Category: News & Updates

IEA update on Governor Quinn’s announcement regarding pension reform. A group of four legislators agreed on the following ideas for this reform:

• Benefit reduction
• Increase in payroll contributions
• Limit or reduce COLA
• Shift costs to school districts

The findings of the Governor’s task force include the following:

• Current member contribution increase of 3%
• COLA to be adjusted similar to Tier II, which is connected to CPI. Compounding after 5 years or to age 67
• Shifting costs to school district with a phase-in method
• Choice between health care or COLA

The labor coalition (IEA) is proposing additional funding sources:

• Proposals and bills to close loopholes
• Increase gaming in Illinois
• Graduated income tax

 

IEA’s position to changes is as follows:

• Changes must be legal and constitutional
• Modifications should be fair to IEA members
• Changes must maintain stability of TRS

 

House bill HJRCA 49 passed the house by 113-0 for the following constitutional amendment. IEA opposes this bill:

• 3/5 vote for changes
• No changes to Tier II
• Collective bargaining would need a 3/5 vote of membership

 

IEA made it clear that if an unconstitutional bill is passed and signed by the governor, IEA will take legal action and file a law suit against the state. IEA stressed that the above are only proposals and no bills have been passed or ratified. However, IEA members must be vigilant because changes occur hourly. Therefore, IEA members should check the website daily and be ready for a “call to action” on bills that may threaten the profession.

Thursday, April 19th, 5pm Lake Foxcroft Park
2S540 Lambert Road, Glen Ellyn.

6:00 march to the COD Board of Trustees meeting COD Student Services Center Building, SSC 2200

Thanks to all those who joined us to support COD Teachers and quality education for our community.

Congratulations to CODAA member Barbel Thoens-Masghati on winning the College-Wide Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award for the 2011-2012 year! Barbel, a German instructor in the Liberal Arts Division, received her B.A. in German/French from Hope College and her M.A. in German Languages and Literature from Wayne State University. She has been teaching a variety of German classes at the College of DuPage since 2005. She will receive a $500 award from the College of DuPage Foundation, formal recognition and a personal plaque during fall orientation activities, and will be recognized at the 2012 Part-Time Faculty Recognition and Reception in August. Unlike the department awards given at the Recognition Reception, all nominees for this award are nominated by students.

Barbel goes above and beyond to help her students succeed: she holds extensive office hours, gives generously of her time to offer extra help to students, writes recommendations for her students to help them earn scholarships, admission to transfer schools, and other opportunities; she engages students in extracurricular cultural activities and attends and takes leadership roles in many community and campus events. She keeps in touch with some of her students over the years and continues to mentor and encourage them. Her support for language learning and global education at COD and in the community is exemplary.

One of Barbel’s greatest strengths is that she actively cultivates student success and community engagement both in and outside the classroom through cultural programming. She also demonstrates outstanding leadership for students and community by being actively involved and positively oriented. She says, “I love what I do,” and it shows.

Barbel is involved in a variety of activities at College of DuPage; whether it’s coordinating the CBYX (Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange) program for COD, organizing the weekly German Stammtisch, the German conversation table, hosting film nights for her students so that they can engage both the language and culture in a social/academic setting, or organizing and leading extracurricular trips for students and community members, you will always find her doing the most she can to impact students and their learning.

These CODAA members were also nominated:

Sue Ahern (Phlebotomy & EKG)                                       Ellen Ranck (Math)

Josephine Cammallarie (Math)                                    Timothy Ratliff (Speech)

Carol Grelck (A&P)                                                    Rebecca Reinke (Psych)

Robert Gutierrez (Welding)                                       Jack Taha (Health & Sci.)

Cathleen Hohner (Bus. & Tech.)                             Donna Wagner (Cul. Arts)

James Magrini (Phil.)                                                   Kenneth White (Chem.)

Anne Malone (Eng.)

 

Also nominated: Ari Ariyaratne (Anthro)

 

Jim Ryan wins 2011-2012 College Wide Outstanding Part-Time Adviser Award

As an Academic Advisor in the Student Affairs Division, Jim Ryan specializes in Health Science programs. After many years in hospital administration, Jim joined the COD community to share his knowledge with students interested in careers in the health sciences. This student comment captures the special support that he provides: “I would just like to say that you have been a wonderful asset in my slow but determined journey to acquire my pre-requisites for the COD nursing program; thank you!. . . I have mentioned this before to another advisor [and it] was no surprise to her. They must get a lot of compliments about you!” Jim has provided a truly exceptional student experience for this student and many others.

Congratulations to All!