PTFA Quarterly eNews, Winter 2012

President's Report, by PTFA President, Jennifer Rueda:  It is with a sense of relaxation and an open heart that I begin 2012, ready to begin all the plans I’d made in my mind way back when I first became your president (a mere six months ago). Now that the 2010/2013 contract is nearly done, I’m looking forward to a renewed relationship with our members and the college administration . . . read more.

Advocacy Report, by PTFA Vice President Emeritus, Martin Kaplan:  In mid-January, the arbitrator gave her final decision denying all of the Association’s assertions made in a grievance filed on behalf of three members of the math department. All of these part-time instructors had worked at the college for a minimum of five years, without incident . . . read more. 

Spotlight on Board Member Susan McKenna, PTFA Vice President:  Since September of 2003, Susan McKenna has taught 12 hours a week, four terms per year in the Skills Development Department. She currently teaches Adult Basic Education (ABE), which includes reading, writing, and arithmetic, as Susan describes it, "for anyone who wants to improve those skills for any reason." . . . read more.

Dr. Catherine Al Mateen of Religious Studies shares some thoughts from a recent Oregon Community Colleges Association (OCCA) retreat:  The presentation on the Oregon State laws on ethics, and the clear outline of who and what these laws and revisions entail, was most helpful. This information is definitely important to share with the college community, since everyone in our college community is bound by these standards of behavior, and I do not think most people are aware of how complicated and intricate these guidelines are--and how all-encompassing . . . read more.

From Dr. Hoot's Perch:  Advice from Dr. Ivan Mancinelli-Franconi on Setting Personal Boundaries:  The concept of “Personal Boundaries” is not a new concept nor can it be attributed to one particular theorist. The idea that we have boundaries and have to honor them has been around for thousands of years. Some theorists claim that Buddha, Jesus of Nazareth, and other founders of religious movements taught in their doctrines the setting of boundaries for a healthy life . . . read more.