NSEA Board Meeting Dates Winter/Spring 2011 Sat. January 29
Volume 4, No. 2
Sat. February 19
November/December, 2010
HEA Hosts IPEDS Workshop at UNK
Sat. March 12 Fri. April 15
Inside this issue: HEA Hosts 1 IPEDS Workshop 2011 Higher Ed Advocacy Conference
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UniServ Kudos Corner
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4 NSEA Higher Education Legislative Priorities HEA Visibility Grants Awarded
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Metro CC Read Across America
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5 NEA Higher Ed Conference Registration Open Academy Directorate Info.
The Higher Education Advocate
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Visit the Nebraska P16 Initiative website [https://p16.nebraska.edu/]
On Wednesday, October 27, 2010 the HEA and NSEA hosted a special higher education negotiations workshop on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The workshop featured a presentation by Dr. John B. Lee, of JBL Associates, Washington, D.C., on IPEDS and other higher ed primary data resources. Dr. Lee is President of JBL Associates and a specialist on postsecondary education policy and finance. The workshop was conducted both on-site and on-line with Robert Sweetland ( Wayne State-SCEA ) , John B. Lee ( JBL Associates ) , representatives and local offiand Larry Scherer ( NSEA ) cers from UNKEA, the State College Education Association (SCEA) and Metro Community College attending. Dr. Lee reviewed the history and mission of the National Center for Education Statistics, which produces the IPEDS and other statistical reports. He then focused upon the detailed operations and components of three key tools for higher ed negotiators: The IPEDS, CUDAS, and the HECAS. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
This is a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates, faculty and staff, finances, instituLarry Scherer reviewing equipment and connecting on-line participants tional prices, and student financial aid. These data are made available to students and parents through the College Navigator college search website and to researchers and others through the IPEDS Data Center. [http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/] (Continued on Pg.2)
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IPEDS Workshop (Cont.) The College and University Data Analysis System (CUDAS) This CD-ROM allows members to analyze their institution by a series of indicators and to compare it with their peer institutions. The source of the data is the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. The CUDAS CD-ROM can be found in the annual NEA Almanac of Higher Education. Dr. Lee noted that plans are under way to make the CUDAS an on-line offering. This is something to watch for. The Higher Education Contract Analysis System (HECAS) HECAS CD is a CD-ROM with full-text retrieval software, containing over 840 higher education collective bargaining contracts. The system, updated twice a year, has contracts for faculty, support staff, and academic professionals. The most up-to-date collection of contracts resides on the web-based version, which is updated monthly. Access to HECAS on the web and the HECAS CD is restricted to NEA state affiliate staff and local leaders. You must contact the higher education contact person in your state to be granted access to both products. Dr. Lee also noted that the American Federation of Teachers AFT Higher Education Data Center is another useful and easily accessible resource for basic higher education information. [ http://highereddata.aft.org/]. For more information on government operations and other ranges of data check out the website of the National Center for Education Statistics [http://nces.ed.gov/].
2011 Higher Education Advocacy Conference Slated for February The 2011 Higher Education Advocacy Conference is slated to take place over Friday and Saturday, February 1112, 2011 on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney. All officers and potential leaders from higher ed campuses across the state are invited to attend. All of the workshop sessions will be held in the Nebraskan Student Union on the UNK campus, in rooms 310 and 312. The tentative schedule has registration at 5:30p.m. on Friday with an evening reception and workshop. Saturday sessions will run from 8:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.. The working luncheon will feature presentations by NSEA Legal Counsel Mark McGuire, who recently won three significant rulings before the Nebraska Supreme Court, and Jerry Hoffman, NSEA Lobbyist. Conference registration is free and includes a reception, continental breakfast, and a luncheon. Blocks of hotel rooms have been reserved and more details on housing will be available Jerry Hoffman and Mark McGuire shortly. The HEA will pay half to the room cost up to $40 and reimburse mileage at 25 cents a mile for attendees traveling over 100 miles to make the conference.
