as the department's needs. Through
a focus on institutional priorities, the decisions on which
new faculty and staff positions to fill are ones that are most
likely to identify the personnel most needed to rebuild the
institution.
Planning
Agenda
None
A.2 Criteria, qualifications, and procedures for selecting all personnel are clearly stated, public, directly related to institutional objectives, and accurately reflect job responsibilities.
Descriptive
Summary
The San Mateo County Community College District has in place
and adheres to hiring policies that are clearly stated and available
to all staff and to the public. Standardized job announcements
are produced for every regular vacancy that occurs at the college.
Announcements are distributed through district mail, district
email, the district web-site, the 24-hour job information line,
and district mailing lists; they are available at the District
Personnel Services Department, along with application forms.
Self
Evaluation
Criteria and qualifications for each position are indicated
on the job announcements and are developed based on specific
job duties required for that position. When needed, outside
consultants are used, as was the case in the recent search for
our new president.
Planning
Agenda
None.
A.3 Criteria for selecting faculty include knowledge of the subject matter or service to be performed, effective teaching, and potential to contribute to the mission of the college.
Descriptive
Summary
The College seeks the best-qualified applicant for each position.
Minimum qualifications are checked by the screening committees
and then by the Personnel Services Office. In addition, interviews
include questions on the subject discipline, teaching theory,
and the college's mission. Interviews for most full time teaching
positions include a teaching demonstration (EXHIBIT: Application
for employment and any job announcement).
Self
Evaluation
The hiring procedures are designed to identify qualified candidates
who possess the educational requirements for the position and
who best meet the needs of the College. Selection devices, such
as a paper screening criteria sheet, are provided to committee
members to ensure that only the advertised requirements are
used in the evaluation process.
Planning
Agenda
None.
A.4 Degrees held by faculty and administrators are listed in the institution's primary catalog. All U.S. degrees are from institutions accredited by recognized accrediting agencies. Degrees from non-U.S. institutions are recognized only if equivalence has been established.
Descriptive
Summary
The college catalog lists the degrees held by all full-time
faculty and administrators, and all listed degrees are from
accredited institutions (EXHIBIT: Cañada College Catalog).
Self
Evaluation
The college catalog, which is updated yearly, contains the current
list of degrees held by faculty, and all listed degrees are
from accredited U.S. institutions.
All job announcements clearly state how to establish equivalence.
Planning
Agenda
None.
B.1 The evaluation of each category of staff is conducted at stated intervals in a systematic manner. The follow-up procedure of evaluation is formal and timely.
Descriptive
Summary
Formal evaluation processes are currently in place for all groups
of employees, including full time and part time faculty, classified
staff, and administrators.
The evaluation process for full time faculty is described in the Evaluation Process Implementation Guidelines (EXHIBIT: Evaluation Process Implementation Guidelines). The procedure is very specific and delineates the meetings that are to take place, the time line to be followed, who is on the evaluation team, and what occurs with the evaluation after the conclusion of the process. The Peer Review Committee reviews student surveys of the faculty member, the dean's assessment, and the faculty member's self assessment, along with a portfolio developed by the faculty member. The Tenure Review Committee provides the recommendation for tenure and forwards the recommendations to the appropriate Vice President.
Contract (non-tenured) faculty are evaluated at least once a year. Regular (tenured) faculty are evaluated at least once every three years. All faculty evaluations are performed by the Peer Review Committee and forwarded to the Vice President of Instruction, who sends the records to the District Office of Personnel Services.
The adjunct faculty evaluation procedure includes a class visit by a full time faculty member, a student survey, and may include the adjunct faculty member's portfolio. A performance assessment by the Division Dean and an adjunct faculty self-assessment are optional. Adjunct faculty are evaluated in the first semester of service and at least once every six semesters after the first evaluation. These evaluations are tracked in the same way as those for full time faculty.
