The Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees met on Aug. 18 to approve a new Faculty Association contract and to change the board’s process to approve large purchases.
Interim President Dr. Steven Triezenberg began the meeting by introducing his guests, Vice President of Finance & Administration John Globoker and Dean of the School of Business and Industry Wesley Fox. After approving the agenda, the meeting was opened for public comment, of which there was none.
The next major discussion was about the board’s asset protection policy, unchanged in the last decade. Trustee Kathleen Bruinsma proposed referring to a plan introduced at June’s meeting— a plan that revises part of the policy which outlines how to make purchases from $10,000 to $39,999 and over $40,000, respectively. Chairperson Brandy Lovelady Mitchell invited Globoker to further explain the change, which he said would help the school launch a new health clinic on campus and to modernize their “multi-function devices across campus.”
“We feel very comfortable with those moves, making sure that we’re being good stewards of the institution’s funds, as well as making it more efficient… for our institution to move purchases forward,” Globoker said.
The changes to the policy were passed unanimously.
Next, GRCC General Counsel Brett Meyer presented a proposed five-year contract with the Faculty Association, which includes a 9.5% salary increase from base compensation over the first three years, as well as a one-time 4% increase to the overload rate (pay provided for additional work not included in the contract) and rates for adjunct and hourly employees, and a one-time 5% increase for coaches.
Meyer said the development process for the contract was “lengthy,” with “a lot of different issues brought to the table, and a lot of really collaborative and productive discussions between the bargaining teams.”
Three years into the five, the contract includes a “wage reopener” for employees to address salary changes that will likely occur. A roll call vote was initiated to approve the contract, and each board member voted yes.
Triezenberg began his president’s report with a tribute to Steven Ray, a GRCC M-TEC instructor who passed away on August 10.
“He had a deep passion for excellence in his trade and for instilling passion and that standard of excellence in those who came through his classes. He’s left an indelible mark on those whose lives he touched, and his colleagues at M-TEC will feel his absence acutely as a colleague and a friend,” he said.
Triezenberg then turned his attention to the upcoming school year, announcing that GRCC has reached 92% of its attendance goal of 12,800 students— 4% ahead of enrollment at this point last year. He noted that the school-wide switch from Blackboard to Canvas for classwork management has caused “substantial revision and, in many cases, creative reworking of (teachers’) course content and activities.”
He reported that he’d been meeting with “quite a number” of state legislators about how recent budget changes would affect GRCC’s ability to help students.
“We remain very vigilant as the state budget process moves forward— or not, as the case may be. The state has really not worked on the higher education budget since June, when they recessed for the summer,” he said, adding that he expects that further budget changes will be announced later in the fall.
Globoker returned to the podium for a budget update, sharing that revenue was higher than expected last year and that future updates to the “circa 1970” parking ramps were important to “keep on our radar as an institution.”
Michell shared that work is continuing on GRCC’s presidential search, with listening sessions and surveys both underway to hear opinions from people on campus.
“I’m excited to continue to see where (the process) goes,” Mitchell said.
Several board members concluded the meeting by sharing positive stories from their experiences at GRCC.
The board will reconvene on Monday, Sep. 15 at 4:15 p.m. in the board library.
