DEARBORN HEIGHTS CAMPUS THREATENED
The Citizens Task Force on School Facilities recommended to the Dearborn School Board that the Dearborn Heights campus be "reclaimed" by the P-12 district and converted to a middle school The Task Force began meeting last year to study the needs of Dearborn’s elementary and middle schools. Their report to the School Board in January also advised building three additional elementary schools, adding substantially to another elementary school building, and considerably improving the electrical infrastructure of all buildings. The Task Force did offer a "Plan B" which did not include seizure of the Dearborn Heights campus, but the group did not endorse this alternative.

The Dearborn Heights Center was once Fairlane Middle School. Declining enrollments forced the closure of the school, and HFCC acquired the property almost 23 years ago at the explicit and pressing request by the Board of Trustees. The College has invested millions of dollars renovating the facility which now houses the Architectural Construction program, the Center for Life-Long Learning, and the HFCC/Ford C3P program. No space exists at the Evergreen campus for these programs, and the College is in the midst of a three-year contract with FOMOCO for C3P. Nor can the programs be moved to the new M-Tech facility. The State of Michigan has specific guidelines for the types of programs that can be housed there.

Displacement of programs critical to the mission and revenue stream of the College is bad enough, but the Task Force did not recommend any sort of compensation to HFCC for the seizure. Particularly troubling is the attitude expressed by Trustee Mary Lane who stated that her "mandate is the P-12 segment."

The Board of Trustees need to be reminded of their stewardship of the entire District. Urge them to maintain the integrity of HFCC in terms of facilities and revenue stream.

MFT&SRP ADDRESSES FULL-TIME/PART-TIME STAFFING
The MFT&SRP has asked the Michigan Legislature to gather information about the status of full-time/part-time staffing at the State’s schools. Specifically, the MFT&SRP requested a survey of the recruitment, hiring, and evaluation practices; the retention rates; and the instructional and clerical support afforded adjunct and full-time faculty at the State's community colleges.

The MFT&SRP believes the proposed survey would provide the Legislature with a clearer, more reliable understanding of the conditions under which part-time faculty are hired and function as well as the difficulties colleges face in recruiting and retaining qualified part-time faculty. In addition, the survey would provide a starting point from which to assess the impact of these factors upon student success.

Other states have either completed a similar survey or are in process of doing so now. In Illinois each public higher education governing board is currently required provide a report to the Board of Higher Education regarding use and compensation of part-time and non-tenure-track faculty. After a study of the issues facing part-time employment at Washington state community colleges, the State Legislature appropriated $5 million in fiscal year 2000 and another $5 million for fiscal year 2001 to increase the salaries and related benefits for adjunct faculty. In California, Gov. Gray Davis has recommended an addition $60 million appropriation to the State’s community colleges to improve adjunct salaries. California already mandates a 40% cap on the courses taught by part-time faculty and is considering dropping that cap to 30%.

The Legislature suggested that the MFT&SRP work with the Michigan Association of Community Colleges (MCAA) to develop such a survey. The MFT&SRP has met twice with the MCAA, which is comprised of Michigan community college presidents, but little progress has been made.

HFCC-FT PAF UPDATE
To date, 85% of the Union membership have responded to the Union’s request for PAF contributions, giving a total of $17,150 to Local 1650's Political Action Fund. Local 1650's Executive Board had recommended that each teacher contribute $100 to our local PAF.

It is still not too late to contribute! Most of the PAF was depleted by the bond and Board of Trustees elections this past fall, and another Board of Trustees’ election looms on the horizon. Please forward your contribution to your Area Rep. Congratulations to Area 1 (Counseling, Library, Placement Officers, Women’s Resource Officer, Child Care, and Special Needs) and Area 2 (English) who had 100% participation.

LOBBY DAYS
Both the MFT-SRP and the Retirement Coordinating Council (RCC) will host gatherings with the Michigan State legislators in February.