For classified employees, the District Office of Personnel Services distributes performance evaluation forms on a regular schedule (two during the 6-month probationary period and yearly thereafter), receives and documents their completion, and maintains employee files. The designated supervisor is responsible for initiating, scheduling, and completing the performance evaluation. In addition, the process includes an employee self-evaluation form (EXHIBITS: Evaluating Performance, Procedures Guide for Administrative and Supervisory Staff; SMCCCD Classified Performance Self-Assessment).
The evaluation of administrative and academic supervisory staff, conducted by the administrator or staff member's immediate supervising administrator, is also systematic and timely. The major activities of the evaluation process are:
1. a review of the prior year performance and annual new goals and objectives, including timelines for completion;
2. a mid-year assessment to review the status of the evaluee's progress toward completion of the goals and objectives;
3. a comprehensive performance evaluation every three years (conducted during the second year of each new administrative or academic supervisory assignment and every three years thereafter) that includes input from the evaluee's peers, clients, as well as the supervisor's own assessment.
To help achieve the major activities of the evaluation process, forms and checklists are developed as instruments.
Self
Evaluation
Currently, most faculty evaluations are up-to-date. In the recent
past, however, most non-classroom faculty were not being systematically
evaluated. Until Fall 1999, the college had no approved process
for non-classroom faculty. Now a lottery system has been implemented
and the situation rectified. The approved process is now in
place and three non-classroom faculty have been evaluated.
While proper procedures are in place for classified staff evaluations, implementation is up to the supervisor and, depending on workload, may not always be done in a timely manner.
The procedures and forms for the evaluation of administrative and academic supervisory employees are clear and easy to follow, and the procedures are indeed followed.
Planning
Agenda
As was intended by the AB1725 S.M.C.C.C.D. Trust Committee,
an annual review should be conducted to provide consistency
in the evaluation procedures of all faculty across the district.
B.2 Evaluation processes seek to assess effectiveness and encourage improvement.
Descriptive
Summary
One Evaluation Guidance Committee, composed of two faculty members
representing the Academic Senate and AFT and an administrator,
was created for each college to provide all participants with
guidance and training and to serve as an appeal board in the
evaluation process. The full time faculty evaluation includes
observation of teaching, student surveys, division dean assessment
forms, self-assessment forms, faculty portfolios, and an end
of evaluation conference with the peer review committee, which
emphasizes an affirmation of the positive behaviors and characteristics
of the evaluee with some recommendations for improvement.
The adjunct faculty evaluation procedure includes a classroom observation by a full time faculty member, student surveys, a portfolio of class materials, and a self assessment.
The classified staff evaluation process gives clear guidelines for evaluating staff effectiveness and setting goals and objectives.
Similarly, the administrative and academic supervisory staff evaluation process has a built-in mechanism to assess effectiveness and encourage improvement (Exhibit: Administrative and Academic Staff Evaluation Procedures).
Self
Evaluation
There is no existing written process for annually reviewing
the decisions of the Evaluation Guidance Committees on the three
campuses. This creates concern that the three colleges will
move in different directions in their interpretations of the
evaluation procedures.
The processes for administrative and academic supervisory staff as well as classified staff are systematic if the processes are implemented as described
Planning
Agenda
None.
B.3 Criteria for evaluation of faculty include teaching effectiveness, scholarship, or other activities appropriate to the area of expertise, and participate in institutional service or other institutional responsibilities.
Descriptive
Summary
The evaluation process for faculty is clear and thorough. The
peer review committees make recommendations for tenure. The
peer review committee for tenured faculty receives information
about the criteria listed in B.3 from both the division dean's
form and the faculty self assessment form (EXHIBITS: Division
Dean's Faculty Assessment and Faculty Self-Assessment).
Self
Evaluation
Using a shared governance vehicle, the system provides for measuring
teaching effectiveness from the perspective of both the college
and the student.
Planning
Agenda
None.
C.1 The institution provides appropriate opportunities to all categories of staff for continued professional development, consistent with the institutional missions.
