November 6, 2024

MINUTES

Called to Order:   1:03 pm

Adjourned:   3:06 pm

Location: Virtual Meeting

Chair: Neil Vickers

Present: Donald Becker, Lisa Marie Coppoletta (LMC), Perry Crafton, Miguel DeLeon, Gloria Dove-Owens, Eileen Eiden , Youssef El-Hage, Michael Garcia, Nathaniel Hellman, Don Morris , Wajma Nasher, Roxane Royalty, Victor Sibaja-Molina (for Victoria Garza Gonzalez)

Absent: Elma Benevides, Azure Brown, Jenna Cullinane Hege, Larry Davis, Victoria Garza Gonzales, Laura Marmolejo, Kelly Torrico

Guests: Kimberly Akalski, David Albert, Jon Luckstead, Michael Midgley

Minutes: Catherine Namour 

Next Meeting:  December 4, 2024

I For Information/Discussion

A. Review of minutes, October 2, 2024

An error in the list of members absent was noted and amended. On motion and vote the minutes were approved as amended.

II. Proposed Drafts for Posting and Distribution

A. 4.0503.02 Accrued Leave

      4.0503.02.1     Accrued Leave Guideline/Procedure

• • • Neil presented proposed changes which were added following posting for comments in September 2024. Clauses regarding the accrual and calculation of sick leave have been modified for clarity. On motion and vote the documents were approved to post for employee comments.

    • The Council reviewed and briefly discussed the results of a survey, conducted by HR, of peer institutions regarding their policies on payment for unused sick leave. The results did not reveal a consistent standard.  Out of 33 colleges surveyed, ACC was one of five that pay employees for some amount of unused sick leave upon termination of employment.

B. 4.0702.01 Resolution of an Employee Grievance

4.0702.01.1 Resolution of an Employee Grievance Guideline/Procedure

• Neil briefed the Council on the history of revisions to the AR and G/P since FY21. 

• Jon Luckstead, Don Morris, and David Albert (the developers) shared draft proposals to amend the current AR and G/P (effective 8/7/24). Council members discussed the proposed changes at length and shared feedback on several elements of the proposals. 

• The Council recommended that the documents be further developed and brought back to the ASC on a future agenda. Neil advised that the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance is concurrently reviewing the AR and G/P for needed revisions and asked the developers to collaborate with those relevant stakeholders.

• Neil will speak to the ERO to clarify the ERO's role and expectations for supporting the employee/grievant to ensure current practice aligns with the intent of the AR and G/P.

• During discussion regarding the interpretation of "the lowest level" College employee who has the authority to resolve the grievance, the developers, Mike Midgley and several Council members expressed an immediate need to update the relevant language to ensure that person is not a party to, or involved in the grievance.
  Don Becker moved that if there is not an informal way to end having a party to a grievance serve as the first-level administrator hearing a grievance, then Neil, on behalf of the ASC will request that the Chancellor modify the AR and G/P to having the first-level administrator hearing a grievance be required to be one who is not involved in the grievance. Upon vote, the motion passed. 

AGENDA

I For Information/Discussion

A. Review of minutes, October 2, 2024

II. Proposed Drafts for Posting and Distribution

A. 4.0503.02 Accrued Leave

      4.0503.02.1     Accrued Leave Guideline/Procedure

Second reading. 

Additional information requested at the previous meeting:  Texas Colleges on Sick Leave Payout upon Termination

B. 4.0702.01 Resolution of an Employee Grievance

4.0702.01.1 Resolution of an Employee Grievance Guideline/Procedure