mscf-contract

Master Agreement

Between the

Minnesota State

Board of Trustees

and the

Minnesota State College Faculty

2023-2025

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. i 
PREAMBLE ................................................................................................................................ 1 
ARTICLE 1 RECOGNITION OF MSCF................................................................................. 1 
Section 1.  Recognition ........................................................................................................................................... 1 
Section 2.  Changes to Terms and Conditions of Employment ............................................................................... 1 
Section 3.  Unit Changes ......................................................................................................................................... 1 
Section 4.  Unit Clarification .................................................................................................................................. 2 
ARTICLE 2 DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................................... 2 
ARTICLE 3 NO STRIKE OR LOCKOUT .............................................................................. 6 
Section 1.  Lock-Outs ............................................................................................................................................. 6 
Section 2.  No Strikes .............................................................................................................................................. 6 
ARTICLE 4 MSCF PAYROLL AND DEDUCTIONS ............................................................ 6 
Section 1.  Payroll Changes .................................................................................................................................... 6 
Section 2.  Pay Period ............................................................................................................................................. 6 
Subd. 1.  Additional Assignments ...................................................................................................................... 6 
Subd. 2.  Temporary Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty Members ........................................................................ 6 
Subd. 3.  Unlimited Faculty Members................................................................................................................ 7 
Subd. 4.  Fixed-Term Faculty Members ............................................................................................................. 7 
Section 3.  Dues Check-Off .................................................................................................................................... 8 
Subd. 1 ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 
Subd. 2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 
Section 4.  Fair-Share Check-Off ............................................................................................................................ 8 
Section 5.  Indemnity .............................................................................................................................................. 8 
Section 6.  Faculty Member Lists ........................................................................................................................... 8 
ARTICLE 5 NON-DISCRIMINATION ................................................................................... 8 
Section 1.  Equal Applications ................................................................................................................................ 8 
Section 2.  Employer Responsibility ....................................................................................................................... 8 
Section 3.  Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................................ 9 
ARTICLE 6 MANAGEMENT RIGHTS .................................................................................. 9 
Section 1.  Inherent Managerial Rights ................................................................................................................... 9 
Section 2.  Management Responsibilities ............................................................................................................... 9 
Section 3.  Reservation of Management Rights ...................................................................................................... 9 
ARTICLE 7 MSCF RIGHTS ..................................................................................................... 9 
Section 1.  Communications ................................................................................................................................... 9 
Section 2.  Use of Facilities .................................................................................................................................... 9 
Section 3.  Transaction of Business ...................................................................................................................... 10 
Section 4.  Bulletin Boards ................................................................................................................................... 10 
Section 5.  Access to Information ......................................................................................................................... 10 
Section 6.  MSCF State Meet and Confer Committee .......................................................................................... 10 

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ARTICLE 8 SHARED GOVERNANCE AND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS ............................. 10 
Section 1.  Faculty Shared Governance Council ................................................................................................... 10 
Subd. 1.  Purpose of the Council ...................................................................................................................... 10 
Subd. 2.  Structure of the Council .................................................................................................................... 11 
Subd. 3.  Authority of the Council ................................................................................................................... 11 
Subd. 4.  Procedures of the Council ................................................................................................................. 11 
Subd. 5.  Meeting Agendas .............................................................................................................................. 11 
Subd. 6.  Clerical Support ................................................................................................................................ 11 
Subd. 7.  Reports .............................................................................................................................................. 11 
Subd. 8.  Matters Which Must Be Considered ................................................................................................. 11 
Subd. 9.  Appeals.............................................................................................................................................. 12 
Section 2.  Academic Affairs and Standards Council ........................................................................................... 12 
Subd. 1.  Chairperson Compensation ............................................................................................................... 12 
Subd. 2.  Purpose of the Council ...................................................................................................................... 12 
Subd. 3.  Structure of the Council .................................................................................................................... 12 
Subd. 4.  Process .............................................................................................................................................. 12 
Section 3.  Alternative Structure ........................................................................................................................... 13 
ARTICLE 9 REPRESENTATIVES ........................................................................................ 13 
Section 1.  Administration of Contract ................................................................................................................. 13 
Section 2.  MSCF Representatives Access to Private Telephones ........................................................................ 13 
Section 3.  Certification of Campus Representatives ............................................................................................ 13 
Section 4.  Certification of State Representatives ................................................................................................. 13 
Section 5.  Release Time for the MSCF President ................................................................................................ 13 
Subd. 1.  Additional Release Time ................................................................................................................... 14 
Subd. 2.  Payroll ............................................................................................................................................... 14 
Subd. 3.  President’s Sabbatical ....................................................................................................................... 14 
Section 6.  Release Time for Other MSCF State Officers ..................................................................................... 14 
Section 7.  Release Time for Other MSCF Representatives ................................................................................. 14 
Subd. 1.  MSCF Representatives ...................................................................................................................... 14 
Subd. 2.  Conditions ......................................................................................................................................... 14 
Section 8.  Representative (Delegate) Assemblies ................................................................................................ 15 
Section 9.  Reimbursement Rate ........................................................................................................................... 15 
ARTICLE 10 WORK YEAR AND WORK WEEK .............................................................. 15 
Section 1.  The Basic Work Year .......................................................................................................................... 15 
Subd. 1.  Alternate Academic Calendar for Specific Occupational or Technical Programs ............................ 16 
Subd. 2.  Instructors who are on Special Assignment or Librarians ................................................................. 16 
Subd. 3.  Counselors ......................................................................................................................................... 16 
Subd. 4.  Part-time Faculty ............................................................................................................................... 16 
Section 2.  Holidays .............................................................................................................................................. 16 
Subd. 1 ............................................................................................................................................................. 16 
Subd. 2 ............................................................................................................................................................. 16 
Subd. 3 ............................................................................................................................................................. 16 
Section 3.  Flexible Academic Calendar Option ................................................................................................... 16 
Section 4.  Summer Assignments ......................................................................................................................... 17 
Subd. 1.  Summer Sessions .............................................................................................................................. 17 
Subd. 2.  Establishment of Rotation List .......................................................................................................... 18 
Subd. 3.  Conditions for Rotation ..................................................................................................................... 18 
Subd. 4.  Rotation Order ................................................................................................................................... 18 
Subd. 5.  Claiming of Courses/Sections After the Initial Rotation ................................................................... 19 
Subd. 6.  Alternate Summer Assignment Distribution ..................................................................................... 20 
Section 5.  Extra Days ........................................................................................................................................... 20 
Subd. 1.  Counselors ......................................................................................................................................... 20 

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Subd. 2.  Librarians .......................................................................................................................................... 20 
Subd. 3.  Other Faculty ..................................................................................................................................... 20 
Subd. 4.  Rate of Pay ........................................................................................................................................ 20 
Subd. 5.  Limited Access .................................................................................................................................. 21 
Subd. 6.  Offers ................................................................................................................................................ 21 
Section 6.  Alternate Calendars ............................................................................................................................. 21 
Subd. 1.  Librarians .......................................................................................................................................... 21 
Subd. 2.  Counselors ......................................................................................................................................... 21 
Subd. 3.  Instructors.......................................................................................................................................... 21 
ARTICLE 11 WORK ASSIGNMENTS.................................................................................. 21 
Section 1.  All Teaching Faculty Workload Provisions ........................................................................................ 22 
Subd. 1.  Elapsed Time for Instructors ............................................................................................................. 22 
Subd. 2.  Internship Supervision ...................................................................................................................... 22 
Subd. 3.  Saturday and Sunday Assignments ................................................................................................... 23 
Subd. 4.  Team Teaching .................................................................................................................................. 23 
Subd. 5.  Independent Study Assignments ....................................................................................................... 23 
Subd. 6.  Tutorial .............................................................................................................................................. 24 
Subd. 7.  Professional Accreditation Assignments ........................................................................................... 24 
Subd. 8.  Non-Credit Instruction ...................................................................................................................... 25 
Subd. 9.  Class Schedules ................................................................................................................................. 25 
Subd. 10.  Combined Classes ........................................................................................................................... 25 
Subd. 11.  Class Size ........................................................................................................................................ 26 
Subd. 12.  Faculty Advising ............................................................................................................................. 26 
Subd. 13.  Science Laboratory Courses ............................................................................................................ 27 
Section 2.  Teaching Faculty in the Former MCCFA Bargaining Unit ................................................................. 27 
Subd. 1.  Credits ............................................................................................................................................... 27 
Subd. 2.  Contact Hours ................................................................................................................................... 27 
Subd. 3.  Credits/Contact Hour Workload Calculations ................................................................................... 28 
Subd. 4.  Two-Year Averaging. ....................................................................................................................... 28 
Subd. 5.  Preparations ....................................................................................................................................... 29 
Subd. 6.  Office Hours ...................................................................................................................................... 29 
Section 3.  Teaching Faculty in the former UTCE Bargaining Unit ..................................................................... 29 
Subd. 1.  Credits and Contact Hours ................................................................................................................ 29 
Subd. 2.  Credits/Contact Hour Workload Calculations ................................................................................... 29 
Subd. 3.  Two-Year Averaging ........................................................................................................................ 29 
Subd. 4.  RESERVED. .................................................................................................................................. 30 
Subd. 5.  Travel Time ....................................................................................................................................... 30 
Subd. 6.  Preparations for General Education Courses Assigned to Former-UTCE Faculty ............................ 31 
Subd. 7.  Office Hours for General Education Courses Assigned to Former-UTCE Faculty........................... 31 
Subd. 8.  Office Hours for Teaching in Other than General Education Disciplines ......................................... 31 
Section 4.  Librarians ............................................................................................................................................ 31 
Section 5.  Counselors ........................................................................................................................................... 32 
Section 6.  Other Assignments .............................................................................................................................. 32 
Section 7.  Reasonable Credit Equivalence ........................................................................................................... 33 
Section 8.  Alternate Delivery ............................................................................................................................... 33 
Subd. 1.  Distance Learning ............................................................................................................................. 33 
Subd. 2.  Flex Labs/Individualized Instruction................................................................................................. 34 
Subd. 3.  Student-Choice Multi-Modal Courses:  Design and Delivery. .......................................................... 34 
Section 9.  Student Activity Assignments ............................................................................................................. 37 
Subd. 1.  Uniform Assignments ....................................................................................................................... 37 
Subd. 2.  Other Student Activity Assignments ................................................................................................. 40 
Subd. 3.  Non-Uniform Activity Assignments ................................................................................................. 41 
Subd. 4.  Variance from Named Credit-Values ................................................................................................ 41 
Subd. 5.  Scheduling Activities and Credit Determination ............................................................................... 42 

