Elgin Community College Faculty Association

6.1 Maintenance of Health Benefits.

Health insurance benefits in effect on January 1, 2014 shall be maintained at their current levels, except for changes required by federal and/or state law or the vendor, unless changes are agreed to by the Board and Association. In order to comply with federal mandates or to avoid penalties or taxes imposed by the Affordable Care Act, the Board may offer additional plans which will meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. The same provider will be used for all offered plans, and these plans shall be priced in the aggregate with the intent of keeping each plan viable. The Association will be notified in writing by Human Resources in the event of any vendor-required changes.

6.2 Health and Dental Insurance.

1. Employee Health and Dental Coverage
   Faculty enrolled in the health and dental benefits plans will pay the listed percentage of the employee premium:
   
   
   • Effective July 1, 2014 – 11%
   • Effective July 1, 2015 – 12%
   • Effective July 1, 2016 – 13%
     
     
2. Dependent Health Coverage and Dental Coverage
   Faculty enrolled in the health and dental benefits plans will pay the listed percentage of the dependent premium:
   
   
   • Effective July 1, 2014 – 20%
   • Effective July 1, 2015 – 21%
   • Effective July 1, 2016 – 22%
     
     

6.3 Life Insurance.

The Board shall provide at its expense group term life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance at two (2) times the annual base salary rounded to the next higher one thousand dollars ($1,000), subject to a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $350,000.

 

6.4 Section 125 Plan.

The Board shall provide a Section 125 Plan, which will include a flexible spending account (FSA). This plan shall provide an opportunity, pursuant to relevant Internal Revenue Service guidelines and regulations, for faculty to use tax-free dollars deducted from their paychecks to pay for allowable benefits and expenses (e.g. health, dental or vision premiums, non-reimbursed medical expenses and/ or dependent child care expenses) which are normally paid for with out-of-pocket and/or taxable dollars.

The Board shall pay the initial start up costs for the plan and the participating faculty shall pay the subsequent maintenance fees.

6.5 Domestic Partners.

For the purposes of this agreement the term "spouse" shall include domestic partners, and all rights and benefits afforded to employee spouses and dependents under this agreement shall be extended to domestic partners as defined below. Similarly, dependent children of employees' domestic partners shall be defined as employees' dependent children for the purposes of this agreement.

The Board will afford domestic partner in accordance with regulations and requirements from insurance vendors, county, state and federal government.

To be eligible for coverage as a domestic partner, the College employee and the domestic partner must complete and file with Human Resources an "Affidavit of Domestic Partnership" in which they attest that (a) they are each other's sole domestic partner, responsible for each other's common welfare and financial obligations, (b) neither party is married, nor are they related by blood to a degree that would prohibit marriage in the State of Illinois, (c) the relationship is an exclusive mutual commitment similar to that of marriage, and they intend to remain so indefinitely, (d) each partner is at least 18 years of age and mentally competent to consent to contract, (e) the partnership must have been in existence for the past six (6) consecutive months prior to the filling the Affidavit of Domestic Partnership.

Additional Provisions:

1. Notification of Changes: The parties must agree to notify Human Resources of any change in the circumstances which has been attested to in the documents qualifying a person for coverage as a domestic partner within thirty (30) calendar days.
   
   
2. Liability for False Statements: If any company or Elgin Community College suffers a loss because of false statement contained in the documents submitted in connection with coverage for a domestic partner or as a consequence of the failure to notify Human Resources of a changed circumstance, the company, or Elgin Community College, will be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees in addition to damages for such losses.
   
   
3. Termination: The employee shall file a statement with Human Resources indicating the relationship has ended within 30 calendar days. A copy of the termination will be mailed to the other partner unless both have signed the termination statement.
   
   
4. COBRA: Domestic partners and their dependents are not eligible for benefits under COBRA or Section 125 as provided by applicable law.
   
   
5. Children of a domestic partner may be enrolled in the health, dental, voluntary vision and/or voluntary life plans if they meet the definition of an eligible dependent as defined by the College's plan documents.
   