Wednesday, February 7 is the date of the MFT-SRP’s Lobby Day in Lansing. It will begin with a short briefing at11:30 a.m., followed by lunch with the legislators from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. In the afternoon, attendees may observe committee meetings and/or a legislative session. The day will conclude with a dessert reception at 3:30 p.m.

The Retirement Coordinating Council is hosting its annual Legislative Reception from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 14, 2001, at the State Bar of Michigan in Lansing. State legislators, retirement bureau personnel, and Department of Treasury officials will be in attendance.

These Lobby Days have proven to be extremely valuable. They provide teachers with an opportunity to express their concerns about educational and retirement matters directly to the State officials. If you would be interested in attending either event, contact John McDonald (ext. 9666). 

MFT&SRP CONVENTION
Local 1650 will hold elections for delegates to the annual convention of the MFT&SRP in March. The convention convenes May 18–19 at the Soaring Eagle Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. The Local is entitled to nine delegates. Nominations will close at the March membership meeting, and Area Representatives will conduct the election the following week.

If you are interested in running as a delegate, contact your Area Representative

HFCC FOUNDATION
The HFCC Foundation is in the midst of a major fund-raising effort. The Foundation aims to raise $9 million over five years for scholarships, technology, faculty development, and capital improvement projects.

Much of the success of this campaign rests on the financial involvement of HFCC teachers. If employees do not demonstrate interest and commitment to the proposed projects, it is difficult to convince outsiders of their importance. Consequently, Local 1650 urges teachers to pledge $400 a year for five years to the Foundation. Payroll deduction forms for contributions are available from Nancy Good (ext. 9807) in the Development Office.

Teachers are reminded that in addition to receiving an annual deduction on their federal income tax for contributions to the Foundation, they will be eligible for a tax credit of up to $200 per year on their State tax return.

GIFT OF READING
Local 1650's annual Gift of Reading Campaign was very successful this year. Faculty and staff contributed nearly 160 new books and $1,250 to Focus Hope's Center for Children. Monetary donations will be used by Focus Hope to purchase books for its Center for Children and books to distribute to children of families who participate in the food program. Thanks to the generosity of Local 1650 members and others in the College community, we have once again made tangible our commitment to the education of youth through the gift of reading. The Local 1650 Gift of Reading Committee, which included Paulette Childress, English; Toni Conti, Computer Information Systems; Mike Davis, Architectural Construction; Jeannine Dawson, Math; Kevin Dewey, Fine Arts; John Rietz, English; Marsha Steele, Health Careers; and Nancy Widman, Library, wishes to thank everyone who contributed.

Jeannine Dawson

NEWSPAPER BOYCOTT LIFTED
In July 1995, a courageous group of over 2,000 newspaper workers were forced to the streets in one of this community’s most highly profiled labor disputes in recent history. In the days leading up to the strike, the striking workers, represented by the six member unions of the Metropolitan Council of Newspaper Unions, requested assistance with an editorial and economic boycott of the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press. The response was tremendous, with circulation losses of 40%.

After a long, difficult, and painful process to secure contracts, the membership of all six unions have ratified agreements. The last two unions ratified on December 17, 2000. In January, the Labor Council Executive Board of the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO unanimously approved a motion to lift the boycott. Thank you for supporting the struggle of these workers to achieve a contract.

GRAPES BOYCOTT ENDS
Pointing out that many of its goals have been met, the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) has called off the 16-year boycott of nonunion California table grapes. "Cesar Chavez’s crusade to eliminate use of five of the most toxic chemicals plaguing farm workers and their families has been largely successful," said UFW President Arturo Rodriguez in announcing the boycott’s end. Three of the pesticides — dinoseb, parathion, and phosdrin — are gone Rodriguez said. A fourth, methyl bromide, is scheduled to be banned by the year 2005 and severe restrictions have been placed on the use of the fifth, capan.

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