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Section 10.  Department and/or Division Coordinators/Chairpersons. ................................................................. 42 
Subd. 1.  Former MCCFA Faculty ................................................................................................................... 42 
Subd. 2.  Former UTCE Faculty ....................................................................................................................... 42 
Subd. 3.  Selection Process. .............................................................................................................................. 42 
Subd. 4.  Duties ................................................................................................................................................ 42 
Subd. 5.  Compensation. ................................................................................................................................... 43 
Subd. 6.  Shared Coordinator/Chairperson Positions ....................................................................................... 44 
Subd. 7.  Overload Limitation .......................................................................................................................... 44 
Subd. 8.  Alternative Terms.............................................................................................................................. 44 
ARTICLE 12 WORKLOAD FOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS ................................... 45 
Section 1.  Definitions ........................................................................................................................................... 45 
Section 2.  Management Program Faculty Workload ........................................................................................... 46 
Subd. 1.  Management Faculty Credit Expectation for Base Contract ............................................................. 46 
Subd. 2.  Management Faculty Credit Expectation for Extended Days ........................................................... 46 
Subd. 3.  Work Schedule .................................................................................................................................. 47 
Section 3.  Contract Adjustments .......................................................................................................................... 47 
Subd. 1.  Contract Adjustment Increases .......................................................................................................... 47 
Subd. 2.  Contract Adjustment Decrease .......................................................................................................... 47 
Subd. 3.  Payment ............................................................................................................................................. 47 
Section 4.  Final Calculation ................................................................................................................................. 47 
Subd. 1.  Payment ............................................................................................................................................. 47 
Section 5.  Management Faculty New to a Program or Site ................................................................................. 47 
Section 6.  Full-time Status for Unlimited Faculty ............................................................................................... 48 
ARTICLE 13 WAGES .............................................................................................................. 48 
Section 1.  Initial Step Placement ......................................................................................................................... 48 
Subd. 1.  Step Limits ........................................................................................................................................ 49 
Subd. 1.1.  Step Limits after June 30, 2026 ...................................................................................................... 49 
Subd. 2.  Placement for Re-employed Temporary Part-time, Converted Temporary Full-time, Fixed-Term Full-
Time, Fixed-Term Part-Time, and Adjunct Faculty ......................................................................................... 49 
Subd. 3.  Placement for Re-employed Unlimited Faculty ................................................................................ 49 
Subd. 4.  Exceptions to the Maximum Step Placement .................................................................................... 50 
Subd. 5.  Job Market Stress .............................................................................................................................. 50 
Section 2.  Initial Column Placement .................................................................................................................... 50 
Subd. 1.  Definition of Columns....................................................................................................................... 50 
Section 3.  In-Field and In-Field Advanced Degrees and Credits ......................................................................... 51 
Section 4.  Column Advancement ......................................................................................................................... 52 
Subd. 1.  Timing of All Faculty Applications for Column Advancement ........................................................ 53 
Subd. 2.  Column Advancement Based on Higher Education .......................................................................... 53 
Subd. 3.  Pilot:  Column Advancement Based on Alternative Paths. ............................................................... 54 
Subd. 4.  Formerly Licensed Faculty Members on Column I or Column II ..................................................... 59 
Section 5.  Awards for Excellence ........................................................................................................................ 59 
Section 6.  Step Movement ................................................................................................................................... 60 
Subd. 1.  Career Steps ...................................................................................................................................... 60 
Subd. 2.  Progression Step Advancement ......................................................................................................... 62 
Section 7.  Salary Schedules and Differential Pay ................................................................................................ 63 
Subd. 1 ............................................................................................................................................................. 63 
Subd. 2 ............................................................................................................................................................. 64 
Subd. 3.  Wage Differential for Faculty with “Former-UTCE” Status ............................................................. 64 
Section 8.  Customized Training Instructors ......................................................................................................... 66 
Section 9.  Miscellaneous Wages .......................................................................................................................... 66 
Section 10.  PSEO/Concurrent Enrollment ........................................................................................................... 66 
Section 11.  Life/Work Experience Evaluation and Test Outs .............................................................................. 67 

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Section 12.  Extended Contracts ........................................................................................................................... 67 
Section 13.  Summer Session Wages .................................................................................................................... 67 
Section 14.  Temporary Part-time and Adjunct Faculty Wages ............................................................................ 67 
Subd. 1.  Temporary Part-time ......................................................................................................................... 67 
Subd. 2.  Adjunct .............................................................................................................................................. 67 
Subd. 3.  Fluctuating Workload Salary Rates for Temporary Part-time and Adjunct ...................................... 68 
Section 15.  Unlimited Part-time Wages ............................................................................................................... 68 
Section 16.  Substitute Wages ............................................................................................................................... 68 
Subd. 1 ............................................................................................................................................................. 68 
Subd. 2 ............................................................................................................................................................. 68 
Subd. 3 ............................................................................................................................................................. 69 
Subd. 4 ............................................................................................................................................................. 69 
Section 17.  Applied Music ................................................................................................................................... 69 
Subd. 1.  Credit Equivalency ............................................................................................................................ 69 
Subd. 2.  Private Lesson Rate ........................................................................................................................... 69 
Subd. 3.  Uniform Application ......................................................................................................................... 69 
Section 18.  Coaching Salaries .............................................................................................................................. 69 
Section 19.  Overload Assignments and Overload Salary Maximum ................................................................... 69 
Section 20.  Health/Dental Expense Accounts ...................................................................................................... 70 
Section 21.  Dependent Care Expense Account .................................................................................................... 70 
Section 22.  Other Pretax Expense Account ......................................................................................................... 70 
Section 23.  Appeals ............................................................................................................................................. 70 
ARTICLE 14 LEAVES OF ABSENCE WITH PAY ............................................................. 70 
Section 1.  Compensation...................................................................................................................................... 70 
Section 2.  Communicating Absence .................................................................................................................... 70 
Section 3.  Sick Leave ........................................................................................................................................... 71 
Subd. 1.  Birth or Adoption Leave ................................................................................................................... 71 
Subd. 2.  Accumulation of Sick Leave ............................................................................................................. 71 
Subd. 3.  Maternity Use of Sick Leave ............................................................................................................. 71 
Subd. 4.  Sick Leave Usage .............................................................................................................................. 71 
Subd. 5.  Additional Sick Leave ....................................................................................................................... 71 
Subd. 6.  Reinstatement of Sick Leave ............................................................................................................. 71 
Subd. 7.  Sick Leave and College Closing ....................................................................................................... 72 
Section 4.  Bereavement ....................................................................................................................................... 72 
Subd. 1.  Bereavement Leave ........................................................................................................................... 72 
Subd. 2.  Sick-Leave Use for Bereavement Purposes ...................................................................................... 72 
Subd. 3.  Bereavement Leave and College Closing ......................................................................................... 72 
Section 5.  Personal Leave .................................................................................................................................... 73 
Subd. 1.  Personal Leave and College Closing ................................................................................................. 73 
Section 6.  Pro-Rata .............................................................................................................................................. 73 
Section 7.  Paid Parental Leave ............................................................................................................................. 73 
Subd. 1.  Length of Leave ................................................................................................................................ 73 
Subd. 2.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 73 
Subd. 3.  Use .................................................................................................................................................... 74 
Subd. 4.  Interaction with Other Leaves ........................................................................................................... 74 
Section 8.  Advanced Degree or Certification Leave ............................................................................................ 74 
Section 9.  Legal Leave ......................................................................................................................................... 74 
Subd. 1.  Jury Leave ......................................................................................................................................... 74 
Subd. 2.  Court Appearance Leave ................................................................................................................... 74 
Section 10.  Military Leave ................................................................................................................................... 74 
Section 11.  Accounting of Leave Status .............................................................................................................. 74 
Section 12.  Leave Benefit Accumulations ........................................................................................................... 74 
   

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ARTICLE 15 LEAVES OF ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY .................................................... 75 
Section 1.  Benefits ............................................................................................................................................... 75 
Section 2.  Military Leave ..................................................................................................................................... 75 
Section 3.  Parenting Leave................................................................................................................................... 75 
Subd. 1.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 75 
Subd. 2.  Duration ............................................................................................................................................ 75 
Subd. 3.  Extension ........................................................................................................................................... 76 
Subd. 4.  Return from Leave ............................................................................................................................ 76 
Subd. 5.  Leave Synchronization ...................................................................................................................... 76 
Subd. 6.  Mutual Agreement ............................................................................................................................ 76 
Subd. 7.  FMLA ............................................................................................................................................... 76 
Section 4.  General Leave ..................................................................................................................................... 76 
Subd. 1.  Duration ............................................................................................................................................ 76 
Subd. 2.  Notice ................................................................................................................................................ 76 
Subd. 3.  Mutual Agreement ............................................................................................................................ 76 
Subd. 4.  General Leave for Teaching and Related Occupational Activities.................................................... 76 
Section 5.  Extended Leaves of Absence .............................................................................................................. 77 
Section 6.  Religious Holidays .............................................................................................................................. 77 
ARTICLE  16  SICK  LEAVE  LIQUIDATION  AND  FACULTY  RETIREMENT 
PROVISIONS ............................................................................................................................ 78 
Section 1.  Sick Leave Liquidation ....................................................................................................................... 78 
Subd. 1.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 78 
Subd. 2.  Benefits ............................................................................................................................................. 78 
Subd. 3.  Reinstatement .................................................................................................................................... 78 
Subd. 4.  Age at Separation .............................................................................................................................. 79 
Section 2.  Unlimited Faculty who Provide Early Notice of Retirement .............................................................. 79 
Section 3.  Early Retirement Incentive (for Former MCCFA Bargaining Unit Members) ................................... 79 
Subd. 1.  Sunset Provision ................................................................................................................................ 79 
Subd. 2.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 79 
Subd. 3.  Compensation .................................................................................................................................... 80 
Subd. 4.  Maintenance of Benefits.................................................................................................................... 80 
Subd. 5.  Early Separation ................................................................................................................................ 80 
Subd. 6.  EEOC Window ................................................................................................................................. 80 
Section 4.  Enhanced Sick Leave Liquidation Pay (for Former UTCE Bargaining Unit Members) ..................... 81 
Subd. 1.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 81 
Subd. 2.  Benefits ............................................................................................................................................. 81 
Subd. 3.  Faculty whose status changed from Former-UTCE to Former-MCCFA on July 1, 2024 ................. 81 
Subd. 4.  Reinstatement .................................................................................................................................... 81 
Section 5.  Retirement Incentive Grandparent Clause for Former UTCE Bargaining Unit Members .................. 82 
Subd. 1.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 82 
Subd. 2.  Choices .............................................................................................................................................. 82 
Subd. 3.  EEOC Window ................................................................................................................................. 82 
Subd. 4.  Payment of Benefits .......................................................................................................................... 82 
Subd. 5.  Portability of Article 16, Section 4 Retirement Benefits ................................................................... 82 
Section 6.  Supplemental Retirement .................................................................................................................... 83 
Subd. 1.  Amount of Deduction ........................................................................................................................ 83 
Subd. 2.  New Hires ......................................................................................................................................... 83 
Section 7.  Phased Retirement Program ................................................................................................................ 83 
Subd. 1.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 83 
Subd. 2.  Application Procedure ....................................................................................................................... 83 
Subd. 3.  Terms of Program ............................................................................................................................. 84 
Subd. 4.  Benefits ............................................................................................................................................. 84 
Subd. 5.  Limits on Access ............................................................................................................................... 85 