Descriptive
Summary
Professional staff development opportunities are provided to
all categories of staff at Cañada College, primarily
through the following committees:
- Management Development-The management development program is funded from District fund 1 monies and from AB1725 monies. The current program has been in existence since 1989, and is based on a Management Development Program originally approved and funded by the Board of Trustees in August of 1985. The goal of the Management Development Program is to provide a variety of opportunities for managers to increase their awareness of new educational and management strategies; to improve their managerial skills; and to grow personally as educators, managers, and as human beings. All administrators and faculty supervisors are eligible to participate in this program.
- Professional Development-The Professional Development Program supports the goals of the College in that the long-term projects usually focus on the improvement of teaching by retraining instructors in new areas of expertise as well as updating skills, leading to new and/or enhanced courses. Short-term projects primarily allow instructors to attend conferences and seminars where new information is gained, as well as networking with peers. The guidelines in the Union Contract are detailed on pages 28, 29, 55, and 56 (EXHIBIT: Union Contract).
- Trustees' Program Improvement-The District Trustees set aside funding every year for the Trustees Fund for Program Improvement based on FTES. The fund accepts proposals from both part-time and full-time faculty for innovative improvement of programs in all divisions of the college to further the college's missions and goals.
- Classified Staff Development-The Classified Staff Development Program was established by the district in 1985 and is funded each year as part of the District's budget approved by the Board of Trustees. The purpose of the Classified Staff Development Program is 1) to continually improve the standards of on-the-job performance, 2) to provide opportunities for personal growth and advancement for employees, 3) to add to employees' job satisfaction and assist the District in retaining qualified personnel.
- AB 1725-This is the state-funded program intended to provide for activities that renew Cañada and that strengthen its commitment to being prepared for the future. This program is open to all faculty and classified staff and applications are evaluated on the relevance and appropriateness of the proposed activity to the applicant's assignment and to the College goals and mission.
Each committee is composed of representative groups of employees. These committees seek to assist faculty and staff with updating their knowledge and skills, researching new ideas, designing new programs and materials for implementation, and consequently improving instruction and services offered to an increasingly diverse student population (EXHIBIT: Staff Development brochure).
All categories of staff are notified at the beginning of the fall semester of the funding options available to them and the application procedures, and they are given a summary of the previous year's funded activities (EXHIBIT: Staff Development brochure).
Additionally, all staff has access to the Centers for Teaching and Learning, which provides a variety of classes in the computer software field. These classes are free to all staff members (EXHIBIT: CTL Course Offerings).
Faculty Flex Days provide further opportunities for professional development. The number of flex days per academic year varies depending on contract negotiation. Workshops and/or activities offered are based on needs surveys. Follow-up surveys are conducted to evaluate the activities offered (EXHIBITS: Needs Survey, Follow-up Survey).
Self
Evaluation
Despite all attempts to disseminate information on staff development
opportunities, there is still confusion as to what is available,
to whom, and how to apply. The limited funds available may restrict
the number of people able to participate in desired activities.
The mission of the college might be better met if applicants
were advised as to how to coordinate funding sources for unique
projects. At this time, applicants don't receive advisement
on how to best use all possible funding sources.
The workload of the classified staff may limit their ability to fully participate in Flex Day activities and other staff development opportunities.
Planning
Agenda
Since the Management Development, Professional Development,
Trustees Program Improvement, AB1725, and Classified Staff Development
committees work independently, we should investigate the possibility
of a college-wide coordinator for all categories of staff development.
This coordinator, a full-time administrator or possibly the
Director of Development, would have the requisite knowledge
of grants and funds available to guide applicants to all appropriate
funding sources.
C.2 Planning and evaluation of staff development programs includes the participation of staff who participate in, or are affected by, the programs.
Descriptive
Summary
Surveys are done to determine the needs of faculty and classified
for professional development planning purposes (EXHIBITS: Faculty
and Staff Needs Surveys).
