WHEREAS, the anticipated Supplemental Early Retirement Plan (SERP) will drastically reduce the number of full-time faculty, as well as administrators and staff, and

WHEREAS, the announcement deadline of 4/3/15 does not leave sufficient time for a district of Palomar’s size and stature to effectively plan for or prepare for the loss of faculty, staff, and administrators in key leadership positions, and
WHEREAS, the Faculty Senate of Palomar College has been waiting for notification of a transition plan for the expected retirements of valuable faculty, staff, and administrators in key leadership positions and has not been notified by administration of any transition plan, and
WHEREAS, replacement or interim staffing of key leadership positions, such as Articulation Officer, Supervisor of Records and Evaluations, Deans, and Vice Presidents, requires some level of familiarity with the roles and duties before stepping into each permanent position, and
WHEREAS, there has been a historical precedent of vacated positions either being filled by short-term, part-time, or hourly employees or left unfilled, and never returning to their previous status as full-time positions, and
WHEREAS, the Faculty Senate feels strongly that positions currently held by faculty should not be turned into administrative or managerial positions by default through this interim period, and
WHEREAS, part-time faculty can teach the classes of retiring full-time faculty, but cannot easily or appropriately fulfill the remaining job duties such as committee work, departmental leadership and organization (including but not limited to PRPs, faculty requests, and other paperwork), and SLO facilitation, and
WHEREAS, Palomar College must continue operating effectively to appropriately meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Faculty Senate requests that the Palomar College Governing Board:
Advocate that potential retirees in key positions announce their intentions earlier, rather than later, and provide a list of expected retirements in key leadership and staffing positions to the Faculty Senate for planning purposes by 1/30/15, with the understanding that these retirements will not be confirmed until 4/3/15
Demonstrate a commitment to maintaining high operating standards by providing the necessary funds for release time, stipends, or NOHE as appropriate for the Spring 2015 semester to allow for faculty and staff to shadow/train in key leadership and staffing positions during Spring and Spring Intersession 2015.
Recognize the amount of work that will be left to remaining faculty and staff with the expected retirements by providing appropriate support, monetary and otherwise.
Fill all necessary vacant administrative positions with interim positions, recognizing that certain administrative positions will be most appropriately filled by internal candidates for the interim, until the new president/superintendent can lead search committees for permanent replacements.
Direct administrators to share duties in the interim where possible, much as faculty has historically been expected to do. One recommendation is for remaining deans to share the workload of any retiring deans until a president/superintendent is hired.
Mandate that staff positions, such as ADAs, be filled within 60 days of the 4/3/15 deadline for SERP notification.
Require faculty input on filling each interim position.
The motion carried.