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Section 8.  Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP) ...................................................................................................... 85 
Subd. 1.  Eligibility .......................................................................................................................................... 85 
Subd. 2.  Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 85 
Section 9.  Clarification regarding Article 16 Benefits for Certain Former-MCCFA Faculty .............................. 86 
ARTICLE 17 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................................. 86 
Section 1.  College Level Funds ........................................................................................................................... 86 
Section 2.  System Level Faculty Development Funds ......................................................................................... 87 
Section 3.  Sabbatical Backlog Fund..................................................................................................................... 87 
Section 4.  Sabbatical Leave ................................................................................................................................. 88 
Subd. 1.  Sabbatical Leave ............................................................................................................................... 88 
Subd. 2.  Application Procedure ....................................................................................................................... 89 
Subd. 3.  Selection of Applicants ..................................................................................................................... 90 
Subd. 4.  Additional Sabbatical Leaves ............................................................................................................ 90 
Subd. 5.  Refusal of an Approved Sabbatical Leave ........................................................................................ 90 
Subd. 6.  Prior Service Time ............................................................................................................................ 90 
Subd. 7.  Sabbatical Return Requirements ....................................................................................................... 90 
Subd. 8.  Sabbatical Leave Benefits ................................................................................................................. 91 
Section 5.  Faculty Internships .............................................................................................................................. 92 
Subd. 1.  Purpose .............................................................................................................................................. 92 
Subd. 2.  Benefits ............................................................................................................................................. 92 
Subd. 3.  Selection of Applicants ..................................................................................................................... 92 
Subd. 4.  Return Requirements ......................................................................................................................... 92 
ARTICLE 18 EXPENSE ALLOWANCES ............................................................................ 93 
Section 1.  General ................................................................................................................................................ 93 
Section 2.  Expense Reimbursement ..................................................................................................................... 93 
ARTICLE 19 INSURANCE ..................................................................................................... 93 
Section 1.  State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) ........................................................................... 93 
Section 2.  Eligibility for Group Participation ...................................................................................................... 93 
Subd. 1.  Faculty Members -- Basic Eligibility ................................................................................................ 93 
Subd. 2.  Faculty Members -- Special Eligibility ............................................................................................. 94 
Subd. 3.  Dependents ........................................................................................................................................ 97 
Subd. 4.  Continuation Coverage ...................................................................................................................... 99 
Section 3.  Eligibility for Employer Contribution ................................................................................................. 99 
Subd. 1.  Full Employer Contribution .............................................................................................................. 99 
Subd. 2.  Partial Employer Contribution ........................................................................................................ 100 
Subd. 3. .......................................................................................................................................................... 101 
Subd. 4.  Maintaining Eligibility for Employer Contribution ........................................................................ 103 
Section 4.  Amount of Employer Contribution ................................................................................................... 103 
Subd. 1.  Contribution Formula -- Health Coverage ...................................................................................... 103 
Subd. 2.  Contribution Formula -- Dental Coverage ...................................................................................... 103 
Subd. 3.  Contribution Formula -- Basic Life Coverage ................................................................................. 104 
Section 5.  Coverage Changes and Effective Dates ............................................................................................ 104 
Subd. 1. When Coverage May Be Chosen ..................................................................................................... 104 
Subd. 2.  When Coverage May be Changed or Canceled ............................................................................... 105 
Subd. 3.  Effective Date of Coverage ............................................................................................................. 106 
Subd. 4.  Open Enrollment ............................................................................................................................. 107 
Subd. 5.  Coverage Selection Prior to Retirement .......................................................................................... 108 
Section 6.  Basic Coverage. (Faculty Member and Family Health Coverage) .................................................... 108 
Subd. 1.  Minnesota Advantage Health Plan (Advantage) ............................................................................. 108 
Subd. 2.  Coverage Under the Minnesota Advantage Health Plan ................................................................. 108 
Subd. 3.  Benefit Level Two Health Care Network Determination ................................................................ 112 

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Subd. 4.  Coordination with Workers' Compensation .................................................................................... 113 
Subd. 5.  Health Promotion and Health Education ......................................................................................... 113 
Subd. 6.  Temporary plan changes due to a state or national emergency ....................................................... 114 
Section 7.  Faculty Member Life Coverage ........................................................................................................ 115 
Subd. 1.  Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage .................................................. 115 
Subd. 2.  Extended Benefits ........................................................................................................................... 115 
Subd. 3.  Procurement .................................................................................................................................... 115 
Section 8.  Faculty Member and Family Dental Coverage ................................................................................. 116 
Subd. 1.  Coverage Under the State Dental Plan ............................................................................................ 116 
Section 9.  Optional Coverage ............................................................................................................................ 117 
Subd. 1.  Life Coverage .................................................................................................................................. 117 
Subd. 2.  Disability Coverage ......................................................................................................................... 118 
ARTICLE 20 APPOINTMENTS AND CREDENTIAL FIELDS ...................................... 120 
Section 1.  Appointments .................................................................................................................................... 120 
Subd. 1.  Types of Appointments ................................................................................................................... 120 
Subd. 2.  Posting of Vacancies ....................................................................................................................... 120 
Section 2.  Unlimited Full-time ........................................................................................................................... 121 
Subd. 1.  Probationary Status ......................................................................................................................... 121 
Subd. 2.  Non-Renewal .................................................................................................................................. 121 
Subd. 3.  Unlimited Special ............................................................................................................................ 121 
Section 3.  Unlimited Part-time ........................................................................................................................... 122 
Subd. 1.  Level of Minimum Guarantee ......................................................................................................... 122 
Subd. 2.  Probationary Status ......................................................................................................................... 122 
Subd. 3.  Non-Renewal .................................................................................................................................. 122 
Subd. 4.  Conversion from Unlimited and Probationary Part-time to Unlimited and Probationary Full-time123 
Subd. 5.  Automatic Rollover from Unlimited Part-time to Unlimited Full-time .......................................... 123 
Section 4.  Fixed Term ........................................................................................................................................ 123 
Subd. 1.  Definitions ....................................................................................................................................... 123 
Subd. 2.  Minimum Qualifications ................................................................................................................. 124 
Subd. 3.  Posting and Duration ....................................................................................................................... 124 
Subd. 4.  Conversion and Subsequent Unlimited/Probationary Status of Fixed-Term Full-Time Position ... 125 
Section 5.  Temporary Part-time ......................................................................................................................... 126 
Subd. 1.  Full-time Assignment of Temporary Part-Time Faculty ................................................................. 126 
Subd. 2.  Changing Converted Temporary Full-time to Unlimited Full-time ................................................ 126 
Section 6.  Adjunct Faculty Member .................................................................................................................. 126 
Section 7.  Hiring Practices ................................................................................................................................. 126 
Subd. 1.  Calculation of UFT Positions Needed ............................................................................................. 126 
Subd. 2.  Verification of Rosters .................................................................................................................... 127 
Subd. 3.  Pilot:  Inclusion of Fixed-Term FTE Toward Hiring Practices ....................................................... 128 
Section 8.  Faculty Credential Fields .................................................................................................................. 128 
Subd. 1.  Credential Field Upon Initial Hire................................................................................................... 128 
Subd. 2.  Joint Committee on Credential Fields ............................................................................................. 129 
Section 9.  Changes in Credential Field(s) .......................................................................................................... 129 
ARTICLE 21 SENIORITY .................................................................................................... 129 
Section 1.  Seniority Defined .............................................................................................................................. 129 
Section 2.  Site Defined ...................................................................................................................................... 130 
Subd. 1 ........................................................................................................................................................... 130 
Subd. 2 ........................................................................................................................................................... 130 
Subd. 3 ........................................................................................................................................................... 130 
Section 3.  Calculation of Temporary Service .................................................................................................... 130 
Section 4.  Unlimited Part-time Seniority Roster ................................................................................................ 130 
Section 5.  Posting and Recalculation ................................................................................................................. 130 

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Section 6.  Tie Breakers ...................................................................................................................................... 130 
Section 7.  Break in Seniority ............................................................................................................................. 131 
Section 8.  Seniority in New Credential Fields ................................................................................................... 131 
Section 9.  Seniority at Same or a New College Via Claiming ........................................................................... 131 
Subd. 1. .......................................................................................................................................................... 131 
Subd. 2 ........................................................................................................................................................... 131 
Section 10.  Seniority at a New College Via Voluntary Transfer ....................................................................... 131 
Section 11.  Seniority and Faculty Leave to Serve as a Minnesota State Administrator. ................................... 132 
Subd. 1 ........................................................................................................................................................... 132 
Subd. 2 ........................................................................................................................................................... 132 
Subd. 3 ........................................................................................................................................................... 132 
ARTICLE 22 LAYOFF AND FACULTY TRANSFERS .................................................... 132 
Section 1.  Layoffs .............................................................................................................................................. 132 
Subd. 1.  Reasons ........................................................................................................................................... 132 
Subd. 2.  Layoff Notice Timelines ................................................................................................................. 132 
Subd. 3.  Order ............................................................................................................................................... 133 
Subd. 4.  Equalization of Budget Cuts ........................................................................................................... 133 
Subd. 5.  College Closing ............................................................................................................................... 133 
Subd. 6.  Recency Requirements .................................................................................................................... 133 
Section 2.  Reinstatement of Position ................................................................................................................. 133 
Section 3.  Consultation ...................................................................................................................................... 134 
Section 4.  Layoff Procedure for Colleges with Multiple-Campuses or Sites ..................................................... 134 
Subd. 1.  Identification of Positions to be Eliminated .................................................................................... 134 
Subd.  2.    Issuance  of  Layoff  Notices  and/or  Termination  Notices  and  Identification  of  Positions  to  be 
Eliminated ...................................................................................................................................................... 134 
Subd. 3.  Reassignment of Senior Faculty ...................................................................................................... 134 
Subd. 4.  Reassignment of Senior Faculty due to Multiple Layoffs ............................................................... 135 
Subd. 5.  Deadlines for Faculty Identifying Choices ...................................................................................... 135 
Subd. 6.  Reassignment, Transfer and Claiming ............................................................................................ 135 
Section 5.  Multiple Credential Fields................................................................................................................. 135 
Subd. 1.  Multiple Assigned Fields ................................................................................................................ 135 
Subd. 2.  Multiple Licenses ............................................................................................................................ 136 
Section 6.  Retention Review .............................................................................................................................. 136 
Section 7.  Notification of Posted Vacancies ...................................................................................................... 136 
Section 8.  Layoff Benefits ................................................................................................................................. 136 
Option A ......................................................................................................................................................... 137 
Subd. 1.  Retraining ........................................................................................................................................ 137 
Subd. 2.  Reassignment for Retraining ........................................................................................................... 137 
Subd. 3.  Tuition Support ............................................................................................................................... 137 
Subd. 4.  Claiming Vacant Positions .............................................................................................................. 138 
Subd. 5.  Sick Leave Liquidation Pay ............................................................................................................ 141 
Subd. 6.  Group Insurance .............................................................................................................................. 141 
Subd. 7.  Reserving Full-time Vacancy Process ............................................................................................. 142 
Subd. 8.  Portability of Article 16, Section 4. Retirement Benefits ................................................................ 142 
Option B ......................................................................................................................................................... 142 
Subd. 1.  Lump Sum Payment ........................................................................................................................ 142 
Subd. 2.  Sick Leave Liquidation Pay ............................................................................................................ 142 
Subd. 3.  Contribution to Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP) ......................................................................... 142 
Section 9.  Faculty Transfers ............................................................................................................................... 142 
Subd. 1.  Applying for a Permanent Transfer ................................................................................................. 142 
Subd. 2.  Transfer to a Fixed-Term Full-Time Position ................................................................................. 143 
Subd. 3.  Portability of Article 16, Section 4. Retirement Benefits ................................................................ 143 
Section 10.  Involuntary Faculty Transfer ........................................................................................................... 143 
Section 11.  Exchange Status .............................................................................................................................. 143 