Individuals write evaluations of workshops and conferences attended and file a report with the appropriate committee. Also, they may be asked to do an oral report for departments or divisions.
Self
Evaluation
The District has adopted a new position of District Staff Development
Coordinator. This may result in better planning and coordination
of Flex and Classified activities, but it does not deal with
all areas of staff development, leaving overall staff development
somewhat fragmented. In many instances the terms `staff development,'
`professional development,' and `flex day' are used interchangeably,
causing confusion for faculty and staff.
Because so many of the staff development activities are self-evaluated, there is a wide variety in the quality of evaluation done.
Planning
Agenda
None.
D.1 The institution has and adheres to written policies ensuring fairness in all employment procedures.
Descriptive
Summary
The Board of Trustees has adopted two statements of policy as
part of its District administration: District Rules and Regulations
Section 2.20, Policy on Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action;
and the Affirmative Action Plan Policy Statement approved by
the Board as part of the October 1994 revision to the District
Affirmative Action Plan. Copies of both policy statements are
available to all Cañada College and other District employees
through their division offices, and they are publicized routinely
as part of District recruitment, selection, and retention activities.
In addition to Board policy, the District also complies with Title 5 of the California Legislative Code, which governs local community college policies of fairness in establishment of positions, minimum job qualifications, recruitment, and selection. The District submits the required annual recruitment, new hire, and Affirmative Action progress reports to the State Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and provides data as requested when monitored for compliance with Title 5 and Affirmative Action regulations.
The San Mateo County Community College District is an equal opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that implements Board policy through all of its employment procedures for all categories of employment.
Self
Evaluation
Annually, the District Personnel Services office updates the
resources used to advertise positions at Cañada College
and other District units in order to renew our links to community,
business and professional organizations and individuals that
can refer applicants. In addition to updating connections with
standard recruitment resources, District staff actively research
and add to a list of recruitment contacts those organizations
and individuals who can potentially refer people from historically
underrepresented groups (Asian/Pacific Islanders, Filipinos,
African-Americans, Latinos and Alaskan/Native Americans). These
and other professional, community, educational and business
contacts are routinely used during the recruitment process.
Staff diversity, its value in the workplace, and the required procedures that assure District compliance with equal employment and Affirmative Action policy are incorporated in all District selection procedures. District recruitment activities are centrally administered by staff members who are also responsible for implementation of District EEO and Affirmative Action policy.
District job announcements issued by the Office of Personnel Services for Cañada College and other District units routinely include a statement regarding equal employment opportunity and the goal of attracting culturally diverse applicants into employment with the San Mateo County Community College District (EXHIBIT: Any Job Announcement).
District selection procedures for classified, academic, and administrative/management positions include specific references to equal employment opportunity, Affirmative Action, and the incorporation of staff diversity concerns throughout the screening and selection process (EXHIBIT: District Selection Procedures). Individual screening and selection procedures for all District positions are monitored by trained Staff Diversity Representatives, who are assigned responsibility for assuring that all facets of the procedures comply with the District policy of fairness and equal opportunity.
Annually, the District-wide Faculty and Staff Diversity Advisory Committee (a representative employee group as required by Title 5 and established to advise the Chancellor-Superintendent on policy development and activities in the area of equal employment and Affirmative Action/Staff Diversity) plans and provides a credit course for employees to be trained in applicable laws, policies, and regulations; details of District selection procedures; the monitoring role of the Trained Staff Diversity Representative; cultural simulation exercises; and other information related to the implementation of equal opportunity and fairness within the selection process.
The credit course, originated in the early 1990s, is team taught by qualified District employees and has an average enrollment of ten to thirty students, depending upon the time of year that the course is offered (EXHIBIT: Diversity Course Syllabus).
At Cañada College and at each of the other two Colleges, the President is advised in the areas of staff diversity by a representative group of employees called the College Faculty and Staff Diversity Advisory Committee. In order to maintain communication between College and district-wide cultural diversity issues and discussions, the Chancellor's FASDAC includes a sitting member of each College Committee.
