DOCUMENT RESUME ED 413 975 JC 980 033 TITLE TJCTA Messenger, 1995-1996. INSTITUTION Texas Community Coll. Teachers Association. ISSN ISSN-8750-9644 PUB DATE 1996-00-00 NOTE 110p.; Name changes to "TCCTA Messenger" with the April 1996 issue. PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT TJCTA Messenger; v27 n1-4 Sep 1995-Apr 1996 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC05 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *College Faculty; *Community Colleges; Conferences; Enrollment; Faculty Organizations; Merit Pay; *Part Time Faculty; Participative Decision Making; State Legislation; Tax Rates; *Teacher Employment Benefits; Teacher Retirement; *Teacher Salaries; Two Year Colleges IDENTIFIERS *Texas ABSTRACT Published four times a year by the Texas Community College Teachers Association (TCCTA),(formerly the Texas Junior College Teachers Association (TJCTA)), this newsletter discusses events affecting Texas junior colleges and their faculty, chronicles the efforts and activities of the TJCTA, and provides a forum for discussion of topics related to community college education. The September 1995 issue presents a discussion of 1995 state legislative actions affecting two-year colleges and an analysis of investment options under Texas' Optional Retirement Program/Tax Deferred Account. The December 1995 issue provides a discussion of Texas two-year faculty salaries and inflation; "The Faculty Role in College Decision-Making," by Marc A. Nigliazzo; a table showing 1995-96 base salaries for Texas faculty by college and years of service; "Coping with Conflict in the Workplace," by Charles Burnside; and data for 1994-95 and 1995-96 on compensation and utilization of part-time instructors in Texas by college. The January 1996 issue provides the program for the TJCTA's annual convention, focusing on the theme, "Sharing the Vision," and presents information on TJCTA elections and voting procedures. Finally, the April 1996 issue reviews major issues considered by Texas state legislative committees; presents "Is There 'Merit' in Merit Pay?" by Charles Burnside; and provides data on Texas community, junior, and technical college fall headcount enrollments for 1976-95 and tax rates and assessed valuations for 1994-95 and 1995-96. (BCY) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** TJCTA Messenger September 1995-April 1996 Texas Junior College Teachers Association U.S. DEPARTMENT OF Office of Educational EDUCATION Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS CENTER (ERIC) MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTEDBY This document has 444 been reproduced as received from theperson or organization originating it. Minor changes havebeen made to improve reproductionquality. Points of view or opinions document do not necessarilystated in this represent TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES official OERI positionor policy. INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." 2 A 10,1101t . S. : II I : I : Copyright 1995, Texas Junior College Teachers Association. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reprint articles provided they are reprinted in their entirety and appropriate creditis given to the author and to the TJCTA Messenger. Brief quotations and statistical data may be reproduced provided that the TJCTA Messenger is cited asthe source. VOLUME XXVII SEPTEMBER 1995 NUMBER 1 LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS AFFECT TWO-YEAR COLLEGES Several major actions taken by the Texas Brazosport College, Dallas County Commu- Texas Community College, in McAllen. Legislature in its 1995 regular session will nity College, Del Mar College, Howard Col- Retirement and Insurance affect the state's two-year colleges. lege, Kilgore College, McLennan Commu- State contributions to both the Teacher State appropriations to Texas community nity College, Odessa College, San Jacinto Retirement System and the Optional Retire- colleges for the biennium beginning Sept. 1, College, Tarrant County Junior College, ment Program were reduced to the constitu- 1995, were increased by almost 4 percent Texarkana College, Tyler Junior College, tional minimum of 6 percent of salary for the over the preceding two-year period. While and Vernon Regional Junior College. next two years. However, a separate appro- that increase translates into additional state "Start-Up" Funding priation entrusted to the Higher Education funds for the majority of community college The Legislature made a special appro- Coordinating Board for disbursement to districts, some colleges will actually face priation of $13,744,133 from 1993-95 funds colleges will allow the total state ORP con- reductions in state funding. Legislative appro- to provide for "start-up" costs at four new tribution rate to