x 
ARTICLE 23 MISCELLANEOUS RIGHTS OF FACULTY MEMBERS ....................... 144 
Section 1.  Teaching Materials ............................................................................................................................ 144 
Section 2.  Citizenship ........................................................................................................................................ 144 
Section 3.  Academic Freedom ........................................................................................................................... 144 
Section 4.  Patents and Intellectual Property Rights ........................................................................................... 145 
Subd. 1.  Faculty Ownership .......................................................................................................................... 145 
Subd. 2.  Shared Ownership ........................................................................................................................... 145 
Subd. 3.  Faculty Logs .................................................................................................................................... 145 
Subd. 4.  Course Outlines and Syllabi ............................................................................................................ 145 
Section 5.  Faculty Member Work Rules ............................................................................................................ 145 
Section 6.  Confidentiality .................................................................................................................................. 146 
Section 7.  Personnel Actions ............................................................................................................................. 146 
Section 8.  Paraprofessional Direction ................................................................................................................ 146 
Section 9.  Faculty Member Protection and Assistance ...................................................................................... 146 
Subd. 1.  Assault ............................................................................................................................................. 146 
Subd. 2.  Legal Counsel ................................................................................................................................. 146 
ARTICLE 24 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS .............................................................. 146 
Section 1.  College Closing ................................................................................................................................. 146 
Section 2.  Classes at Other Institutions .............................................................................................................. 147 
Section 3.  Tuition Waiver at Minnesota State Colleges ..................................................................................... 147 
Subd. 1.  General Provisions for Faculty Members’ Own Use of Tuition-Waiver Benefit. ........................... 147 
Subd. 2.  Faculty in Unlimited Full-Time, Unlimited Part-Time, and Fixed-Term Full-Time Positions ....... 147 
Subd. 3.  Faculty in Temporary Part-Time and Fixed-Term Part-Time Positions .......................................... 148 
Subd. 4.  Faculty on Layoff or Notice of Layoff ............................................................................................ 150 
Subd. 5.  Specific Applications ...................................................................................................................... 150 
Subd. 6.  Survivor Benefit .............................................................................................................................. 151 
Section 4.  Attendance at State College Functions .............................................................................................. 152 
Section 5.  Safety Equipment .............................................................................................................................. 152 
Section 6.  Parking Fees ...................................................................................................................................... 152 
Section 7.  Correctional Facility Faculty ............................................................................................................. 152 
Section 8.  Liability ............................................................................................................................................. 152 
Section 9.  Assignment of Unit Work to Excluded Unclassified Staff Members................................................ 152 
Section 10.  Change In Bargaining Unit Status ................................................................................................... 152 
Section 11.  Medical Examinations ..................................................................................................................... 152 
Section 12.  Facilities and Equipment ................................................................................................................. 152 
ARTICLE 25 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES ................................................................. 153 
Section 1.  Written Reprimand ............................................................................................................................ 153 
Section 2.  Suspension ........................................................................................................................................ 153 
Section 3.  Dismissal for Cause .......................................................................................................................... 153 
Section 4.  Grievability ....................................................................................................................................... 153 
Section 5.  Arbitration Hearing ........................................................................................................................... 153 
Section 6.  Temporary Part-time and Adjunct Faculty ........................................................................................ 154 
Subd. 1.  Temporary Part-time or Adjunct Faculty with Less than 2.0 FTE Continuous Service .................. 154 
Subd. 2.  Temporary Part-time or Adjunct Faculty with 2.0 or more FTE Continuous Service .................... 154 
Subd. 3.  Continuous Service ......................................................................................................................... 154 
ARTICLE 26 PERSONNEL FILES ...................................................................................... 154 
Section 1.  College Responsibility ...................................................................................................................... 154 
Section 2.  Faculty Member Rights ..................................................................................................................... 154 
   

xi 
ARTICLE 27 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE ........................................................................ 155 
Section 1.  Complaints ........................................................................................................................................ 155 
Subd. 1.  Informal Procedure for Handling Complaints ................................................................................. 155 
Subd. 2. .......................................................................................................................................................... 155 
Section 2.  Time Limits ....................................................................................................................................... 155 
Subd. 1.  Appeals............................................................................................................................................ 155 
Subd. 2.  Extension of Time Limits ................................................................................................................ 156 
Subd. 3.  Computing Time Limits .................................................................................................................. 156 
Subd. 4.  Failure to Respond .......................................................................................................................... 156 
Section 3.  Evidence ............................................................................................................................................ 156 
Section 4.  Grievances ......................................................................................................................................... 156 
Section 5.  Reprisal ............................................................................................................................................. 156 
Section 6.  Grievance Steps................................................................................................................................. 156 
Section 7.  Waiver of Steps ................................................................................................................................. 157 
Section 8.  Arbitration Panel ............................................................................................................................... 157 
Section 9.  Arbitrator’s Authority ....................................................................................................................... 157 
Section 10.  Fees and Expenses .......................................................................................................................... 158 
ARTICLE 28 CUSTOMIZED TRAINING .......................................................................... 158 
Section 1.  Definitions. ........................................................................................................................................ 158 
Section 2.  Conditions of Employment ............................................................................................................... 158 
Subd. 1. .......................................................................................................................................................... 158 
Subd. 2. .......................................................................................................................................................... 158 
Subd. 3. .......................................................................................................................................................... 158 
Section 3.  Limits ................................................................................................................................................ 158 
Section 4.  Rights to Interview for Staffing Customized Training Credit Courses ............................................. 159 
Subd. 1.  Customized Training Credit Courses Subject to Interview Rights for Staffing .............................. 159 
Subd. 2.  Faculty Eligible for Right to Interview for Staffing Customized Training Credit Courses ............. 159 
Subd. 3.  Procedures for Right to Interview for Staffing Customized Training Credit Courses .................... 159 
Section 5.  Customized Training Faculty Fringe Benefits .................................................................................. 159 
Subd. 1.  Establishing Eligibility to Participate in Insurance Programs ......................................................... 159 
Subd. 2.  Maintaining Eligibility .................................................................................................................... 160 
ARTICLE 29 AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ................................................ 160 
Section 1.  Purpose .............................................................................................................................................. 160 
Section 2.  Process .............................................................................................................................................. 160 
ARTICLE 30 COMPLETE AGREEMENT AND WAIVER ............................................. 160 
ARTICLE 31 LEGISLATION AND RULE CHANGES .................................................... 161 
ARTICLE 32 SAVINGS CLAUSE ........................................................................................ 161 
ARTICLE 33 TERM OF CONTRACT ................................................................................ 161 
APPENDIX A .......................................................................................................................... 163 
APPENDIX B ........................................................................................................................... 171 
APPENDIX C .......................................................................................................................... 172 
APPENDIX D .......................................................................................................................... 175 

xii

APPENDIX E ........................................................................................................................... 176

APPENDIX F ........................................................................................................................... 181

APPENDIX G .......................................................................................................................... 183

INDEX ...................................................................................................................................... 187

Preamble and Article 1

PREAMBLE

This Contract is made and entered into this 19

day of December, 2023, by and between the State

of Minnesota and its Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, hereinafter referred to as the

Employer, and the Minnesota State College Faculty, hereinafter referred to as MSCF. This

Contract is intended to express the full and complete understanding of the parties pertaining to all

terms and conditions of employment.

Any agreement or understanding which is included as part of this Contract must be reduced to

writing and signed by the parties to this Contract.

The parties recognize that diversity in scholarly perspective, academic discipline, and personal

identity contributes to the richness of the college instructional environment and provides students

with the breadth of ideas that creates an extraordinary college community. The parties value

building and retaining a diverse faculty that is committed to teaching and working in a

multicultural environment and that is actively engaged in its college community. The parties agree

that outreach, recruitment, and retention efforts – including those using emerging tools and best

practices – that deliberately focus on increasing the diversity of both faculty and students, as well

as supporting their respective success in the college environment, are important to achieving these

ends. Further, in recognition of the transformative power of education to change lives for the better

and to strengthen communities, the parties affirm the importance of their working in collaboration

to eliminate gaps in education equity and to support students in achieving their academic goals.

This provision of the collective bargaining agreement is aspirational and, as such, shall not subject

the Employer to challenge in the grievance process or any other venue.

ARTICLE 1

RECOGNITION OF MSCF

Section 1. Recognition. In accordance with BMS Case Numbers 01PTR888, 01PTR890, and

01PCE1430, the Employer recognizes MSCF as the exclusive representative for all faculty

members who meet the statutory definition of public employee and are assigned to Bargaining

Unit #10.

Section 2. Changes to Terms and Conditions of Employment. The Employer will not, during

the life of this Contract, meet and negotiate relative to terms and conditions of employment or

meet and confer with any faculty member or group of faculty members who are covered by this

Contract, except through the MSCF.

Section 3. Unit Changes. If titles are created during the life of this Contract, or if existing faculty

positions are moved into the classified service or unclassified administrative service, the

Chancellor or designee shall give the MSCF written notice at least fourteen (14) calendar days in

advance of actual implementation. The parties will meet prior to implementation if the MSCF

Article 1 and Article 2

requests and will attempt to agree on the inclusion or exclusion of the new title or position. If the

parties cannot agree, the question will be submitted to the director of the Bureau of Mediation

Services for a determination of the inclusion or exclusion of such title.

Section 4. Unit Clarification. Notwithstanding any inconsistent or conflicting terms in the 1999

Unit Clarification Order (see Appendix A), and/or the 1995 MOU concerning bargaining-unit

structure (excerpted in Appendix C to this CBA), commencing July 1, 2024, the following

positions and the faculty assigned to these positions shall be designated as “Former-MCCFA” for

all purposes under the terms of this Agreement, except as otherwise explicitly provided in this

Agreement:

• General Education faculty who are employed by a Minnesota State technical college as of

July 1, 2024, and any faculty employed in such positions thereafter.

• Librarians who are employed by a Minnesota State technical college as of July 1, 2024,

and any faculty employed in such positions thereafter.

• Counselors who are employed by a Minnesota State technical college and/or a Minnesota

State consolidated college as of July 1, 2024, and any faculty employed in such positions

thereafter.

This Section does not change the Former-MCCFA designation of faculty positions and the faculty

assigned to them if designated as Former-MCCFA as of June 30, 2024.

ARTICLE 2

DEFINITIONS

Adjunct Faculty Member. “Adjunct Faculty Members” are faculty with a part-time assignment

of fewer than five (5) credits for a semester or three (3) or fewer credits in a summer session. Such

faculty do not accrue seniority and are not probationary.

Administration. “Administration” shall mean the Chancellor, college president and/or the college

president’s designees.

Chancellor. “Chancellor” shall refer to the Chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges &

Universities.

College. “College” means an administrative unit that is the appointing authority administering a

campus or campuses and all associated off campus locations (satellites, centers, etc.) and related

personnel.

Converted Temporary Full-time Faculty. “Converted Temporary Full-time Faculty” shall mean

individual temporary Part-time faculty who meet minimum hiring qualifications and are assigned

a full-time work load over the academic year at a single college.

Article 2

Credential Field. “Credential field” shall mean the assigned field, credential field or licensed

field for which the faculty member was hired. The granting of which indicated that the faculty

member meets the minimum qualifications required by the Board of Trustees Policy.

Customized Training. “Customized Training” is defined as: all non-credit instruction with an

occupational/professional focus offered to the general public, or all credit and/or non-credit

instruction offered via contract to a specific customer.

Customized Training Faculty. “Customized Training Faculty” are those faculty who deliver

instruction as defined in Customized Training above for no more than nine hundred twenty-five

(925) hours in a fiscal year. Customized Training Faculty do not accrue seniority and are not

probationary.

Days. “Days” means calendar days excluding Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays as defined by

Minnesota Statutes.

Dependent. “Dependent,” for all purposes except tuition waiver under Article 24, shall mean

spouse, unmarried eligible children, and unmarried eligible grandchildren as defined in Article 19,

Section 2, Subd. 3 of this Contract. For Tuition-waiver purposes, “dependent” is defined in Article

24, Section 3, Subd. 4.C.

Duty Day. “Duty Day” shall mean a day included in the college calendar, or individual faculty

member’s assignment, on which a faculty member engages in duties as assigned by the

administration.

Elapsed Time. “Elapsed time” shall be defined as the time period between the start of the faculty

member’s first assignment and the end of the faculty member’s last assignment on any day.

Employee(s), Faculty, and Faculty Member. “Employee” or “Faculty Member” shall mean a

member of the appropriate unit as described in this contract. “Employees” or “Faculty” shall mean

all members of the appropriate unit as described in the Contract.

Employer. “Employer” shall mean the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (Minnesota

State) Board of Trustees or its designees.

Fixed-Term Appointment. A “fixed-term” appointment is a type of faculty appointment pursuant

to Article 20, Section 4. There are two (2) types of fixed-term appointments: fixed-term full-time

and fixed-term part-time. Unless otherwise provided in Article 20, Section 4, a fixed-term

appointment terminates at the end of the appointment period. A fixed-term appointment carries

no implication that the college will offer future employment to the faculty member beyond the

appointment period.