Committee memberships are rotated and staggered in order to maintain consistency. Once each college year, the district-wide FASDAC hosts a meeting of the Chancellor, College Presidents, and their respective College Committees. Usually scheduled during the Spring semester, these meetings focus on such topics as status reports of FASDAC activities, projected Committee goals for both College and District Committees, use of available resources to promote diversity efforts, and group discussions about District diversity goals, issues, and challenges.
Information about District policies, procedures, and changes are also communicated to Cañada College and the community through an online newsletter, which accompanies a listing of current District employment opportunities. The newsletter is sent via E-mail to all connected District employees and is offered to home E-mail addresses for those employees who do not have District computer access.
Planning
Agenda
None.
D.2 The institution regularly assesses and reports its achievement of its employment equity objectives, consistent with the institutional mission.
Descriptive
Summary
One of the important components of the District Affirmative
Action Plan, as required of all California community college
districts by Title 5 and as monitored by the State Chancellor,
is the establishment and maintenance of employment and staff
demographic data.
The District Affirmative Action Plan includes statistical tables that display the availability in the workforce of historically underrepresented groups, as well as women and people with disabilities. The percentage of qualified individuals in the workforce (called "availability data") is provided to San Mateo and other community college districts by the State Chancellor (EXHIBIT: Availability Data).
The availability data is used to compute the number of individuals, by employment category, who should be employed by the District if local recruitment and selection were at the same ratio. The District is also required to compute and then report actual employee ratios and the projection of hiring, over a three-year period of time, for each of the specific groups that are found to be underrepresented at Cañada College and in the District. The employment projections are called Hiring Goals and are required by Title 5 (EXHIBIT: Hiring Goals).
Availability data for administrative and academic positions are based on the State-wide workforce, while availability data for classified positions are based on statistics for San Mateo
County (all districts are provided availability data for their respective counties). The choice of data is based upon likely recruitment areas for positions in these categories.
In addition to statistics that are periodically updated as part of the District Affirmative Action Plan, the District annually reports to the State Chancellor applicant pool statistics and new hire demographics for the previous academic year. Pursuant to Title 5, the demographics of new hires are one of several components used by the State Chancellor to compute the allocation of Staff Diversity funds.
Self
Evaluation
As part of its Affirmative Action Plan, the District uses availability
data to track the employment of people from historically underrepresented
groups in specific employment categories as provided by the
State Chancellor.
When the availability data were last used to review District progress in Affirmative Action, under representation was found in all groups except Alaskan/Native American (due to low percentage of individuals in the general workforce for the specific employment categories) and women (due to successful hiring of women).
Availability data and unit hiring goals are routinely used by the Office of Personnel Services and hiring managers to compare the demographics of all applicant pools at the close of recruitment periods. Under-representation in individual applicant pools is addressed by extending recruitment periods for additional advertising and making contacts with specific recruitment resources.
Currently, the hiring goals for Cañada College and other units in the District will be updated during the 2000-01 academic year, following receipt of new availability data from the State Chancellor. Once completed, the new District hiring goals will be incorporated into a revised District Staff Diversity Plan that will be approved by the Board of Trustees and then submitted to the State Chancellor's Office for review.
Annually, the District includes Cañada College in its reporting of applicant pool demographics and new hires for the previous academic year. The report is submitted to the Office of the State Chancellor as part of the annual report of Staff Diversity Fund allocation expenditures. New hire demographics for Cañada College since 1996 have been as follows:
| Faculty | 1996-97 N=1 | 1997-98 N=1 | 1998-99 N=8 | 1999-00 N=8 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Filipino | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Black/African-American | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Other-nonwhite | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Caucasian | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| Classified | 1996-97 N= | 1997-98 N= | 1998-99 N=16 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2 | ||
| Filipino | 0 | ||
| Black/African-American | 4 | ||
| Hispanic/Latino | 6 | ||
| Caucasian | 4 |
Planning
Agenda
None.