continue at the previous 7.31 priations are based on a "contact-hour" for- campuses: Preston Ridge Campus of Collin percent level for employees hired prior to mula, so schools which experienced enroll- County Community College, Montgomery Sept.I,1995. Additionally, language was ment increases during the 1994-95 base College in the North Harris Montgomery included in the general appropriations bill period over the corresponding period in I 992- Community College District, the Southeast allowing colleges to use local or other funds to 93 will receive higher state funding. Thirteen Campus of Tarrant County Junior College, supplement the state contribution by 1.19 community college districts where enroll- and the Bryan Campus of Blinn College. percent, bringing the total employer contribu- ments declined will receive lower state ap- An additional $2.3 million was appro- tion to 8.5 percent for participants employed propriations during the next two years than priated for continued "infrastructure devel- before Sept. 1. New employees electing to they received during the biennium ending opment, student support services, the physical enter the Optional Retirement Program will August 31. Colleges experiencing reduced plant, and instructional costs" at the state's state funding are: Alvin Community College, newest community college district, South (Continued on page 3) CONFERENCE PLANNED FOR FACULTY LEADERS 7.7 7a- ..1. Dennie M. Feldman Frank W. Hill John M. Rogers Marc A. Nigliazzo Dianne White Delisi Charles Burnside The sixteenth annual TJCTA Conference "Current Legal Issues in Higher Educa- now includes the representation of private and for Faculty Leaders will be held Friday and tion" will be the focus of Saturday's opening public sector employers in all forms of labor Saturday, Sept. 29-30, at the Wyndham session. Panel members for this discussion and employment disputes; the representation hotel, in Austin. will include Dennie M. Feldman, attorney of school districts in both employment, The conference will begin with an informal with the firm of Feldman & Associates, in special education, and general school law reception at 6:30 p.m., Friday. At 7:30 p.m., Houston, and Frank W. Hill and John M. matters; and general litigation. She has Charles Burnside, Executive Director of the Rogers, attorneys with the firm of Hill, developed particular expertise in equal Texas Junior College Teachers Association, Gilstrap, Moorhead, White, Bodoin & employment opportunity matters and the will address conference participants on the Webster, in Arlington and Chicago. defense of employment discrimination and topic "Coping With Conflict in the Work- Ms. Feldman received the Bachelor of related tort cases, including sexual harrass- place." Science degree and Doctor of Jurisprudence ment cases, in both state and federal courts. Saturday activities will begin at 8:30 a.m., from the University of Houston. She worked Mr. Hill holds the Bachelor of Arts with registration and refreshments. Adjourn- as an associate with Vinson & Elkins law firm degree in English, with honors, from the ment is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., Saturday. in Houston from 1990 to 1993. Her practice (Continued on page 3) 3 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Second, the organization is fair in its NOMINATING COMMITTEE dealings with its members and the public. What a fantastic summer it has been! My SEEKS RECOMMENDATIONS husband and I were able to arrange a home Third, TJCTA works hard toward build- Marilyn J.Lancaster, Western Texas exchange through Rotary International in ing goodwill and making friends. College, chairperson of the TJCTA Nominating beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver, Fourth, it is beneficial to its members. I Committee, has announced that the committee British Columbia, Canada. We were ex- consider membership in TJCTA a privi- is inviting recommendations of individuals for consideration as nominees for offices of the ,tremely lucky with this lege. We can't promise you a trip to para- Association for 1996-97. exchange to be able to dise, but we can prom- Recommendations should be submitted i spend five lovely days ise an organization immediatelyin order to be considered by the on the island. We that represents its Nominating Committee in its November 4 thought we had died members where it meeting. and gone to heaven. counts! We are not an Recommendations should be sent to: The weather was fabu- international organi- Marilyn J. Lancaster, Chairperson lous in contrast to the zation, but we are the TJCTA Nominating Committee heat back home in largest organization of Texas Junior College Teachers Temple. God turned our kind in the world. Association 901 South MoPac Expressway on the air conditioner and left it