Grievance. A “grievance” is defined as a written dispute or disagreement raised by a faculty

member, an MSCF Chapter, or the State MSCF involving the Employer’s interpretation or

application of the provisions of this Contract. An informal complaint is not a grievance.

Article 2

Grievance Form. Grievances as defined above shall be processed on a uniform “grievance form”

provided by MSCF or the Employer.

Grievant. “Grievant” shall be any faculty member, or a group of faculty members within the

MSCF bargaining unit who file a grievance.

Meet and Confer. “Meet and Confer” shall mean the exchange of views and concerns between

Minnesota State and the state MSCF, or the college president and the MSCF Chapter leadership

according to the applicable provisions of P.E.L.R.A.

Meet and Negotiate. “Meet and Negotiate” means the performance of the mutual obligations of

public employers and the exclusive representatives of public employees to meet at reasonable

times, including where possible meeting in advance of the budget making process, with the good

faith intent of entering into a Contract on terms and conditions of employment. This obligation

does not compel either party to agree to a proposal or to make a concession.

Minimum Guarantee. “Minimum guarantee” means the amount of work that an unlimited part-

time faculty member is guaranteed for the academic year. It is not the amount of work that an

unlimited part-time faculty member may actually work during an academic year.

Minnesota State Board of Trustees. “Minnesota State Board of Trustees,” “Board of Trustees,”

or “Board” shall mean the Board of Trustees for the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities.

MSCF. “MSCF” (Minnesota State College Faculty) shall mean the exclusive representative of all

faculty who are included in the bargaining unit.

MSCF Chapter. “MSCF Chapter” shall mean the chapter at one or more technical, community,

or consolidated college(s) of the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities. As used in this

Contract, “MSCF Chapter” shall mean the MSCF Chapter president or designee.

P.E.L.R.A. “P.E.L.R.A” shall mean the Minnesota Public Employment Labor Relations Act of

1971, as amended.

Permanent Work Location. A faculty member’s “permanent work location” is the campus/site

at which the majority of the faculty member’s work assignment exists at the time of hire. At the

time of hire if the work assignment is split equally, the employee shall designate the employee’s

permanent work location.

President. “President” shall refer to the presidents of each college of the Minnesota State Colleges

& Universities.

Presidential Designee. Whenever allowed by this Contract, the use of a “designee” by the

President shall in no way abrogate the responsibility and accountability of the President for the

decision made by the designee.

Article 2

Probationary Faculty Member. A “probationary faculty member” is an unlimited full-time or

unlimited part-time faculty member who has not completed the required probationary period in

accordance with Article 20, Sections 2 and 3.

Program. “Program” shall mean a grouping of courses for which a degree, diploma, or certificate

is awarded.

Qualified. “Qualified” refers to members of the MSCF bargaining unit who meet the prescribed

minimum qualification of their credential field.

Replacement Representative. The State MSCF may designate an additional representative or a

“replacement representative” at any point in the grievance process. Whenever possible, the State

MSCF will notify the affected campus administrators and Chancellor or designee of the additional

replacement representative in a timely manner that will not interrupt processing of the grievance.

Representation. A faculty member or group of faculty members will be represented by MSCF in

the grievance procedure including arbitration.

Sabbatical Tie Breaker. For breaking a tie “greatest system-wide seniority” shall mean the date

of unlimited status plus all temporary service on an FTE basis and minus unpaid leave of absence

on an FTE basis.

Site. A “site” is defined as an off campus location such as a Native American reservation, a

correctional facility, or a location mutually agreed upon for community-based programs such as

Farm Business Management and Small Business Management.

Student Credits. “Student credits” are defined as the number credits for which students are

enrolled.

Temporary Part-time Faculty Member. A “temporary part-time faculty member” is defined as

a faculty member with a part-time assignment of five (5) or more credits in a semester or more

than three (3) credits in a summer session.

Unlimited Full-time Faculty Member. An “unlimited full-time faculty member” is defined as a

faculty member with a full-time assignment for an academic year that carries the assumption that

such employment will continue on a full-time basis in subsequent years.

Unlimited Part-time Faculty Member. An “unlimited part-time faculty member” is defined as

a faculty member with a Part-time assignment between forty percent (40%) and eighty percent

(80%) for an academic year that carries the assumption that such employment will continue on a

part-time basis in subsequent years.

Article 2, Article 3 and Article 4

Written Notice, Response, Personal Service. When a “written notice” or a “written response”

is required to be given under the terms of this Contract, such notice or response shall be made by

“personal service” or service by certified mail. Personal service shall be deemed complete when

the notice or response is handed to or received by the party to whom directed. Service by certified

mail shall be deemed complete upon mailing.

ARTICLE 3

NO STRIKE OR LOCKOUT

Section 1. Lock-Outs. No lockout of faculty members shall be instituted by the Employer during

the term of this Contract.

Section 2. No Strikes. The MSCF agrees that it will not promote or support any strike as defined

in M.S. 179A.03, Subd. 16, except as provided in M.S.179A.18, Subd. 1. Any faculty member

who knowingly violates the provisions of this section may be discharged or otherwise disciplined.

ARTICLE 4

MSCF PAYROLL AND DEDUCTIONS

Section 1. Payroll Changes. If changes occur to the State of Minnesota payroll system that place

one or more of the provisions below outside of its operational ability, the parties will meet and

negotiate on any changes necessary to bring this Article within the operational ability of the State

of Minnesota payroll system and to meet the information needs of MSCF.

Section 2. Pay Period. Faculty members will be paid the total amount due in biweekly

installments according to the applicable pay provisions described in Subd. 1, Subd. 2, Subd. 3, or

Subd. 4 of this section. Pay dates occur every other week and are ten (10) days after the end of

the pay period in which the work was completed. Upon request, a faculty member shall be

provided a summary that defines the specific item for which a salary payment was issued.

Subd. 1. Additional Assignments. Additional assignments, i.e., overload, extra duty days,

and Reasonable Credit Equivalences, will be paid as selected by the faculty member, either by

a lump sum payment, payable upon completion of the work, or in installments that span the

length of the work performed.

Subd. 2. Temporary Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty Members. Temporary part-time

faculty members (including temporary part-time faculty members converted to temporary full-

time status per Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) and adjunct faculty members with a minimum

of a one-semester appointment will be paid in biweekly installments. Paychecks will begin

the payday following the pay period in which the first day of work occurs. The final paycheck

will be disbursed on the payday immediately following the pay period in which the final day

of work occurs.

Article 4

Subd. 3. Unlimited Faculty Members. Faculty members who hold an appointment to an

unlimited position will be paid the total amount due in biweekly installments. Paychecks will

begin the payday following the pay period in which the first day of work occurs. Paychecks

will be in installments according to one of the following:

A. A nine (9) month paycheck schedule, under which the final paycheck will be disbursed on

the payday immediately following the pay period in which the final day of work occurs; or

B. A twelve (12) month paycheck option, under which the final paycheck will be disbursed

on the first regular pay date for the payroll period that includes the last day immediately

prior to the succeeding pay year. If the faculty member wishes to elect the twelve (12)

month option (or to change the faculty member’s paycheck disbursement from the nine (9)

month schedule in Subd. 3.A, above, to the twelve (12) month option), the faculty member

must make the new election prior to the start of the academic year for which the faculty

member desires the twelve (12) month option to go into effect.

Subd. 4. Fixed-Term Faculty Members. Faculty members who hold an appointment to a

fixed-term position will be paid the total amount due in biweekly installments. Paychecks for

work in an academic year will begin the payday following the pay period in which the first day

of work occurs. Paychecks will be disbursed in installments according to the applicable

provisions described in Subd. 4.A or Subd. 4.B, below.

A. Faculty members holding a fixed-term position with an appointment period of one (1)

academic year will be paid according to the nine (9) month paycheck schedule, under which

the final paycheck will be disbursed on the payday immediately following the pay period

in which the final day of work occurs.

B. Faculty members holding a fixed-term position with an appointment period of greater than

one (1) year will be paid as follows:

1. Unless the faculty member elects the twelve (12) month paycheck option described in

Subd. 4.B.2, below, the faculty member’s paychecks will be disbursed according to the

nine (9) month paycheck schedule described in Subd. 4.A, above.

2. The faculty member may elect a twelve (12) month paycheck option (or change the

faculty member’s paycheck disbursement from the nine (9) month schedule described

above in this subdivision to the twelve (12) month option) by making the new election

prior to the start of the academic year for which the faculty member desires the twelve

(12) month option to go into effect. Under the twelve (12) month option, the final

paycheck will be disbursed on the first regular pay date for the payroll period that

includes the last day immediately prior to the succeeding pay year. For fixed-term

faculty who elect the twelve (12) month paycheck option pursuant to this paragraph,

paycheck disbursement shall revert to the nine (9) month schedule for the last year of

the fixed-term appointment.

Article 4 and Article 5

Section 3. Dues Check-Off. The Employer agrees to cooperate with Minnesota Management

and Budget and the MSCF in facilitating the deduction of membership dues established by the

MSCF from the salary of each faculty member who has authorized such deduction in writing.

Subd. 1. The Employer will deduct dues from each paycheck in installments for a duration

and in an amount determined by MSCF.

Subd. 2. The aggregate deductions of all faculty members shall be remitted together with an

itemized statement to the MSCF office no later than fifteen (15) days following the end of each

payroll period.

Section 4. Fair-Share Check-Off. To the extent permitted by law, the MSCF may request the

Employer to check-off a fair-share fee for each member of the unit who is not a member of the

MSCF.

Section 5. Indemnity. The MSCF agrees to indemnify and hold the Employer harmless against

any and all claims, suits, orders or judgments brought or issued against the Employer by a faculty

member as a result of any action taken or not taken in accordance with the provisions of Sections

3, 4, and 6 of this Article.

Section 6. Faculty Member Lists. The system office shall make available electronically and

provide access to the MSCF president or designee the names of all bargaining-unit 210 members

added to or removed from the bi-weekly payroll. This information shall be part of a faculty

appointment-status report generated by whatever Human Resources Information System (HRIS)

technology is then in use by the system office. When no such personnel transactions have taken

place, the report shall reflect this.

A copy of each college’s personnel directory shall be furnished to the MSCF upon request.

ARTICLE 5

NON-DISCRIMINATION

Section 1. Equal Applications. The provisions of this Contract shall be applied equally to all

faculty members in the bargaining unit without discrimination as to race, creed, religion, color,

national origin, age, physical disability, reliance on public assistance, sex, marital status, political

affiliation, sexual orientation or any other class or group distinction, as provided by state or federal

anti-discrimination laws. The parties are committed to ensuring an educational and employment

environment free of harassment and violence of any kind.

Section 2. Employer Responsibility. The Employer accepts its responsibility to ensure equal

opportunity in all aspects of employment for all qualified persons regardless of race, creed,

religion, color, national origin, age, physical disability, reliance on public assistance, sex, unless

sex is a bona fide occupational qualification, marital status, political affiliation, sexual preference

or any other class or group distinction. The Employer will not interfere with the rights of faculty

members to become or not to become members of the MSCF, and there shall be no discrimination

Article 5, Article 6

and Article 7

or interference, restraint or coercion by the Employer, or any Employer representative, against any

faculty member because of MSCF membership, non-membership or any faculty member acting in

an official capacity on behalf of the MSCF which is in accordance with the provisions of this

Contract.

Section 3. Jurisdiction. The parties recognize that jurisdiction for the enforcement of the

provisions of Section 1, above, is vested solely in various state and federal agencies and the courts,

and therefore, complaints regarding such matters shall not be subject to the grievance procedure

in this Contract.