D.3 Personnel policies and procedures affecting all categories of staff are systematically developed, clear, equitably administered and available for information and review.
Descriptive
Summary
Personnel policies and procedures have been adopted by the Board
of Trustees for each category of employee: faculty, managers,
and classified staff. These policies are readily available to
all employees in the Office of Human Resources and in division
offices of the College.
The San Mateo County Community College District is an equal opportunity employer and meets all applicable employment regulations as described in the various compliance statements printed in the Class Schedule and the College Catalog, which are made available to all employees.
San Mateo County Community College District, through its Board of Trustees, Chancellor-Superintendent, and administrators, develops, implements, monitors and evaluates personnel policies and procedures, which govern all categories of employees. Personnel policies, in compliance with current Federal, State and local laws, are part of the District Rules and Regulations that are approved by the Board of Trustees, specifically chapters 2, 3 and 4 (EXHIBIT: District Rules and Regulations).
Because SMCCCD is a closed shop for collective bargaining, personnel policies related to conditions of employment are also developed through negotiations with teams of selected individuals in the academic and classified unions. The resulting union contracts are regularly updated through the annual collective bargaining process with the following unions:
- American Federation Teachers, Local 1493, AFL-CIO (represents all academic positions)
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 377, Council 57, AFL-CIO (represents all custodial, maintenance and grounds positions)
- California School Employees Association, Chapter 33 (represents all other classified positions not represented by AFSCME)
The collective bargaining process involves a management team that is selected by the Chancellor-Superintendent through the Assistant Chancellor for Employer-Employee Relations and Human Resources, and includes administrative and other management staff. Management proposals for negotiation are developed through collaboration with the Board of Trustees, Chancellor-Superintendent, chief executive officers, and other management staff.
Each of three unions is represented at the bargaining table by individuals selected by the respective union officials. Union proposals are developed collaboratively with members of each bargaining "team," following the solicitation of input and recommendations from the union membership at large.
Each of the union proposals is presented to the Board of Trustees for public information and comment prior to the start of negotiations.
At the conclusion of negotiations, each of the unions makes formal presentations of the negotiated personnel policies to its membership for discussion and approval. Specific proposed contract language that is not approved by the membership is brought back to the table for further negotiation until a settlement can be reached by both sides (management and union representatives).
The formal union-management settlements are forwarded to the Board of Trustees for approval.
At the conclusion of each contract negotiation process, newly negotiated policies and procedures are disseminated to all employees within the respective union and to all affected non-represented employees for information and review.
Employees who hold positions that have been declared "exempt" (administrators and supervisors) and "Confidential" (classified employees whose positions support management in collective bargaining and related activities) are governed, in addition to those policies specified in District Rules and Regulations, by the personnel policies established through the collective bargaining process as follows:
- Administrators and academic supervisors: AFT contract
- Classified supervisors and Confidential employees: CSEA contract
Self
Evaluation
Our process of negotiating new and modified personnel policies
generally works well.
Cañada employees have raised questions about the availability of District Rules and Regulations. In fact, personnel policies included in District Rules and Regulations are compiled in a binder by the Chancellor-Superintendent and made available to each District administrator for use by all employees in their respective divisions. Employees who have known of the binders and have asked to review them have been given all of the information needed; however, other employees have said that they were not aware that Rules and Regulations were easily available for review in their respective administrator's office.
Personnel policies that are part of Rules and Regulations include general District employment policies related to personnel laws, such as equal employment opportunity and Affirmative Action, sexual harassment, illness and injury, smoking, use of District communication systems, nepotism, and political activity.
District Rules and Regulations are regularly updated to reflect changes in Federal, State and local laws, and revised sections of the document are distributed to all administrators for inclusion in binders that are maintained in each division at Cañada College, the other two Colleges, and the Chancellor's Office.