The Good News from Wayne State ! Marilyn Quance, President of the Wayne State local of the Nebraska State College Professional Association, reports the following: “Wayne NSCPA was able to increase their numbers by 7 new members
Marilyn Quance, Technical Librarian President, Wayne State NSCPA
during September. This gives Wayne the highest number of members since our beginning in 1994. We recently held a couple of luncheons. We received a $400 grant from the Higher Ed Academy. We took 3/4 of this amount and split it up among our members asking them to take a possible member to lunch and tell the other person the reasons they joined and how it could benefit them to join. I also want to send kudos to UniServ Director Duane Obermier. A year ago Wayne NSCPA started holding a meeting each month. Duane has attended every meeting and helped arrange for guest speakers. He has brought freebies for those who attend the meetings. We recently had some RIF notices sent out and Duane was on the spot and willing to help in any way possible.� It looks like some great work is going on out on the Wayne campus!
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UniServ Kudos Corner! For this edition of the newsletter, we asked the Higher Ed UniServ Directors to send along some information about what has been happening on their respective campuses. The more are aware of what is going on across the state and what resource the UniServ Directors are bringing to our locals the better our community as a whole. So, Kudos and thanks to everyone who responded. Here are just a few of the reports:
Bill Nowak: Mid-Plains Community College, reports that Mid-Plains Classified Staff EA has a new President, Pam Burks, and that NSEA is working with her on a mid-year drive to increase membership and involvement. At MidPlains Vocational EA, NSEA worked with President Winnie Dolph to favorably resolve a Summer Contract pay issue through discussion between the members and the administration. It ended up not being a big deal but it could have been.
Midge Dublinske: Central Community College, reports that congratulations go out to the Central Community College Staff Association, both the Hourly and Salaried bargaining units and negotiations teams, for some really great work. They recently ratified multi-year agreements for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Great news! We are awaiting details for a report for the next newsletter.
Tim Krapp: Metro Community College, reports that he is working with fellow UniServe Directors Jackee Wise and Ellen Yates at Metropolitan Community College. He writes that this Fall the Metro Community College Education Association held Coffee and Conversation Sessions at each of the five campuses - one session was held at each location. “It was very successful and we enjoyed visiting all the campuses and meeting everyone.” The MCCEA ACF Negotiation Team has been approved and Joan Trimpey, who is very knowledgeable and experienced regarding negotiation issues, is the Chief Negotiator. The other members joining Trimpey and serving on the MCCEA ACF Negotiation Team are Linda Chandler, Melinda Classen and Lee Murray. “I look forward to the Higher Education Advocacy Bargaining Conference which will be held February 11 and 12, 2011 in Kearney at UNK - my alma mater!”