ARTICLE 6

MANAGEMENT RIGHTS

Section 1. Inherent Managerial Rights. The MSCF recognizes that the Employer is not required

to meet and negotiate on matters of inherent managerial policy, which include, but are not limited

to, such areas of discretion or policies as the functions and programs of the Employer; its overall

budget; utilization of technology; the organizational structure; and selection, direction and number

of personnel.

Section 2. Management Responsibilities. The MSCF recognizes the right of the Employer to

manage and conduct the operation of the state colleges within its legal limitations and with its

primary obligation to provide educational opportunity at the colleges.

Section 3. Reservation of Management Rights. The foregoing enumeration of inherent

management rights and duties shall not be deemed to exclude other inherent management rights

and management functions not expressly reserved herein, and all management rights and

management functions not expressly delegated in this agreement are reserved to the Employer.

ARTICLE 7

MSCF RIGHTS

Section 1. Communications. Copies of all communications distributed generally to faculty

members by the system office or a college shall be supplied to the MSCF at the same time. The

MSCF shall designate its address for this purpose.

Section 2. Use of Facilities. The MSCF and its representatives shall have the right to use the

college facilities for purposes of holding meetings and for carrying out MSCF business. Facilities,

for purposes of this section, shall mean meeting space and equipment normally used by the faculty.

If consumable supplies or classified or student help of the college are used by the MSCF, such use

requires prior approval and reimbursement to the college for costs involved with such use.

Utilization of space by the MSCF requires advance request, and utilization of facilities in general

is dependent upon the availability for such use.

Article 7 and Article 8

Section 3. Transaction of Business. Duly authorized representatives of the MSCF shall be

permitted to transact official MSCF business on college premises at reasonable times, provided

that this shall not unduly interfere with nor interrupt the operations of the college. The MSCF may

use the college distribution service and faculty member mailboxes for communications to faculty

members.

Section 4. Bulletin Boards. The MSCF shall have the right to post announcements, and notices

of its activities and concerns on faculty member bulletin boards. One (1) MSCF-only bulletin

board on each campus will be at a location mutually agreeable to the MSCF Chapter and the

college president or designee.

Section 5. Access to Information. Upon request, the Employer or the Employer’s designee

agrees to provide the MSCF at state and local levels information available to them concerning the

professional staffing and financial resources of the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities,

including routine reports, registry of professional personnel, tentative budgetary requirements and

allocations, agendas and minutes of board meetings, names and addresses and position on the

salary schedule of all faculty members in the bargaining unit and such other information requested

by the MSCF in contract matters or in the processing of a grievance.

Section 6. MSCF State Meet and Confer Committee. The MSCF shall establish a committee

of no more than eight (8) members to meet and confer with the Chancellor and if requested, the

Chair of the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities Board of Trustees. This meet and confer

shall be for the purpose of discussion and the mutual exchange of ideas regarding statewide matters

which are considered significant by the MSCF or the Employer. The Employer shall provide the

facilities and set the time for such conferences to take place, and such conferences shall be held at

least three (3) times a year. The agenda will be prepared and distributed one (1) week in advance

by the board chair or designee, and will include all items submitted by the MSCF. The agenda

shall also include all items submitted by the board chair.

ARTICLE 8

SHARED GOVERNANCE AND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Section 1. Faculty Shared Governance Council.

Subd. 1. Purpose of the Council. The Employer and the MSCF recognize that the faculty

has a direct interest in college issues including, but not limited to, long and short range

planning, priorities in the deployment of financial resources, acquisition and use of existing

physical and human resources, institutional self-study, marketing, public relations, and

recruiting activities. The parties agree that the council is established to make recommendations

to the college on the following topic areas: Personnel, Student Affairs, Facilities, Fiscal

Matters and General Matters. Nothing contained in this Article shall be construed to prevent

the Employer from having discussions with any individual or organization, provided such

discussions do not conflict with P.E.L.R.A. or other provisions of this agreement.

Article 8

Subd. 2. Structure of the Council. Membership on the council at each college shall consist

of the MSCF Chapter leadership team and the elected MSCF members in good standing

representing a cross-section of disciplines (discipline(s) may mean division, department, or

program). The faculty will select one member to serve as council president. The number of

members of the council shall be determined by the MSCF Chapter. The college president shall

serve as an administrative liaison to the council. It shall be normal practice for the president

to attend the council meetings. The college president or designee may appoint up to three (3)

administrators from outside the MSCF bargaining unit as participants in the council. The

council president and the college president may invite subject area experts as needed to address

specific agenda items.

Subd. 3. Authority of the Council. The council will have full authority to present the views

of the faculty in meetings with the college president or provost.

Subd. 4. Procedures of the Council. The elected council president shall preside over all

meetings of the council. Meetings shall be scheduled a minimum of two (2) times during each

academic semester. At the request of the faculty, the council shall also meet during the

summer.

Subd. 5. Meeting Agendas. The agenda for each meeting shall be prepared and distributed

by the council president at least one (1) week before the meeting, and shall contain all items

submitted by the president of the MSCF council or the college president or designee.

Subd. 6. Clerical Support. The college shall provide clerical support:

A. To assist in the preparation and distribution of the agenda, and

B. To assist in the preparation and distribution of the minutes to the faculty within two (2)

weeks of the meeting after the minutes have been reviewed and approved by the council

leadership and the college president.

Subd. 7. Reports. Within two (2) weeks of each meeting, the college president or designee

will report to the faculty, in writing, actions taken or decisions made based on council

discussions. The report shall also provide the rationale for each action taken and for each

decision made.

Subd. 8. Matters Which Must Be Considered. Proposals initiated by the administration to

create or change existing policies and/or rules and regulations affecting faculty members will

be submitted in writing to the local MSCF for reaction before a final decision is made by the

administration.

Reductions in unlimited faculty members must be discussed within one month following the

notice of layoffs.

Article 8

If agreement is not reached on a proposal at the first meeting at which it was considered, the

administration shall take no action on the proposal for ten (10) days. At the request of the

faculty, the proposal shall be reconsidered at a subsequent council meeting during the ten-day

period.

Subd. 9. Appeals. Sincere efforts shall be made to reach agreement. If the local MSCF or

the administration feels that sincere efforts to reach agreement or understanding have not been

made in Shared Governance Council meetings, either party may request that the MSCF bring

the issue(s) to the next monthly meeting of the Minnesota State/MSCF Joint Labor-

Management Committee.

Section 2. Academic Affairs and Standards Council. Faculty have fundamental and unique

responsibility in matters affecting the academic well-being of the state colleges. The parties agree

that the faculty hold the critical role in academic decision-making at the colleges. In order to

ensure such role, the parties agree to establish an Academic Affairs and Standards Council

(“AASC”) to which management and faculty will bring all proposals regarding academic affairs

and standards.

Subd. 1. Chairperson Compensation. Release time for the chairperson of the Academic

Affairs and Standards Council may be mutually agreed upon between the faculty member and

the college president or designee, in consultation with the MSCF grievance representative. If

release time is not agreed upon, the chairperson shall receive a stipend of three thousand dollars

($3,000.00). The other faculty members of the Council may be compensated if and as agreed

to by the college president or designee.

Subd. 2. Purpose of the Council. The purpose of the council is to provide direction for the

college president in all matters included in academic affairs, including course outlines, award

requirements, academic standards, course and program components, and the inventory of

course and program offerings.

Subd. 3. Structure of the Council. The council shall consist of two-thirds faculty members

and one-third administrators and/or other staff. The faculty members will be selected by the

faculty president after consultation with the college president. The administrative members

will be selected by the college president after consultation with the faculty president but must

include the chief academic officer. The parties agree to make appointments that represent

broadly the academic programming of the college. A faculty member shall serve as chair of

the council. S/he shall develop agendas and meeting arrangements cooperatively with the chief

academic officer. Other individuals may be invited to address the council.

Subd. 4. Process. The council shall develop procedures for all curriculum matters to be

discussed. The council shall, upon due consideration, forward its decisions to the

administration. While it is recognized that the college president reserves the ultimate decision-

making authority, the norm shall be to follow the decision of the Academic Affairs and

Standards Council absent compelling reason(s) to do otherwise. If the administration counters

a decision of the council, the council chair may request that the college president attend an

upcoming meeting of the council to hear an appeal on the issue.

Article 8 and Article 9

Section 3. Alternative Structure. As an alternative to the structures in Sections 1 and/or 2 above,

a different structure may be agreed to between the college president and the MSCF Chapter with

the approval of the State MSCF. Such agreement shall be confined to the design of the structure

and its operational mode. Such an agreement shall not in any way regulate or control the right of

selection or participation by the MSCF Chapter. In the event that no agreement is reached on such

an alternative structure, the governance structure shall be that set forth in Section(s) 1 and/or 2

above.

ARTICLE 9

REPRESENTATIVES

Section 1. Administration of Contract. The Employer agrees that the MSCF grievance

representative on each campus shall be provided the opportunity to investigate and process

grievances, and the MSCF president on each campus shall be provided the opportunity to confer

with the college president or designee concerning the provisions and application of this Contract.

Meetings with the administration or arbitration or arbitration hearings regarding the processing of

grievances shall be during the normal work day whenever practicable, and the grievant, the local

MSCF grievance representative and MSCF local president shall not lose wages due to their

participation.

Upon request of the MSCF president, the college president shall afford release time not to exceed

twelve (12) credits per year to be shared by one (1) or more local MSCF officers on each campus

for the purposes of conducting MSCF duties.

Section 2. MSCF Representatives Access to Private Telephones. It is the intent of the state

colleges to provide the MSCF representatives with reasonable access to private telephones when

they are conducting MSCF business on campus.

Section 3. Certification of Campus Representatives. The names of any local MSCF officers

and representatives who may represent the faculty members in the administration of this Contract

shall be communicated to the college president on each campus by means of a copy of a

certification from the MSCF to the Chancellor’s designee. The names of the Employer designees

responsible for administering this Contract on the campus shall be communicated to the local

MSCF Chapter by means of a copy of a certification from the Chancellor’s designee to the MSCF.

Section 4. Certification of State Representatives. The MSCF officers and other MSCF

representatives shall be certified in writing to the Employer by the MSCF. The Employer

designee(s) responsible for the administration of this Contract at the state level shall be certified

to the MSCF in writing by the Employer.

Section 5. Release Time for the MSCF President. The president of the MSCF shall be granted

up to full release time from college-assigned duties to conduct the business of the MSCF.

Article 9

Subd. 1. Additional Release Time. The MSCF, at its request, may also provide for additional

release time for the president for the forty percent (40%) overload. The MSCF shall reimburse

the Employer for the actual cost of the overload payment based on the president’s actual salary

schedule placement for the academic year.

Subd. 2. Payroll. The MSCF president shall remain on the state payroll at the regular salary

and lose no benefits.

Subd. 3. President’s Sabbatical. A faculty member who has served as the MSCF president

shall be given the right to a one (1) semester sabbatical if s/he has served one (1) term, and a

two (2) semester sabbatical if s/he has served two (2) or more terms.

The sabbatical shall be consistent with the applicable provisions of Article 17, Section 4.

However, the president’s sabbatical shall be in addition to earned sabbaticals granted under

Article 17, Section 4. The sabbatical shall not be denied.

Section 6. Release Time for Other MSCF State Officers. The MSCF may buy release time for

up to five (5) other state officers. The amount of release time shall be specified by the MSCF

before the beginning of each academic year or at other times by mutual agreement. The release

time for an individual officer may be in credits or in days, as agreed to by the State MSCF President

and the Chancellor or designee. For purposes of reimbursement the days shall be converted to a

reasonable credit equivalency. Such officers shall remain on the state payroll at their regular salary

and lose no benefits. Effort will be made to schedule such officers’ college duties to accommodate

their MSCF responsibilities.

Section 7. Release Time for Other MSCF Representatives.

