Staff Council sponsored a forum today that brought up questions of whether the group should join the faculty in its no-confidence vote in the district’s chancellor, how to communicate to co-workers about the salary appeals process and what the purpose of Staff Council is.
Communication was a topic brought up when members questioned how to speak to their co-workers about certain situations such as the appeals process in pay adjustments.
President-elect Anthony Perez was at the Unified Staff Council meeting Sept. 25 with Dr. Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor of employee services, and said he learned from that meeting, “Employee services is still working out their kinks, and we are being affected by it.”
Perez spoke about the ongoing debate of joining the Faculty Senate in a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Bruce Leslie, saying that because the staff did not meet with Leslie as much as the faculty did, they had a slightly different experience.
Academic unit assistant Alicia Rodriguez of the academic development department, which oversees the Basic Skills Enrichment Program, disagreed with Perez’s and Guerra’s hesitation in not appearing to jump on the bandwagon with this college’s faculty saying, “Faculty concerns are also our concerns.”
Perez replied, “Just because we didn’t do it doesn’t mean we’re not concerned.”
Among those concerns are not abiding by policies, rejecting students’ request to be on the Accreditation Review Committee and driving the district into a deficit.
Staff Council President Geraldo Guerra said, “We need to know our changes, and how it’s going to change our staff.”
He announced that Faculty Senate is working on a campaign to raise $30,000 by donations of $5 and $10 from faculty and staff members for student scholarships.
This is the amount of Leslie’s bonus for remaining with the district for three years. He will receive it Nov. 1.
Many have suggested he should donate the bonus for scholarships through the Alamo Community College District Foundation because the district’s financial condition did not allow for raises for employees this year.
Leslie told The Ranger Sept. 15 that he should not give up his bonus because he has not asked anyone else to give up any of their salary.
Guerra said the Faculty Senate wants to create a press conference when they have received that amount and show the district that the faculty and staff at this college “care for the students.”
Rodriguez also complained about the timing for the open forums.
She said the meeting would not attract many staff members because it was scheduled for the lunch hour the day after canceled classes and while Hispanic Heritage events were scheduled in the mall for the majority of the day.
About 25 Staff Council members attended.
The next meeting is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Oct. 6 in Room 120 of visual arts.
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