Duane Obermier: Wayne State College writes the following: “When people ask me what I do as an NSEA UniServ Director, I typically respond by saying that I do three things. Those three are provide trainings, assist with negotiations and support members in exercising their rights. Trainings aren’t going on all the time, but they are usually part of membership meetings at the start of the school year. There are meetings for local association officers, and, of course, meetings are held as we gear up for negotiations. By this time of the year nearly all associations have completed negotiations for the 2010-2011 year. However, I still have three organizations that have not settled with their schools boards. Among other things, for me that has involved completing a comparability study. It’s also on my agenda to complete two studies to assist those two locals in preparation for 2011-2012 negotiations. Member rights are constantly on-going, and all UD’s never know when a case will come up. We simply respond as our members have need for this service. Another part of my NSEA work includes serving as staff liaison to the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee (EMAC). Most recently, that has involved work on a nomination for an NEA Human and Civil Rights Award. EMAC has set a goal of nominating a deserving Nebraskan for one of these awards every year. This year they chose to nominate Yolanda Nuncio of Grand Island for the George I. Sanchez Memorial Award. The nomination material had a postmark deadline of December 10, and it was placed in the mail on December 9—mission accomplished. We will find out in late February whether our nomination has been successful. “
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Government Relations Outlines NSEA Higher Ed Legislative Priorities At the December, 2010 NSEA Board meeting the Government Relations team reviewed the NSEA Legislative Priorities for the coming Year. The team is composed of Karen Kilgarin: Director, Government Relations and Public Affairs, Jerry Hoffman: Lobbyist and Legislative Research, and Brian Mikkelsen: Director, Political Field Operations. The priorities represent fundamental issues of concern and essential directions to work toward through lobbying and membership engagement. With specific regard to higher education the following are highlights of the legislative review: NSEA's legislative goals for the 2011 session of the Nebraska Legislature are to preserve the state's investment in P16 public education and the school employees’ retirement plan. Cuts to education funding will hurt students, education employees, schools, colleges and our economy. It is in the best interest of all Nebraskans to keep schools fully staffed. Maintaining a rich curriculum and appropriate class size will help raise student achievement and ensure our state’s educational and economic competitiveness. NSEA will also work to promote and protect programs that will enhance Nebraska's ability to recruit and retain quality teachers, higher education faculty and education support professionals. These programs shall include legislation that will improve compensation, benefits and working conditions. PRIORITIZE FUNDING FOR P16 EDUCATION Quality education is the ticket to economic prosperity for individuals and communities. Increased student achievement is Karen Kilgarin dependent on quality teachers/faculty, appropriate class size, and a rich curriculum. Education is an economic driver that benefits communities and Main Street businesses all across Nebraska. The Governor, as Chair of the Nebraska P16 Initiative, has noted that two goals of P16 are to attain a high school college-going rank in the Top 10 tier nationally and to provide affordable access for Nebraska students to attend postsecondary institutions. As the essence of the term "P16" implies, these worthy goals are part of an integrated educational experience, which merits the continued investment of resources from "P" through "16." In addition, Nebraska’s institutions of public education face the challenge of continuing to provide quality services to increased numbers of disadvantaged students and students with special needs, while also implementing accountability and testing mandates. It is essential to maintain funding for public schools and higher education at current levels and increase funding when state revenues are available. ENHANCE LOTTERY-FUNDED TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM Move an additional $500,000 in Lottery proceeds to the Enhancing Excellence in Teaching program, allowing more teachers to participate in higher education and earn Masters Degrees in teacher shortage areas and improve their teaching skills. While 268 teachers enrolled in the program in 2009, 111 applications were left unfunded; 321 teachers enrolled in the program in 2010 and 109 applications were left unfunded.
Brian Mikkelsen
PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE COMMISSION OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Jerry Hoffman The CIR has been successful in providing an effective dispute resolution process that provides predictability and reasonableness for school districts and school employees when the parties are at impasse. The CIR process supports the public interest by ensuring the continued delivery of essential public services without any threat of employee strikes or work stoppages. CIR decisions are based on the average – not top salaries, not the best benefits but rather the average compensation of similarly-situated employees. NSEA believes it is important to maintain the fair, effective and reasonable dispute resolution system that has been developed over the last 40 years . The state's higher education employees have won recent high-profile bargaining cases before the Nebraska Supreme Court. There could be backlash in the Legislature, however, as senators may push to modify the state employee collective bargaining act. NSEA will push hard, in return, to protect the bargaining rights of all Nebraska educators. NEBRASKA P16 INITIATIVE The NSEA does have formal representation on the Nebraska P16 Initiative. NSEA Executive Director Craig Christiansen is a member of the P16 Leadership Council and additionally serves on three subcommittees. Craig reports that much of the work of the committee is focusing on higher education, in the areas of accountability, productivity, academic proficiency, and graduation rates.
Craig Christiansen
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HEA Visibility Grants a Success!
