Category: News & Updates

May 26, 2021

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Good Evening.  My name is Cheryl Baunbach-Caplan and I am president of the College of DuPage Adjuncts Association. 

I would like to thank the current Board of Trustees for their service and guidance to the College of DuPage during the challenging times we have faced since March of 2020.  

And, on behalf of CODAA, I would like to welcome the newly elected Board of Trustees.  I congratulate Heidi Holan on her re-election and Flo Appel and Nick Howard as newly elected Board members.  The role of a College of DuPage Trustee is important and  demanding and CODAA appreciates your willingness to serve the COD community.  

CODAA leadership very much looks forward to engaging in regular discussion with all of you so that we can better understand your vision for the college and you can better understand our issues and concerns and the way we serve College of DuPage students.  

CODAA will begin negotiating our new collective bargaining agreement with the College on May 7 ^th.  We look forward to engaging in cordial and productive bargaining sessions.  We hope that the College will recognize the extraordinary efforts the adjunct faculty and part-time counselors and advisors engaged in during the pandemic to best serve College of DuPage students.  And when it is time to present the proposed contract to the Board of Trustees, we hope the Board will treat our 700 plus members fairly and equitably. 

For the first time in many years, the leadership of the College of DuPage Adjunct Association (CODAA) has decided to endorse candidates for the College of DuPage Board of Trustees. CODAA believes that the College of DuPage Board of Trustees should advocate for students first, working earnestly with  all faculty, staff, and the administration to serve student needs as we transition to a new normal in academia. 

While we appreciate the dedication and commitment of all candidates seeking election, after thoughtfully interacting with the candidates at our recent non-partisan virtual forum, we believe that the team of Don Potoczny, Flo Appel, and Nick Howard are the best candidates to truly address student needs by engaging in mindful listening and honest communication with college faculty.  Their background in education, student advocacy, and business provide a unique and much-needed perspective.   In particular, these candidates have given CODAA leadership their commitment to listen to the concerns, issues, and ideas of part-time faculty at the College. 

While adjuncts teach a majority of the courses at College of DuPage, many are unable to comfortably cover basic expenses from month to month.  Each semester, many struggle with job insecurity, insufficient compensation, and lack of employer provided health care.  This state of affairs persists, in part, because the Board has typically allowed limited access to their members by part-time faculty representatives. We believe Appel, Howard, and Potoczny have the academic experience and integrity to follow through with engaging in an open and respectful dialogue with the faculty who teach the majority of courses at College of DuPage.

The CODAA board urges you to vote for these candidates since a shift on the Board could lead to greater attention being paid to the welfare of our students and part-time faculty. 

CODAA would like to thank the BOT Candidates for participating in our forum last night and answering questions from the audience.  (Due to travel plans, candidate Debbie Sajdak was unable to attend but her responses to questions posed by CODAA prior to the Forum are included in the booklet).  

The following PDF download contains the written responses from the candidates:

CODAA is hosting a non-partisan College of DuPage Board of Trustees Candidates’ Virtual Forum on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 from 5:30-8:30 P.M.  Virtual doors open at 5:15 P.M. 

College of DuPage Trustees will approve the contract we will be bargaining this year and can have great impact on our working conditions at the College.  Please join us at this event to meet the Candidates and ask your questions.  

Zoom Link:https://zoom.us/j/8216411332?pwd=NHpvc2F6Qi9FWG9TL2QwWVNGSmVoZz09

Zoom Meeting ID:  821 641 1332 

Passcode: 212121