LCC Faculty Colleagues,

Part-time Faculty Insurance Restored

Part-time faculty who will continue to teach at LCC and who had been previously notified that their insurance would be dropped at the end of July received notice that they will retain insurance. Thank you to the faculty who took action to support affected part-time faculty, the Bargaining Team, and to the OEA (Oregon Education Association, of which LCCEA is an affiliate) for their advocacy and support in contributing to this resolution at this critical time.

Workload Taskforce

The Joint Workload Taskforce has finalized and signed the MOA that codifies instructional workloads. This multi-year process protects faculty workloads, including class sizes, going forward. Thank you to the countless LCCEA representatives and department reps who have contributed to this endeavor over several years. See the final agreement here: Workload MOA Final Signed 0611 2020.

Advanced Tech Grievance Settlement

LCCEA and the College reached an agreement to settle a workload grievance affecting all faculty in the Advanced Tech division who teach lecture-lab. The resolution provides substantial workload relief with resulting increased compensation for faculty who have historically had some of the most demanding workloads on campus, most of whom teach 24 hours per week in the classroom every term.

2019-2024 Contract

The contract is (finally!) going to print, and copies will be provided to faculty once they are available. The final electronic file is here: 2019-2024 LCCEA-Lane Contract 07 20 2020.

Reopening

Faculty who are in departments that may hold face-to-face instruction are encouraged to work collaboratively with their deans on a department safety plan. These plans must adhere to the overall LCC safety reopening plan guidelines, which is pending approval by Lane County Public Health. A definitive list of departments and disciplines that will have face-to-face instruction is not yet available. However, Health Professions and Advanced Tech along with possible lab instruction time for Science and Arts are the most likely candidates for limited face-to-to face instruction.

Bargaining over Reopening

Reopening is also subject to an agreement with LCCEA over working conditions affecting both safety and instruction. College representatives have not been available to meet since July 13 but have agreed to meet to negotiate on August 3. Your LCCEA Bargaining Team will provide an update with more information when it is available. Thank you to the hundreds of faculty who have completed the LCCEA survey and demonstrated tremendous support and solidarity for safety protections for faculty who will teach face-to-face, remote work options for faculty who are in at-risk categories or with vulnerable household members, and recognition and respect for faculty as teaching professionals.

Work Year and Fall Term Begin Wednesday, September 30

A reminder — due to furlough days and course prep days rescheduled to July, the first day of the work year for Fall term is Wednesday, September 30, which is also the first day of Fall term instruction. (Monday, September 28 is Yom Kippur. The instructional work day Tuesday, September 29 day was rescheduled as a furlough day in July. The four days of inservice week were rescheduled to July also as furlough or course prep time, so there are no working days during the week of September 21.)

Interested in learning more about your rights as an educator during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Read about accommodations, rights to leave under federal law, liability, workers compensation, and more on the NEA website (National Education Association, of which LCCEA is an affiliate) at: https://educatingthroughcrisis.org/your-rights/

What can you do to help protect funding for public education? 

State budgets are being depleted due to reduced revenue caused by the pandemic. The U.S. House passed the HEROES Act, which is critical to provide support for states as well as directly to higher education, but the Senate has not taken action. One simple way to advocate is to take action by writing your U.S. senators and other options through the NEA website at: https://educatingthroughcrisis.org/take-action/