   
6. All information supplied by the employee or the domestic partner will be kept confidential and this information is not released to any party outside Human Resources and the College's benefit providers. Except as a necessary conduit of information, Human Resources is not involved in the processing of the enrollments or the determination of eligibility for domestic partnership benefits. The determination of eligibility for domestic partnership health, dental, voluntary vision and/or voluntary life plan benefits is made by the College's benefit providers.
   
   
7. The value of benefits provided to an employee's domestic partner (and the domestic partner's eligible children, if any) is considered part of the employee's taxable income, unless the employee's domestic partner qualifies as a dependent under Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. Additional information may be required by Human Resources to verify this.

6.6 Professional Expense Reimbursement and Professional Development Benefits.

Professional development activities may include professional travel expenses, conferences and workshops, tuition, and other professional activities. Professional expenses may include dues, books, professional publications, hardware, software, and other supplies used in the performance of your duties in your position with the college.

The following are examples of reimbursement claims which are not considered professional development activities or professional expenses: party expenses, snacks, candies for students or colleagues, gifts for students or staff, fitness center memberships, personal enrichment classes, cell phones or phone contracts, subscriptions to music download companies or movie providers, dues for professional associations not related to your position at the college, furniture, desks, chairs, equipment not directly utilized in performing the duties of your position.

1. Professional Expense Reimbursement Benefit. Each full-time faculty member will be granted reimbursement for incurred professional expenses directly applicable to their position with the college. The rate will be seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750) for 2011, seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750) per year for the duration of this agreement.

   All requests for reimbursement must be submitted to the dean/supervisor for approval with attached original receipts and completion certificates. Reimbursement requests shall be submitted no later than thirty (30) days following the end of the calendar year in which the expense was incurred.

   Disagreement may be appealed to the Vice President of Teaching, Learning and Student Development.
   

2. Professional Development Benefit. For each full-time faculty member per active year, seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750) per year during this agreement will be deposited in the professional development and expense account for professional development activities. These funds will be allocated on a competitive basis by the Faculty Development Committee and shall be subject to the approval of the Vice President of Teaching, Learning and Student Development.
   
   
   
3. Restricted Funds for Professional Development:  On an annual basis, unused funds from both Professional Expense and Professional Development from previous and the current contract(s) shall be set aside in a restricted purposes account to be used for professional development by faculty.  If professional development funds are exhausted for a particular year, the Chair of the Faculty Development Committee may request additional funds from the restricted purposes account from the Vice President of Teaching, Learning and Student Development.  Such requests will not be capriciously or arbitrarily denied.  No more than one year's worth of Professional Expense and Professional Development funds shall be accumulated in the restricted purposes account at any given time.
   
   
   

6.7 Equipment Maintenance and Repair.

Faculty with assigned teaching loads involving laboratories may be awarded, with prior written approval by the dean, an additional contract for the increased responsibilities of laboratory management, i.e., equipment repair and preventive maintenance, in compliance with industry standards, inherently generated by the instructional area and not subsequently covered by maintenance agreements or qualified paraprofessionals. The contract shall be established between the College and the department faculty based on twenty-eight dollars ($28) per hour. Timesheets are required in support of all hours worked for maintenance and repair.

6.8 Tuition Reimbursement.

Each full-time faculty, spouse and children age 25 or younger shall have the right to receive reimbursement of tuition for all credit courses taken at ECC, in which faculty, spouse or children age 25 or younger receive a grade of "C", "pass", or better. The tuition must be paid in full to request reimbursement and the request must be completed and submitted within ninety (90) days of semester completion or the request will be denied.  Faculty shall contact Human Resources to exercise this option.

6.9 Proficiency Testing.

Faculty will be compensated thirty dollars ($30) for each proficiency test they grade which can only be graded by faculty. Tests which can be scored by machines or by another employee with a master key will be scored in the Learning Skills Center.

When requested by the dean/supervisor, faculty will be compensated one hundred dollars ($100) for each proficiency test they construct and grade. After the test has been constructed it will become the property of the College and will be kept on file in the dean's office.