SEAN Student Education Association of Nebraska
At the end of August your Higher Education Academy district closed its books by offering higher ed locals the opportunity to apply for a $400 Visibility Grant. As noted on the application form, “The NSEA HEA District will award up to ten (10) grants to higher education locals for the purpose of promoting visibility of their local to their members. This grant opportunity fulfills one of the purposes of the HEA: “to develop outreach and recruitment efforts for higher education faculty, academic professionals, and education support professionals across the state.” (HEA Bylaws). We are pleased to report that the following seven locals qualified for a Visibility Grant: 1.Peru State College Education Association 2. Wayne State College Education Association 3. Nebraska State College Professional Association - Wayne State College 4. Central Community College Education Association - Hastings 5. Central Community College Staff Association - Grand Island 6. University of Nebraska at Kearney Education Association 7. Metro Community College Education Association.
Through the Student Education Association of Nebraska (SEAN), the NSEA provides professional resources and support to teachers in training. That added preparation helps young teachers get off to a successful career start, and provides NSEA with a core group of future Association leaders. SEAN chapters are located on 16 Nebraska college and university campuses, with a combined statewide membership of more than 1,500 and growing. Dues for membership in SEAN/ NSEA/NEA are $28 annually. Membership provides student with important liability insurance coverage while student teaching, as well as many of the same benefits as active teachers/ members. A portion of the dues are refunded to SEAN members with their first year of membership in the NSEA when they begin their professional career. SEAN sends delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly as well as to NSEA's Delegate Assembly. The SEAN president serves as a non-voting member of the NSEA Board of Directors. SEAN website: www.neastudent.org
One example of the outcome of the grant funds, the UNK Education Association produced an updated brochure to assist them in membership recruitment . In addition the UNKEA has launched a program to design a unique logo for the association. Both of these projects will indeed contribute to the visibility and success of their local!
Metro Community College Education Association Funds Annual Read Across America Project The Open Door Mission/Lydia House received a second annual visit on March 9th from Metro Community College reading faculty. The faculty (Diane Hocevar, Teri Quick, and Kathy RiekenThurber) presented 123 children’s books to the mission to celebrate Read Across America and Dr. Seuss’ birthday. The books will be used to help create a library in the new Lydia House. Reading faculty selected each book and delivered them to encourage parents to begin reading to their children at a young age. The books were purchased with annual funds donated by the Metropolitan Community College Education Association (MCCEA). The Read Across America campaign was launched in 1998 by the National Education Association, and MCCEA has funded a book project for most of the past seven years.
REGISTRATION OPEN NOW! NEA Higher Education Conference March 25-27, 2011 Leadership Day—March 24 Boston Park Plaza Hotel Boston, Massachusetts
Register at this web site: http://www.nea.org/
Mark Your Calendars Now—Save These Dates !
February 11-12—Higher Ed Advocacy Conference at UNK in Kearney
March 25-27—NEA Higher Ed Conference Boston, MA (registration open)
April 15-16—NSEA Delegate Assembly La Vista, NE
June 17-18—HEA Higher Ed Conference Lincoln, NE
July 1-5—NEA Representative Assembly Chicago, Illinois
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Volume 4, No. 2
Your Higher Education Academy Directorate
Christopher Waddle Central Community College Board Member 402-476-8222 cwaddle@cccneb.edu
Bill Clemente Peru State College Secretary 402-872-2233 bclemente@mac.com
Patti Blundell Chadron State College Faculty Representative 308-432-6454 pblundell@csc.edu
Roger Davis University of Nebraska at Kearney President 308-865-8771 davisr@unk.edu
Joan Trimpey Metro Community College Vice President 402-738-4675 jtrimpey@mccneb.edu
Ann Petersen Chadron State College Treasurer 308-432-6337 apetersen@csc.edu
Karen Rodgers Metro Community College Academic Prof. Rep. 402-457-2683 krodgers@mccneb.edu
Lael Churchill Central Community College ESP Representative 402-461-2491 Churchill@gtmc.net