Subd. 1. MSCF Representatives. The parties agree that the following faculty members shall

be granted reasonable amounts of paid release time to conduct MSCF business.

A. Negotiations Team. As needed to conduct contract negotiations.

B. Board of Directors Members. Up to five (5) days per academic year.

C. Executive Committee. Up to nine (9) days per academic year.

Subd. 2. Conditions. Paid release time will occur under the following conditions:

A. Faculty assignments are rescheduled to another day and/or evening; or

B. Alternate assignments/activities, which can be accomplished in the absence of the

instructor are assigned to the class; or

C. The services of another faculty member are secured to assume the faculty member’s

obligations at no additional cost to the college;

Article 9 and Article 10

D. If a substitute is necessary, MSCF will be billed for the cost of the substitute.

Faculty members are responsible for notifying the college administration, whenever

possible, at least two (2) weeks in advance of the need for release time to conduct MSCF

business. In addition, faculty members are responsible for making the appropriate

arrangements as discussed above. Arrangements must be approved in advance by the

college president or designee.

Section 8. Representative (Delegate) Assemblies. Each delegate to the MSCF and/or the

Education Minnesota Representative Convention will be excused without loss of pay or benefits

one (1) day for each assembly, provided that the faculty member has notified the college president

or designee as to the dates of the planned absence during the month prior to the month in which

the assembly is scheduled.

Up to eighteen (18) delegates from the colleges will be excused to attend the NEA Representative

Assembly, the AFT Representative Convention, or the NEA Higher Education Conference for

three (3) consecutive working days, provided that the faculty member has notified the college

president or designee as to the dates at least one (1) month before the planned absence.

Section 9. Reimbursement Rate. The MSCF shall reimburse the colleges at the rate of one

thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per credit for actual release time utilized.

ARTICLE 10

WORK YEAR AND WORK WEEK

Section 1. The Basic Work Year. For purposes of compensation and workload calculation, the

full-time academic work year shall consist of one hundred seventy-one (171) days spread over two

semesters. Within this total, each college shall identify and publish an academic calendar that

includes class days, test days, and duty days assigned by the administration. Up to two (2)

administration-assigned duty days may be scheduled during the summer as a part of the calendar

determination process described below. Days not identified for these purposes shall be utilized by

instructors for activities necessary for the successful accomplishment of their professional

responsibilities. All faculty, regardless of online or onsite assignment(s), are expected to attend

administratively assigned duty days on a proportionate basis or take personal leave if they do not

attend these days (See joint MSCF/Minnesota State letter – Appendix B).

The determination of the actual number and configuration of the class, test, and administration-

assigned duty days in each semester shall be by agreement of the leadership of the administration

and the faculty at each college. Such agreement shall be reached after two (2) meetings or the

calendar shall contain the same number and configuration of class, test, and administration

assigned duty days as the previous academic year. Before the calendar is finalized, the student

leadership shall have the opportunity to review and comment on the proposed calendar.

Article 10

Subd. 1. Alternate Academic Calendar for Specific Occupational or Technical Programs.

For an occupational or technical program that needs additional instructional days beyond the

number established above, the program instructor and the administration shall mutually agree

on an alternate calendar configuration. The alternate calendar may not exceed the one hundred

seventy-one (171) day total.

Subd. 2. Instructors who are on Special Assignment or Librarians. Instructors who are

on special assignment or librarians shall work at their normal duties for the one hundred

seventy-one (171) day total minus the administratively-assigned duty days. Such duty days

may or may not be conducted at the same time as the rest of the college.

Subd. 3. Counselors. Counselors’ calendars shall reflect the same number of days as the

teaching faculty at the college. The dates of the administratively-assigned duty days may be

different from those of the teaching faculty, but the number of such days shall be the same.

The dates of the administratively-assigned duty days for counselors shall be determined in

accordance with Section 1 of this Article.

Subd. 4. Part-time Faculty. Part-time faculty shall be responsible for the appropriate pro-

ration of the full-time faculty obligation.

Section 2. Holidays.

Subd. 1. No faculty members will be scheduled to work on the following holidays: New

Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s Birthday, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth

(beginning in 2022), Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day

after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and any other holidays provided by Statute. When any of

the holidays fall on Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be the holiday. When any of the above

holidays fall on Sunday, the following Monday shall be the holiday.

Subd. 2. The college administration and the faculty president at each college may agree to

observe Veterans Day on a different day than the actual holiday. The State MSCF may also

agree to allow classes to be held or flexible days to be scheduled on the two days normally

scheduled for State MSCF activities.

Subd. 3. For individual faculty members in Management and Customized Training programs,

the college may by mutual agreement with the individual faculty members, designate alternate

non-duty days for the observance of Martin Luther King’s birthday, President’s Day, Veterans

Day, and Thanksgiving Friday.

Section 3. Flexible Academic Calendar Option. A flexible academic calendar shall be defined

as an academic calendar other than the standard college-wide block academic calendar as described

in Section 1, above. All flexible academic calendars shall meet all of the following requirements:

A. All credit and non-credit offerings shall maintain academic integrity as determined by

Carnegie-unit equivalency or by another measure agreed to by the faculty and

administration.

Article 10

B. Faculty shall be subject to overall workload expectations equivalent to those under a

standard academic calendar. The faculty load for a course or an assignment under a flexible

academic calendar shall be the same as that for the same course or assignment under a

standard academic calendar. These statements shall mean similar student credits/contact

time and similar expectations for professional development and participation in the life of

the college.

C. All faculty members on a flexible academic calendar shall have the right to calendar breaks

commensurate with, but not necessarily at the same time as, those under a standard

academic calendar.

D. Each individual flexible academic calendar must be agreeable to the faculty member, the

local MSCF grievance representative, and the local administration.

E. Exclusive of overload assignments, faculty compensation and benefits shall be identical to

those earned under a standard academic calendar.\

F. It is possible for part of a faculty member’s load to be under a standard academic calendar

and the remainder of the load to be under a flexible academic calendar. In such a case,

letter D. above shall apply.

G. Contractual limitations as included in Article 11, Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3 may

be waived by the faculty member and the local grievance representative as part of the

agreement indicated in D. above.

H. Assignments of faculty under a flexible academic calendar that overlap the summer

session(s) of the college must be agreeable to the department.

I. The parties agree to meet and negotiate additional details of implementation as necessary

and as requested by either party.

Section 4. Summer Assignments.

Subd. 1. Summer Sessions. Through the Shared Governance process, the President or

designee shall establish the calendar for the summer session(s). The administration will make

reasonable effort to avoid scheduling overlapping courses such that claiming opportunities for

faculty are unnecessarily limited.

No summer session or course offered during the summer shall exceed thirty-nine (39) days.

Colleges may offer shorter terms/courses with fewer than thirty-nine (39) days by compressing

the requisite class time. Year-round occupational/technical programs are exempt from the

thirty-nine (39) day provision. For purposes of this subdivision, year-round

occupational/technical programs shall mean those programs that require enrollment in an

occupational/technical course(s) outside of the established academic year as a condition for

continuation in or completion of the program. In addition, the parties recognize that there may

Article 10

be circumstances where certain days within a summer session may not be counted toward the

39-day limit. The exclusion of such days shall require mutual agreement between the local

MSCF chapter grievance representative and the local administration.

Two (2) summer sessions shall be considered the equivalent of one (1) academic year semester.

It is understood that a faculty member may be offered the equivalent of nine (9) credits or two

(2) courses, whichever is greater, per summer in one (1) or over both sessions in rotation order,

subject to the overload provisions in Article 13, Section 19. The administration, after

consultation with the faculty members in each credential field, shall determine course offerings

for summer session.

Subd. 2. Establishment of Rotation List. The established rotation list for each credential

field will be used to make assignments. If a rotation list has not been established for the

credential field area, then it will be established as follows:

Unlimited full-time faculty members who hold the credential field and have held assignments

in the credential field within the past two (2) academic years will be put in rotation order with

those with the most continuous service in each credential field receiving first choice. The

faculty member’s choice shall be for assignments offered over both sessions when two (2)

separate sessions are held up to the limitations of Subd. 1. above.

Unlimited full-time faculty members with two (2) or more credential fields shall be limited to

inclusion on the Subd. 4, Paragraph A rotation list for one (1) credential field only. Each

faculty member will choose one (1) rotation list prior to the end of the fall semester of each

academic year. The faculty member may change from one list to another via written

notification, and shall be placed on the bottom of the newly elected rotation list when this

option is exercised. Whenever a faculty member joins a rotation list for the first time, that

faculty member will be placed at the bottom of the list. Faculty members will always be added

to a rotation list before assignments are made.

Subd. 3. Conditions for Rotation. After all assignments have been made, the list will be

rotated by moving the person at the top of the list to the bottom of the list and renumbering

accordingly. However, if the first faculty member’s only assignment is canceled, the faculty

member will remain at the top of the list. Faculty members are not entitled to “bump” other

faculty if assignments selected are canceled due to low enrollment.

Subd. 4. Rotation Order. Once a rotation list has been updated for each credential field

according to the procedures outlined in Subds. 2 and 3 above, faculty, including those who

have been on sabbatical leave during the academic year, shall be offered the opportunity to

accept assignments offered in the following order:

A. Unlimited full-time faculty members who hold the credential field and have held

assignments in the credential field within the past two (2) academic years, on a rotation

basis, by credential field, with those with the most continuous service in each credential

Article 10

field receiving first choice, except where faculty members have already established a

rotation basis for each credential field. Probationary faculty, as defined in Article 2, are

included at this step in the rotation order.

B. If no unlimited full-time faculty member qualified under paragraph A. above accepts the

assignment, unlimited full-time faculty with multiple credential fields who hold another

credential field and have held assignments in that credential field within the past two (2)

years, on a rotation basis, with those with the most continuous service in each credential

field receiving first chance, subject to conditions of Subd. 3. above.

C. If no unlimited full-time faculty member qualified under paragraphs A. and B. above

accepts the assignment, unlimited full-time faculty who hold the credential field and have

not held assignments in the credential field within the past two (2) years, on a rotation

basis, with those with the most continuous service in each credential field receiving first

chance, subject to conditions of Subd. 3. above.

D. If no unlimited full-time faculty member qualified under paragraphs A., B. and C. above

accepts the assignments, unlimited part-time faculty who hold the credential field, on a

rotation basis, with those with the most continuous service in each credential field receiving

first chance, subject to conditions of Subd. 3. above. Probationary faculty, as defined in

Article 2, are included at this step in the rotation order.

E. If assignments are offered in an area for which no current unlimited faculty hold the

credential field, then the assignments shall be offered on a rotation basis to the unlimited

faculty members who have held assignments in that credential field in the previous two (2)

years. The initial rotation list will be established by calculating the total FTE in that

credential field which has been assigned to the faculty member within the previous two (2)

years.

F. Other applicants are last in the rotation order. No assignments of other applicants shall be

made if currently employed qualified “unlimited” faculty members have indicated their

willingness to accept the assignment.

Subd. 5. Claiming of Courses/Sections After the Initial Rotation.

A. Courses/sections added after the initial rotation but before the end of the academic year

shall be offered to faculty as follows:

1. Courses/sections added to the summer schedule shall first be offered to the faculty

member at the top of the summer rotation list in the credential field appropriate to the

course/section even if the faculty member is fully loaded.

2. After the faculty member at the top of the list has made his/her selection the remaining

course(s)/section(s) shall be offered to those faculty members on the summer rotation

list, in rotation order, who are not fully loaded.

Article 10

3. A faculty member who is offered a course/section under this provision shall make

his/her decision to accept or decline within three (3) days of being offered the

course/section.

B. Course(s)/section(s) added after the end of the academic year but prior to the beginning of

summer session are not subject to rotation. This includes course(s)/section(s) that start on

dates that do not coincide with the official beginning of the summer session.