6.10 Substituting.

Faculty who substitute shall be paid the Lane II Step 2 Unit Adjunct II Counselors and Librarians rate per hour. No faculty shall be paid extra for teaching two (2) sections at the same hour, nor shall he/she be required to do so. All substitutes must be hired by the appropriate dean/supervisor. Faculty may substitute for one another without remuneration when, in the opinion of the appropriate dean/supervisor, it is in the best interest of the College.

When one faculty member is substituting for the same class for more than six (6) consecutive hours of classroom time, the compensation for a full-time faculty substitute will be the voluntary overload rate, pro rata, or Lane II Step 2 Unit Adjunct II Counselors and Librarians rate per hour, whichever is higher. Similarly, a UAF member will be paid his or her Unit Adjunct rate, pro rata, or the Lane II Step 2 unit adjunct II Counselors and Librarians rate per hour, whichever is higher. All such pay shall be retroactive.

6.11 Independent Study.

Independent Study is intended for those special circumstances when students need special consideration and supervision to earn credits for a class that is not otherwise available.

Independent Study shall be compensated at the rate of seventy-five dollars ($75) per credit hour for each student in the class, except when assigned as part of a full-time teaching load.

6.12 Working at Two or More Locations.

Faculty whose work assignments require them to travel between two or more locations will be reimbursed at the established rate for mileage for the miles driven from the first site to the second site. Faculty will not be reimbursed for travel to assignments accepted as voluntary overload.

6.13 403(b) and 457(b) Plan Contributions.

The Board shall sponsor a 403(b) plan and a 457(b) plan, and shall provide eligible faculty members with the opportunity to elect salary reduction contributions to the plans. Eligible faculty members who wish to participate in the plans shall execute salary reduction agreements in a form authorized by the Board and plan administrator. Effective ninety (90) working days after ratification of this agreement, both plans shall include the ability for eligible faculty to make age fifty (50) catch-up contributions.  The right to make special 15-years-of-service catch-up contributions to the 403(b) plan shall expire on December 31, 2014.

6.14 Summer School Contracts.

Summer school contracts shall be treated as voluntary overloads and shall be compensated at one thousand fifteen dollars ($1,015) for 2014, one thousand thirty eight dollars ($1,038) for 2015, and one thousand sixty four dollars ($1,064) for 2016 per semester contact hour. During the summer instructors will provide students with contact information in their syllabi. Full-time faculty will have first refusal over adjunct instructors for classes offered in the discipline in which they teach. A faculty member cannot be assigned more than ten (10) credit hours of concurrent instruction, exclusive of telecourses and independent study, without the written consent of the Vice President of Teaching, Learning and Student Development. No other provision in this contract shall relate to the summer school schedule unless expressly mentioned in this contract. Telecourse instruction will no longer be offered after Fall 2014.

6.15 Voluntary Overload.

Additional assignments accepted voluntarily during the academic year shall be paid at the rate of eight hundred ninety-eight dollars ($898) for 2014, nine hundred eighteen dollars ($918) for 2015, and nine hundred forty-one dollars ($941) for 2016 per semester contact hour. The voluntary per hour rate for counselors and librarians shall be fifty-six dollars ($56) for 2014, fifty-seven dollars ($57) for 2015, and fifty-nine dollars ($59) for 2016 per hour.

No faculty shall accept additional assignments, credit or noncredit, in excess of sixty (60) percent of the standard instructor workload without the agreement of his/her dean/supervisor and written approval of the Vice President of Teaching, Learning and Student Development and the Association. Fulltime faculty will have first refusal of one (1) class offered in their area and fulltime counselors and librarians will have first refusal of work in their areas when there is no conflict with their regular assignments. Non-teaching faculty, i.e., librarians and counselors, shall not accept additional assignments in excess of 10 days of the standard workload without the agreement of the dean/supervisor. Librarians and counselors hired after January 1, 2007, shall not accept voluntary overload assignments in excess of 45 days of the standard workload without the approval of the dean/supervisor.

Courses offered with other entities or community partners prior to January 1, 2007, shall be exempt from right of first refusal.

