The following are answers to frequently asked questions regarding the collective bargaining agreement for adjunct and full-time LRCFT members.
View the 2020 to 2023 LRCFT Collective Bargaining Agreement (PDF).
FAQ
Article 25 defines the various academic ranks and indicates the following: • The title of adjunct faculty without preference shall be Adjunct Assistant Professor • The title of adjunct faculty with preference shall be Adjunct Professor
Article 4, Section 4.10.10 says, “Adjunct faculty who have preference within the District according to 4.10.6 and who apply for a full-time position in the same discipline will be screened with all other applicants. A minimum of the top two (2) such adjunct faculty applicants from the pool, if available and not included already, will be added to those candidates selected to interview for the position.” Human Resources will be noting the adjunct applicants on the referral lists provided to the campus selection committees.
The Education Code (Section 87482.5) indicates, “Notwithstanding any law, a person who is employed to teach adult or community college classes for not more than 67 percent of the hours per week considered a full time assignment for regular employees having comparable duties shall be classified as a temporary employee, and shall not become a contract employee under Section 87604.” Based upon the Ed. Code and our District needs in staffing, the LRCFT/District contract defines Adjunct Faculty Members as follows in Article 2, Section 2.4.3: “Adjunct Faculty Member: A person who is employed in a faculty position for not more than a 67 percent workload and who has not obtained first-year contract, second-year contract, third and fourth year contract, or tenured status.” (In Article 4, Section 4.10.1, in accordance with the CA Education Code, adjunct faculty are noted as “temporary employees.”)
Per a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed to by LRCCD and LRCFT on October 27, 2008:
- Effective January 1, 2009, the maximums for adjunct faculty are as follows:
- Academic year maximum for instructional adjunct faculty: 1.290
- Academic year maximum for non-instructional/SRPSTC adjunct faculty: 1.206
A maximum during any semester is .670 unless approved by a vice president of instruction and Human Resources. - Overload assignments will remain at a maximum of .600 FTE per semester based upon the District’s past practice of supporting quality instruction/service and not wanting any employee’s work to overburden their lives. We believe that .600 allows for students to continue receiving quality instruction and/or service.
- There will be no change in the benefit structures for adjunct faculty.
The essence of the process is the same. Article 8, Section 8.8 provides the specifics of the review process. The following chart is included. The review team includes one faculty member and the area dean with the process for “A” and “B”.
| Review Elements | Procedure A (Section 8.8.2.1) | Procedure B (Section 8.8.2.2) | Timelines* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Review Arrangements | Yes | Yes | By the sixth week |
| Self-Study (all except first year of review) | Yes | Yes | By the sixth week |
| Workstation Observations | Yes | No | Weeks 3 to 15 |
| Student Reviews | Yes | Yes | Weeks 3 to 15 |
| Review Team Conference | Yes | Yes | Weeks 14 to 17 |
| Post-Review Conference | Yes | Optional (unless an overall 'Needs Improvement' or 'Unsatisfactory' is marked) | Before end of semester |
| Faculty Performance Review Form | Yes | Yes | End of semester under review |
| * Appropriate adjustments made for short-term classes | |||
Initial placement is generally determined in the same manner as full-time faculty with respect to the education (class) and all new adjuncts begin at Step 1. Step movement follows completion of the typical amount of either formula hours or work hours performed by tenured staff, in Article 2, Section 2.7. Longevity was negotiated for the first time during 2001-02 and is specified in Article 2, Section 2.10.2 and indicates “A twenty (20) year longevity factor for less than full-time (100%) tenure-track and adjunct faculty shall be provided after the equivalent of a minimum 300 instructional formula hour block or the equivalent for non-teaching faculty employees has been completed in the Los Rios Community College District. The increase in salary for the longevity factor shall occur only at the beginning of the semester after the qualifying years of service are completed.” Also, a special note: movement into full-time faculty from adjunct now reflects recognition of adjunct experience in Article 2, Section 2.6.2.2.2.
Article 4, Section 4.10.6 Hiring Preference defines the four levels as follows:
“When there is need for additional faculty service in a subject area at a given college beyond that provided by tenured or contract employees, preference shall be given according to the following priority order.
- First: Full-time faculty who teach that subject as a part of his/her regular load at the college where the hiring is to occur.
- Second: Adjunct faculty who are employed in or have completed sixteen (16) of the last twenty (20) semesters. Such preference shall be at the college where the preference was earned. Faculty may transfer this level of preference to another college, when they have been interviewed, completed two (2) semesters at the new college and received performance reviews in which no "needs improvement" ratings were given. By transferring preference to the new college, the employee voluntarily relinquishes preference at the former site. (a,i.) The 60% preference load eligibility will be implemented beginning the Spring 2019 semester. Eligibility determination may include semester teaching loads that occurred at preference level three.
- Third: Adjunct faculty who are employed in or have completed eight (8) of the last twelve (12) semesters. Such preference shall be at the college where the preference was earned.
- Fourth: All other District full-time faculty who meet minimum qualifications and all other applicants from approved pools.
Full-time faculty teaching overloads in subjects outside his/her regular assignment may earn preference in the same manner as adjunct faculty. Faculty may earn and maintain preference at more than one (1) site.”
Yes, the contract, Article 4, Section 4.10.8.1 indicates “Adjunct faculty in the above preference levels shall not be denied a load as per 4.10.6.2 for reasons other than a reduction in the program FTE available for adjunct assignment or two (2) consecutive documented overall less than satisfactory performance reviews.”
Yes, the limited exceptions are noted in Article 4, Section 4.10.6.3.
Article 4, Section 4.10.11 describes this voluntary program which provides compensation for adjunct faculty office hours. Adjunct faculty maintaining a minimum of 0.2 FTE assignment will be provided compensation for a semester total of nine (9) or eighteen (18) hours. Adjunct faculty maintaining a minimum of 0.4 FTE assignment will be provided compensation for a semester total of eighteen (18), twenty-seven (27), or thirty-six (36) hours. The Adjunct Office Hours Program was established in compliance with the Education Code Section 87880 to 87855 (AB 301, Chapter 933, Statutes of 1977) and has special conditions/terms identified in Article 4.
Yes, but some do vary from full-time faculty. Specific leaves are noted in Article 9 as follows:
- Bereavement Leave – Section 9.7
- Critical Illness Leave – Section 9.8
- Industrial Accident or Illness (worker’s comp) – Section 9.5
- Judicial Appearance – Section 9.10
- Jury Duty Leave – Section 9.9
- Personal Necessity Leave – Section 9.4
- Quarantine Leave – Section 9.6
- Short-Term Military Leave – Section 9.12
- Sick Leave – Section 9.3
Yes. Article 13 describes the process that encourages the use of an interest-based approach to conflict resolution.
Yes, it is important to review Article 4, Section 4.10 in its entirety.