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*Bargaining Updates      2003 Legislature Updates
New Board Members Elected in Feb. "Education Election"
*Kevin Caldwell named Dist 3 Bd Rep
*Part-Time Faculty Support at AFT Convention       
*State Higher Ed VP Expresses Concern for Part-Timers
*Faculty list 8 issues for negotiation          *Candidates for TVI Board seat
*Member Involvement Essential for successful Contract Negotiations
See the News archive for earlier articles

Officers Elected at Employees Federation Annual Meeting
March 28, 2003

Elected by members for a 2-year term were the following:

The Federation's Executive Council who will review Constitutional provisions for filling the Vice Presidential positions for the Instructional Support and Security Officer Bargaining Units. Candidates for those positions were unable to acquire the required number of member signatures on their petitions.  A constitutional amendment addressing this problem will be considered at the next general meeting since there wasn't sufficient time to do so at this meeting.

Newly-elected TVI Board member Alan Armijo representing District 3 was given a warm welcome to the meeting. He spoke about his experiences getting to know TVI and the other members of the Board, and of his expectations for helping TVI make progress in the coming years. He spoke of the Board “focusing on building a team; forming it, developing it, and sustaining a relationship among the players at TVI and in the community. “I don’t recognize the boundaries” he said. “We have to remain focused on building this team . . .” Speaking of the union and the TVI employees, he said “You guys create the foundation for (TVI).” Mr. Armijo closed by inviting members to keep in touch with him. His website is: www.jeffarmijo.com.

In her President's report, DonnaSwanson-Hurtado reflected on the achievements made by the Federation for employees.  She also emphasized the importance of maintaining communication channels with Board members, one of the reasons the Federation has been successful in the past.  She introduced Mary Collins who will coordinate Board Relations, encouraging members to attend Board meetings, assisting with a "State of the Union" presentation for the Board each term, and watching the board's schedule for important committee meetings. 

A motion that the Federation draft an anti-war resolution was defeated.  However, out of the extensive discussion of that question came a sense that the Federation needs to reiterate its strong support for academic freedom and for members' rights to express their views and organize among their colleagues.  A motion that the Federation draft such a resolution passed in a near-unanimous vote.

TVI Employees Federation President addresses Board
December 10, 2002

(full text of remarks)
President DonnaSwanson-Hurtado responded Tuesday to the Institute President's significant increase in pay.  The 3-year contract was approved by the Board at their November meeting and reported on the front page of local newspapers.  

Hurtado indicated that TVI employees were hurt by the seeming insensitivity of the Board to the disparity between the small raises received in contract negotiations this past year and the size of President Glennon's raise which put him among the highest paid community college presidents.

Hurtado reflected on the problems created by increased enrollment this term, one of the indications of success on which President Glennon's increase was based. The additional workload and inadequate resources (e.g. chairs in classes, computers in labs, photocopying limits, parking spaces) impact the quality of instruction.  She noted that more of a partnership in managing future growth would enable employees to maintain the high standards and meet community expectations for the school.

Hurtado emphasized that there are still full time positions at TVI that reflect inadequate wage levels, and minimal raises do not address the inadequacy. TVI's quality reputation should extend to providing a living wage to all employees.

She called for an effort to move all compensation at the Institute to the same relative position with other community colleges that the Institute President's compensation reflects.

see the full text of Hurtado's remarks        see article in the Alibi reporting on this  
see article in the Albuquerque Journal about the pay increase

TVI Employees Federation members urged to attend meeting
November 6, 2002

President DonnaSwanson-Hurtado recommends that all members who are able should please attend the Open Forum to be addressed by Dr. Walstrum at noon on Friday, November 8 in Smith Brasher, room 100. The topic, which seems to be important, is sure to be of interest to all instructors and instructional support professionals at TVI.

Dr. Walstrum’s invitation:

The next Vice President's Open Forum for faculty and instructional staff will be held on   Friday, November 8th at noon in Smith Brasher room 100.  The primary purpose of the meeting will be to provide you with up-to-date information regarding my plan to conduct a study (over the next 5-6 months) of the instructional division's organizational structure.  A consulting firm has been identified to provide what I believe will be an objective, thorough and inclusive study of the division's organization and to make recommendations relative to their findings.  "Inclusive" means that a wide range of instructional division personnel will be sought and used to provide input for consideration.  I look forward to everyone's participation in one form or another. 

Governing Board names Replacement for 3rd District Seat
August 2002                   see TVI PIO news release

Kevin Caldwell, assistant professor, Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico has been named to fill the seat on the TVI Governing Board for District 3, vacated at the resignation of Charles Haycox. Caldwell, a Taylor Ranch resident, will represent the West Side/Rio Rancho area district until the next board election in February, 2003.

Dr. Caldwell earned his Bachelor of Science, Pharmacy at the University of Kansas and his doctorate at the University of Colorado and joined UNM as a research assistant professor in 1993 following his work as a research associate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.  (see his curriculum vitae)

Dr. Caldwell writes of his research interests, "The overall goal of my research is to help elucidate the signal transduction systems that are required for learning and memory and to define their roles in various cognitive dysfunctions, including those resulting from prenatal exposure to ethanol. "

Governing Board names Candidates for 3rd District Seat
August 2002                         from the TVI Express

The Governing Board is expected to appoint a District 3 representative at the Aug. 13 meeting at Smith Brasher Hall at 5 p.m. Applicants are Kevin Caldwell, assistant professor, Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico; William Tryon, attorney; private law practice; Lynn Nordstrom, business owner, Center for Hands-On Learning; Armand Winfield, research professor, mechanical engineering, UNM; Sema Wynne, former director, Rio Rancho Chamber of Commerce; Robert Lucero, web content administrator, Bernalillo County; Jeff Armijo, business owner, Paradise Travel, Socorro. 

In a well-attended meeting, full-time faculty members identified eight top priorities that their Negotiating Team will be asked to bargain for in the contract renewal discussions in July.  Officers reported the results of the recent survey and included respondents' concerns in the prioritization. Concerned with the barriers to professionalism inherent in current conditions, the group pinpointed changes that would improve teachers' ability to work for a successful educational experience for all students.  

see recently settled AFT Higher Ed contracts(at the bottom of the page)

An unexpected vacancy in the District 3 seat on the TVI Governing Board will be filled by appointment until the February election.  Candidates that can represent the West Side/Rio Rancho district are currently being sought by the Board.  The vacancy occurred when Charles Haycox, county sheriff's deputy, resigned.  He had been elected to a 4-year term last year.  Three seats are normally up for election each odd-year February; the 3rd District election will make that four this time.

see Governing Board policy

Full Time Faculty Members, watch your email for a newsletter and survey from President DonnaSwanson-Hurtado.  Be sure to respond; the negotiating team needs to know your concerns to develop a strategy for the negotiations beginning in July. Additionally, creative ideas to address current concerns will give the team the resources they need to craft the best contract possible.  

There will also be a brainstorming meeting June 21st (details in the Calendar).  Please come if you can!  Spontaneous ideas can be the germ of exceptionally successful proposals. And experienced, involved, creative people working together produce them. Do commit to be involved!  Only TVI Employee Federations members can participate.  If you've been planning to join, you can complete the membership application on the spot and join in!)