6.16 Involuntary Overload.

Additional assignments which are made involuntarily shall be compensated at the pro rata rate of 1/30 of full-time salary per credit hour of instruction for every hour over thirty (30) or 1/168 of annual salary for each day of work for counselors and librarians over one hundred sixty-eight (168). Counselors employed full-time prior to January 1, 2007, shall be guaranteed a minimum of thirty-three (33) involuntary overload days during the calendar year plus an additional pool of eighty-four (84) days to be worked during the calendar year. Librarians employed full-time prior to January 1, 2007, shall be guaranteed a minimum of thirty-seven (37) involuntary overload days during the calendar year plus an additional pool of sixteen (16) days to be worked during the calendar year. These additional days will be assigned by the Associate Dean of Counseling or Associate Dean of Library in consultation with the faculty.

Involuntary overload for librarians and counselors shall not be used for participation in professional development and/or institutional routines, unless otherwise directed by the dean/supervisor.

Counseling Faculty Involuntary Overload

1. On dates when less than full staff is required on an involuntary overload date, scheduling conflicts shall be resolved by seniority until the minimum staffing level/maximum refusals match staffing needs.
   
   
2. Full-time counseling faculty employed prior to January 1, 2007, shall be scheduled for involuntary overload dates prior to the scheduling of adjunct counselors.
   
   

6.17 Salary.

The maximum vertical movement is one step per year. The maximum horizontal movement is two (2) lanes per year except for movement that is accomplished within an approved degree program. In this case, the maximum horizontal movement is three (3) lanes per year. In addition to approved graduate hours, faculty may move on the salary schedule by performing alternate activities which are recommended by the Faculty Development Committee and approved by the Vice President of Teaching, Learning and Student Development.

The source of funding, personal, institutional, or other, will not be a consideration for any professional growth activity.

All applications that request preapproval of certified credit and approval of alternate lane credit for the coming salary year shall be submitted by the faculty to the dean/supervisor by October 1 of each year this contract is in effect.

Lane change activities completed by December 31, and documented no later than February 15, shall be awarded on the salary schedule for that calendar year.

In determining a faculty member's initial placement on the salary schedule, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) shall be equivalent to Lane V (MA + 30). Any faculty member with an MFA degree who was not initially placed at Lane V shall be given an additional (30) lane credits.

The ECCFA and the Board agree that benefits for faculty members who are appointed during the mid-year of the academic or contract cycles will be prorated.

6.18 SURS Contributions and Other Deductions.

The Board shall deduct for faculty a sum of earnings pursuant to Section 15-157 of the Illinois Pension Code. The contributions, although designated as employee contributions under the Illinois Pension Code, are being paid by the Board to the State Universities Retirement System ("SURS") pursuant to Section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. Faculty are not permitted to receive the contributions directly instead of having them paid by the Board to SURS.

The Board shall pick up these contributions by a reduction in the earnings of the faculty member, pursuant to Section 15-157.1 of the Illinois Pension Code. The Board shall further deduct from earnings all monies as required by law or as authorized by the faculty member pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise authorized by the Board. Such withholding shall include any and all additional amounts required to be paid to SURS for the faculty member. The balance shall be payable to the faculty member as salary installments, as otherwise provided herein.

6.19 Longevity Step.

A. Faculty who have remained for one (1) year in lane ten (X), on step 20 of the salary schedule, shall receive an annual $1,500.00 employer contribution to their 403(b) or 457(b) or receive the same payment subject to federal and state taxes. 

B. Faculty who have remained for one (1) year in lanes one (I) through ten (X) in the final step of their designated lane on the salary schedule, shall receive an annual $1,000.00 employer contribution to their 403(b) or 457(b), or receive the same payment subject to federal and state taxes.

Human resources will notify employees of their options annually.  If an election is not made prior to the scheduled date on the notice, the employer contribution will default to the payment, subject to federal and state taxes.

6.20 Professor Emeritus.

1. All full-time faculty retiring from the College will be appointed as a Professor Emeritus of Elgin Community College unless the Board, solely and exclusively, decides not to do so. Decisions to deny Professor Emeritus status shall not be arbitrary and capricious.

2. Emeritus faculty members will be entitled to have their names listed in a section of the College catalog and to use the designation in any publications or professional associations.

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