Planning Agenda
1. The availability of District Rules and Regulations should be publicized to all Cañada employees, so that when they have questions, wish to research Board policies, and/or need to review Board procedures, they know where to locate the information within their own division or in another College office.
2. To make sure that employees do know where to access this information, the Director of Human Resources will advertise it in her "HR NEWS!" newsletter, and her staff will incorporate this information in the new employee orientation program.
D.4 The institution makes provision for the security and confidentiality of personnel records. Personnel records are private, accurate, complete and permanent.
Descriptive
Summary
Pursuant to Chapter 2.13 of District Rules and Regulations and
Section 87031 of the California Education Code (EXHIBIT), the
District implements procedures that protect the security and
privacy of individual employee information contained in personnel
files.
Personnel files for all regular District employees are set up and maintained in the central Office of Personnel Services. Personnel files for all adjunct faculty, temporary hourly classified employees, and student workers are set up and maintained at each of the three Colleges. Individual departments in the Chancellor's Office are responsible for maintaining files for their temporary hourly classified employees and student workers.
Employee payroll records are set up and maintained by the central Chancellor's Office payroll department and at the San Mateo County Office of Education.
Personnel and payroll files for each employee are secured in locked cabinets, and access to files is given only to those individuals who work directly with the employee information contained therein, in addition to the individual District employee.
Employee personnel files contain confidential and other information, such as the following:
All original application materials submitted by the employee, including standard District application form; resume; letters of application; letters of recommendation; copies of certificates, credentials, licenses; and other paperwork required for submission during the recruitment process;
- Copies of the Social Security card and driver's license;
- Loyalty oath and child/dependent adult reporting requirement forms;
- Employee demographic information such as gender and ethnicity;
- Salary change notification forms and information;
- Employment verifications;
- Assignment change notification forms and information;
- Copies of performance evaluations
- Verifications of actions taken by the Board of Trustees;
- Emergency contact information;
- Freedom from tuberculosis verification;
- Copies of other notifications to the employee, such as notices of discipline, lay off and termination.
Separate from the regular personnel are files of documents concerning the following:
- Medical history and physician documentation of illness and/or injury;
- Immigration information;
- Worker's Compensation notices, claim forms, and medical verifications;
- Copies of medical; dental; and life insurance plan enrollment and changes;
- Grievances;
- Requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act;
- Fingerprint and criminal conviction information. Note: the Director of Personnel Services is responsible for receiving and processing conviction information from the Department of Justice following individual new employee fingerprinting. In addition to regular security of personnel files, any access to conviction and arrest record information is restricted only to those employees who have signed and have in their own personnel files the required Department of Justice release form.
Periodically, District employees are notified and reminded by the Office of Personnel Services of their rights to inspect their own personnel files. In addition, all new regular employees are notified of their rights to inspect their files as part of the New Employee Orientation Program conducted in Personnel Services.
Access to a limited amount of personnel file documents is given by Office of Personnel Services to immediate supervisors and administrators of the respective employee only. Access to medical and Worker's Compensation information is not given to anyone but the individual employee.
District procedure allows inspection of the personnel file by employees by appointment on their own time. Appointments are made with specified staff in the Office of Personnel Services, who sit with the individual employee during the inspection. Employees are allowed to duplicate paperwork from their personnel files upon request.
The Director of Personnel Services has primary responsibility for the security and confidentiality of information contained in all regular District employee personnel files maintained in the Chancellor's Office. The division administrators have responsibility for the security and confidentiality of personnel files maintained at the Colleges.
Items that are placed in employee personnel files are done so following notification to the employee. Any and all items related to the disciplinary process are placed in the personnel file according to specific Federal and State law.
Reference information given to individuals inside and outside of the District concerning employee performance and other information is provided by management staff in accordance with Federal and State law.
Following the termination of District employees, personnel files are maintained permanently in secured files or on secured microfilm.
Planning
Agenda
None.
