The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is hosting online "town hall" meetings to provide information and get feedback on the technology grant from the Gates Foundation to revise at least 80 core classes so that they can be offered on line in one curricular format. 

All "town hall" meetings will be online in Elluminate, will be recorded, and everyone (faculty, staff, students) is invited. No need to register – just show up!

• Wednesday, November 4 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm
• Monday, November 9 from 10:00 – 11:30 am
• Tuesday, November 17 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm
• Friday, December 4 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm

1. Learn what this project is about and why it is important to the future of higher education.
2. Discuss any concerns and share your ideas on how to make this project better.
3. Review and revise: project timeline, list of 81 courses, the draft grant application and participant selection criteria.
4. Consider whether or not you want to be part of this project… and ask clarifying questions.

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Come join the dialogue -- no long-winded speakers, no tiresome panels -- just tables of faculty from around the state in guided discussion leading to defining what we see as the future of our teaching careers and students' learning environment.

For example, the Gates Foundation is pumping $6 million into SBCTC, part of which is to revise at least 80 core classes so that they can be offered on line in one curricular format. Standardization here we come. So it's important that faculty be part of the conversation now.(http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2010058594_webcommunity
colleges14m.html)

Saturday, October 24, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center
17620 International Blvd., SeaTac, WA

Registration fee: $30 (plus discounted parking at the Hilton)

Please register at http://tinyurl.com/ya4awv8 or through your local president as some locals are covering the conference fee.

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[10-24-07]

Today professional staff at Yakima Valley Community College became the first group of professional employees to vote to unionize under a new state collective bargaining law.

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We have developed seven elements of Best Union Practices for Increasing Membership Among Part-Time Faculty and for Encouraging Their Involvement in Union Activities. This can be downloaded and copied and made into a one-page flyer that can be posted to your union bulletin boards or distributed to members.

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AFT has launched a nationwide campaign, called the Faculty and College Excellence Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to create awareness about the erosion of full-time faculty and the overuse of part-time, adjunct faculty. AFT Washington was one of the first states to launch a state campaign and introduced state legislation during the 2007 legislative session.

 

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At the national and state level, AFT is the largest labor union representing higher education faculty at colleges and universities. We represent both full- and part-time/adjunct faculty, tenured and non-tenured. We are dedicated to ensuring faculty get the pay and benefits and working conditions they deserve as professionals and that every student has access to high-quality education from our public institutions.

For information and resources pertaining to higher ed faculty, click here