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Kim Ng Southard
As the semester ends, I want to thank you all for your service and hard work during the 2023-24 academic year. The FA appreciates your dedication to providing a solid student experience at the college. This adjunct update covers recent promotions, FA adjunct awardees, some free Brightspace modules, the adjunct rights and benefits pamphlet, membership and upcoming important dates. Promotions Let’s congratulate the adjunct members promoted in fall 2023 and spring 2024. We celebrate and thank them for their semesters earned, professional development and meritorious work at the college. Please take a moment to read Courtney Brewer’s promotion article, which lists our newly promoted colleagues. These members should see raises in their checks in the fall. FA adjunct awardees I am excited to announce that the FA honored two adjunct members with an FA Member Excellence Award at the Spring Fling last month. Tara Comiskey in criminal justice received the FA Excellence Award for Social Justice/Community Outreach, and Brian DeMasi, adjunct instructor of business, received the Award for Excellence in Adjunct Service. Congratulations, Tara and Brian! We thank you for your service. Brightspace modules I would like to give a big shout out to Cynthia Eaton for creating two Brightspace modules to share with FA members. The first is a syllabus module which you can import into your Brightspace class website to ensure you are in compliance with the new contractual requirement to use Brightspace in all of your classes. The second is an optional “help for students” module that includes information about a wide range of college support and resources in these four categories:
Consider reviewing and using them for your summer and fall courses. You can find these Brightspace modules on the FA website in the Professional Life section, complete with descriptions and instructions to download them and then import into Brightspace. Direct questions about the modules to Cynthia Eaton. Rights and benefits pamphlet The FA website contains invaluable information regarding membership, benefits, assignments, pay, promotion and professional development for adjunct members. From the menu, find the Adjuncts heading and click the drop-down menu for the links. You can find the pamphlet in the Welcome section. This pamphlet gives an overview of information that an adjunct member should know, such as course and work assignments, pay and benefits, observation/evaluation and promotion, teaching and professional issues as well as information about grievances and due process. Bookmark fascc.org/adjuncts/welcome for easy reference. Adjunct membership The FA has contacted several adjunct members who are not FA members but think that they are members. Not joining the FA is a significant problem because if you are not a member, we do not represent you at disciplinary hearings and you will not be eligible for various adjunct benefits. You also can’t vote in FA elections and won’t receive the union newsletter. If unsure whether you are a member, call our administrative assistant Anita at 631-451-4151 to find out; she can assist you in becoming a member if you currently are not one. Contact information Please update your contact information with the FA if you have changed your home address, email address and phone number. Without the correct contact information, the FA cannot send you The WORD, important updates or election materials, and we may be unable to contact you. Send your updated contact information to Anita in the FA office. Upcoming dates Do not forget that the mandatory Vector online training deadline is June 30! These programs must be completed. Please contact me at kimn@fascc.org if you have questions regarding the above information or any other union-related issues. I am also happy to meet you in person at the FA office or on your campus to discuss your concerns. I wish you many moments of peace and relaxation during the upcoming summer months. Best, Kim |
