Last year, with your help, AFT Higher Education was able to have over 3,000 contingent academic workers participate in our 2019 Contingent Faculty Survey, providing us with an in-depth snapshot of their work and personal experiences.

The responses, summarized in our recent report, An Army of Temps, paint a disturbing picture of how our system of higher education is failing the majority of the workforce who provide that education.
 
We believe that on its own, this report provides a compelling case for reforming our system of public higher education. However, the intervening months have found us in an unprecedented global health crisis, the consequences of which we are only beginning to understand but which will likely underscore the need for reform. To better understand how the global pandemic and associated disruptions are affecting contingent faculty, we have decided to put our Contingent Faculty Survey back into the field for 2020.
 
Please take a few minutes to complete this important survey so that we can understand your current work and personal life experiences against the backdrop of uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus.

https://www.aft.org/2020contingentfacultysurvey.
 

​Rally for Federal Education Funding TODAY--Friday, May 29
​
While so much about the near future remains uncertain, one thing could not be more clear: Going forward our schools and our students will need more support – not drastic funding cuts.

To get the help our students need, it’s time to raise our voices together in a virtual rally this Friday at 5 p.m.
Click here to RSVP for the event!

Without federal aid, public schools in Michigan and across the country could see sharp reductions in funding because of the economic downturn caused by COVID-19. Our state legislators also need to feel the pressure to do the right thing—they must lobby for federal aid to states as well!

We have to join together in a collective push to get our students the help they need in this time of shared trauma and dramatic challenges in our society. Big businesses have received aid—our children deserve no less.

Join U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, State Rep. Sheryl Kennedy, and other special guests for this virtual rally for Our Children, Our Future via Facebook Live on Friday, May 29, at 5 p.m.

RSVP here today.

Dear AAFMCC,

First of all, thank you to all of you who completed the AAFMCC Member Experience Survey last week. In just two days, we collected 111 responses! Your feedback was very useful in helping us understand the magnitude of the problem and prepare for our meeting with The College.

In update #1 (see email from April 24), we outlined the training-related issues that we needed to address with The College. In update #2 (see email from April 30) we informed you that we had scheduled a meeting with The College to address these issues. 

Here is a summary of the meeting outcomes, as well as some commentary pertaining to the issues that AAFMCC will continue to address. Please take some time to carefully read this post in its entirety as it is vital that you understand these conditions and procedures as we move forward.

Clarity of Course Classifications and Training Procedures

Due to the suspension of the on-ground course format, MCC has established 3 different classifications of courses (see below), as well as different levels of required training to teach those courses.

The different levels of training for online instruction in any capacity include:
CANVAS Orientation, MOFT Part 1 and MOFT Part 2. 


AAFMCC has been informed by HR and the Provost that EVERY DEPARTMENT, with exception to the health department, will be assigning the following 3 types of courses and that each type will be aligned with specific training requirements:

1. HYBRID - For courses that are normally taught on-ground but need to utilize enhanced online instruction

Training Requirement: CANVAS Orientation 

• This is free to do at ANY TIME. It is on the CANVAS dashboard and is titled “Intro to CANVAS.”

• Once an instructor completes the Intro to CANVAS tutorials, they will receive certification through CTL (Center for Training and Learning) Center. 
• Your course will already have a shell created by your department directors and you must work with a CTL representative to populate your assigned course shell.

HYBRID courses will be assigned to adjunct faculty who typically teach on-ground courses, and these assignments will be made based on seniority and availability. 

• Based on previous communication, we were under the impression that adjuncts would need to complete MOFT to teach in the fall, and many of us were concerned that we wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so (and therefore wouldn’t be eligible for classes).
• HOWEVER, now that The College has clarified that we only need the CANVAS orientation to teach HYBRID courses, we all have access to the training that we need in order to be eligible to teach these types of courses. This is GOOD NEWS! 
• If you have not yet completed CANVAS Orientation, we suggest you do this sooner than later, as you will need to complete this training to teach a HYBRID course in the fall.

2. ONLINE - Pre-made course shells utilized for courses that are created for online teaching

Training Requirement: MOFT Part 1 (2-week training)

• MOFT Part 1 (2-week training) must be completed and certified in cooperation with CTL Center representatives. 
  • After certification, an instructor can teach online courses.
    • Please contact your AD (associate dean)  if you want to be considered for MOFT or added to the list.

​3. ONLINE - Fully repurposed on-ground course strictly for creation of and teaching online instruction

Training Requirement:  MOFT Part 2 (8-week intense training)

• MOFT Part 2 (8-week intense training) replaces the former MOITC training. 
  • It involves the creation of your own shell(s) for you to populate and utilize. 
    • If you are interested in MOFT Part 2, you can contact your AD; however, keep in mind that this training is limited and by invite only. Your AD is the person who will recommend you. 

Health Department--Additional Course Classification

WEB-ENHANCED ON-GROUND - Offered currently for HEALTH courses 

Training Requirement: CANVAS Orientation

• This is free to do at ANY TIME and is for use in conjunction with mandatory on-ground medical courses.

​Spring-Summer 2020

Unfortunately, since COVID-19 orders are still in place, Spring-Summer 2020 courses are to be taught strictly online, and an instructor must be MOFT Part 1 (2-week training) certified to be considered for instruction. 

• We have stressed that the seniority list be considered when assigning courses. 
• Currently, there is no language in our contract that speaks to training offerings, but AAFMCC is pushing to have an agreement with MCC for future situations that will include seniority be considered for online course training as well.

Fall Semester 2020

MCC is taking steps to prepare for the Fall 2020 Semester:

• For Hybrid fall courses, the first few weeks will be taught virtually. 
  • Your course should run at the same time online as they would on-ground. For example, T/Th 8:00 am -11:00 am should be held online with the same timeline. In this format of class, rading and student guidance should also be times you would make yourself available when teaching on-ground.
  • Zoom Unlimited licenses are available for all full-time and part-time faculty.

 

• In accordance with our contract, ADs must distribute fall course assignments within 60 days of the start of the fall semester.
  • The 2020 fall semester begins on Aug. 17, so that means you should receive your assignment before June 17. 

 

• MCC’s Human Resources, Plant Operations, Marketing, and VP of Business are working together to make sure CDC and OSHA guidelines are followed for all campuses. 
  • MCC is currently putting together a CDC guideline compliant “playbook” that will outline safe steps to have the college return on-ground including:
    • Making campus PPE-ready, including implementing plexiglass, sanitizer and other safety/health assurances.
  • Phases to return to on-ground:
    • First phase = Staff and Faculty 
    • Second phase = Students

This “playbook” will be a live document to stay in accordance with the CDC/government guidelines. It will be updated daily and made available on MCC’s website COVID-19 section on the home page.


Unemployment
Lastly, AAFMCC discussed unemployment filing for adjunct instructors, and we provided the college with the process that has been put in place by the Department of Education. 

• You can also find this information on the Member Resources page on the AAFMCC website (aafmcc.org).
• The Unemployment  & Social Security Information and Resources on our website also includes MCC’s EAN FEIN/EIN, as well as details about reporting wages and hours of work.

Please know that you have the right to unemployment: It has been federal law since 2016.
If the college denies your claim, contact AAFMCC and let us know. Many higher education institutions deny and many union affiliates have fought and won.


AAFMCC will continue to update everyone with any news we receive. Please be safe and healthy out there this summer.

In Solidarity,
AAFMCC EB