C. The college shall make a good faith effort to contact those faculty members on the summer

rotation list who are not fully loaded and offer them the available course(s)/section(s).

Faculty members offered such course(s)/section(s) shall make their decision to accept or

decline within forty-eight (48) hours from the time an offer is made. The parties agree that

contact by e-mail (either work or other location provided by the faculty member) shall

constitute a good faith effort.

D. The parties agree that a college may, in the interest of time, contact all eligible faculty

members on the summer rotation list and offer the additional course/section. The

additional course/section will be given to the faculty member who responds within the time

limitations and is highest on the summer rotation list. A faculty member who does not

respond within the time limits outlined in Paragraph A3 and Paragraph C above will be

treated as if s/he declined the offered course/section.

Subd. 6. Alternate Summer Assignment Distribution. Notwithstanding the above, the

parties agree that faculty members in a credential field may unanimously agree to another

method of distributing work for the summer session. Such agreements shall be in writing and

approved by the college president and the MSCF Chapter.

Section 5. Extra Days.

Subd. 1. Counselors. Counselors who accept extra days assignments in counseling beyond

their academic year assignment shall have their work load for such extra days determined in

the same manner as for the academic year.

Subd. 2. Librarians. Librarians who accept extra days assignments to perform normal library

services beyond their academic year assignment shall have their work load for such extra days

determined in the same manner as for the academic year.

Subd. 3. Other Faculty. Any faculty member employed for extra days to perform services

other than counseling for counselors, teaching for instructors and library service for librarians

shall be scheduled for an average of seven (7) hours during such extra days assignments.

Subd. 4. Rate of Pay. Offers of extra days shall be made in writing and agreed to in writing.

Extra days employment shall be paid for at the rate of 1/171 per day of the faculty member’s

scheduled salary for that fiscal year for each full day worked.

Article 10 and Article 11

Subd. 5. Limited Access. No assignment of extra days shall be made to other than unlimited

faculty members if currently employed qualified unlimited faculty members are available and

willing to accept the assignment. However, if a temporary faculty member holds a position

during the year which is so specific as to require continuance during the extra days period,

such faculty member shall be allowed to have the extra days assigned.

Subd. 6. Offers. Extra days offered shall be scheduled consecutively insofar as is feasible

unless the faculty member and the college president agree to a non-consecutive schedule.

Notification of extra days employment during the summer shall be given no later than May 1.

Section 6. Alternate Calendars.

Subd. 1. Librarians. If a librarian in a college accepts at least ten (10) or more extra days

during any fiscal year, by mutual consent of the librarian who is offered ten (10) or more extra

days and the administration of the college, the work days of the academic year may be different

from and cover a period longer than the academic year agreed upon for the college. These

days need not be contiguous or consecutive. However, the total number of days shall be one

hundred and seventy-one (171) plus the number of extra days offered. Offers of extra days

employment and/or alternate calendar proposals shall be made in writing and agreed to in

writing. The ten (10) extra day requirement above may be amended or altered by mutual

agreement of the college and the State MSCF.

Subd. 2. Counselors. If a counselor in a college accepts at least ten (10) extra days during

any fiscal year, by mutual consent of the counselor who is offered ten (10) or more extra days

and the administration of the college, the work days of the academic year may be different

from and cover a period longer than the academic year agreed upon for the college. These

days need not be contiguous or consecutive. However, the total number of days shall be one

hundred and seventy-one (171) plus the number of extra days offered. Offers of extra days

employment and/or alternate calendar proposals shall be made in writing and agreed to in

writing. The ten (10) extra day requirement above may be amended or altered by mutual

agreement of the college and the State MSCF.

Subd. 3. Instructors. The academic year calendar for an instructor may be different from the

academic year calendar established for the college. The academic year for such faculty

member shall conform to the number of days in the college calendar, and days may not be

scheduled on the MSCF meeting days. The alternate calendar must be agreeable to the

administration, the faculty member and the local grievance representative.

ARTICLE 11

WORK ASSIGNMENTS

It is recognized that full-time faculty members normally average forty (40) or more hours per week

in carrying out their professional responsibilities. The reference to forty (40) hours is a

generalization intended for recognition of the many non-assignable duties that faculty members

perform. It does not establish a threshold of maximum assignable hours. It is further recognized

Article 11

that a state college faculty member’s work assignment includes a number of diverse professional

responsibilities. Classroom teaching and other contacts with students form the core of the faculty

work assignment. Additionally, professional development and service to the college are the other

core components of a faculty member’s work assignment. A faculty member will plan to engage

in such activities as student advising, course evaluation, classroom preparation, the evaluation of

student performance, committee assignments, classroom research and community service as part

of the overall work assignment. Some of these activities may be completed off campus. Faculty

members, regardless of online or onsite assignment(s), are expected to meet the professional

obligations described in this article (See joint MSCF/Minnesota State letter – Appendix B). It is

also recognized that the work assignments of part-time faculty include similar duties performed

on a prorated basis.

Assignments by the Employer will be made within the following limits:

Section 1. All Teaching Faculty Workload Provisions. When making faculty member

assignments the administration shall also observe the following general workload provisions for

all instructors:

Subd. 1. Elapsed Time for Instructors. Except as provided below, the average daily elapsed

time per week from the beginning of the first assignment to the end of the last assignment shall

not exceed six (6) hours exclusive of self-assigned office hours. An individual instructor may

be assigned a schedule in which the average daily elapsed time per week is increased to a

maximum of ten (10) hours if this assignment is necessary to provide the course offerings

within a specific program or department. An individual instructor must approve any increase

in average daily elapsed time per week. In any case, where a variation is implemented, the

administration shall provide in writing to the instructor and to the local grievance

representative the reasons why this assignment is necessary and reasonable.

Subd. 2. Internship Supervision. When instructors are assigned to supervise students who

are working as interns, the workload shall be assigned on a term-to-term basis. However, a

full-time instructor may have the assigned credit(s) distributed over the academic year. The

credit value of an internship-supervision assignment shall be calculated according to the

following formula:

The supervising instructor shall receive one (1) credit for every seventeen (17) student credits.

A student credit shall be defined as one student enrolled for one (1) credit. An alternate method

for calculating the credit-value of the internship-supervision assignment may be implemented

at the request of either the faculty member or the administration and upon agreement of the

faculty member, the college president and the MSCF.

Once the credit-value of the internship-supervision assignment has been determined, for

workload purposes the assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour

value shall be determined according to the applicable formula for internship supervision listed

in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

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Subd. 3. Saturday and Sunday Assignments. Assignments to faculty members for

Saturdays and Sundays shall be considered to be within the academic calendar. This provision

does not include student activity assignments. Faculty members assigned to Saturday and/or

Sunday shall have their schedules arranged to provide two (2) consecutive days in each week

without assignment, if desired.

Subd. 4. Team Teaching. Team teaching assignments may be made by mutual agreement

between faculty and administration. The total value of the assignment in both credits and

contact hours shall be determined according to the applicable formula listed in Appendix G,

“Schedule of Assignments.”

The division of the total value of the assignment between the faculty sharing the assignment

shall be determined prior to the start of the assigned course/section and must be agreed to by

the faculty members team teaching the assignment and the administration. In no case may the

total faculty credits be fewer than the credits for the course, nor may the total faculty contact

hours be fewer than those for students in the course.

Subd. 5. Independent Study Assignments. Independent study assignments shall be defined

as the faculty member’s supervision and teaching a student of a course that has been approved

by the college’s regular course approval procedures, or shall be defined as the tutoring of a

CBE (Competency Based Education) student. Such supervision and teaching has no scheduled

formal lectures or labs and is available by arrangement with an instructor.

Independent study assignments may be done as a part of the faculty member’s semester load

or as overload. Because independent study is student initiated, independent study assignments

shall not be subject to the summer rotation language contained in Article 10, Section 4.

The credit-value of an assignment to supervise/teach an independent study course shall be

calculated according to the following formula:

The faculty member shall receive one-twelfth (1/12) of one credit for each student credit or

CBE unit. A student credit shall be defined as one (1) student enrolled for one credit.

Once the credit-value of the independent-study assignment has been determined, for workload

purposes the assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour value shall

be determined according to the applicable formula for independent-study assignments listed in

Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Independent study may not be used to substitute for course offerings, unless agreed to in

writing by the faculty member and administration. Copies of such agreements when the

number of students exceeds four (4) students per course per semester will be provided to the

MSCF Chapter grievance representative and the State MSCF in a timely manner.

A grievance regarding this Subdivision may be initiated at Step 2. The time limit for any such

grievance will begin when written notice is received by either the MSCF Chapter grievance

representative or the State MSCF.

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Subd. 6. Tutorial. Although generally limited to historically liberal arts or general education

courses, if there is a case in which a traditionally technical course is appropriate for the tutorial,

it may be offered as a tutorial with mutual agreement of the faculty member, the administration

and State MSCF. Tutorials may be offered to unlimited faculty. Tutorials may be offered to

fixed-term full-time, fixed-term part-time, temporary part-time, and adjunct faculty if there are

no unlimited full-time faculty members in the credential field at the college. The maximum

number of students in a tutorial is eight (8). Tutorials can only be offered by mutual agreement

of the instructor and the administration and with notice to State MSCF. No more than one (1)

tutorial per course can be offered by any given faculty member in any semester.

In a tutorial, faculty meet with students for one-third (1/3) of the course’s student-credit value

and students work independently for the remaining two-thirds (2/3). For faculty workload

purposes, the credit-value of the tutorial assignment shall be calculated at two-thirds (2/3) of

the student-credit value of the course. For example, in a three (3) credit course offered as a

tutorial, students would register for three (3) credits; the faculty member’s tutorial assignment

would be two (2) credits. The faculty member would meet with the students one (1) hour per

week and the students would work independently for the remainder of the appropriate Carnegie

Unit time.

Once the faculty credit-value of a tutorial assignment has been determined, for workload

purposes the assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour value shall

be determined according to the applicable formula for tutorial assignments listed in Appendix

G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

For temporary part-time faculty, wage determination under Article 13, Section 14, and benefits

determination under Article 19, shall be based upon the full student-credit value for the course.

For example, if a temporary faculty member was initially offered two three-credit courses and

subsequently the two three-credit courses changed to a tutorial delivery model, for workload

purposes the combined credit-value of the tutorials still would be four (4) credits, but the pay

would be based on the salary schedule at the pro-rata level and the benefits would be based on

six (6) credits.

Subd. 7. Professional Accreditation Assignments. Programs that have professional

accreditation requirements dictating extensive faculty monitoring of students on assignment

outside the college shall be administered in accordance with the language in this Article,

Section 7, Reasonable Credit Equivalence. Criteria such as the number of students served,

number of credits, location of sites, number of visits required, preparation for and evaluation

of the educational experience will be considered when determining the credit-value of the

RCE.

Once the credit-value of the professional-accreditation assignment has been determined, for

workload purposes the assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour

value shall be determined according to the applicable formula for Reasonable Credit

Equivalence listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

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Subd. 8. Non-Credit Instruction. When non-credit instruction is assigned as part of an

instructor’s load up to a full-time load, one (1) Continuing Education Unit (CEU) shall count

as two-thirds (2/3) credit for the purpose of workload computation.

Once the credit-value of the assignment has been determined, for workload purposes the

assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour value shall be

determined according to the applicable formula for non-credit instruction assignments listed in

Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 9. Class Schedules. It is understood that faculty members and the college

administration shall work collaboratively in the development of schedules. Schedules for each

faculty member shall be developed by that faculty member in consultation with the college

president or designee, and submitted to the college administration for approval and, if

approved, consolidated into a master schedule. In the case of multi-faculty programs and/or

disciplines, the faculty member(s) shall first work in consultation with the administration and

each other to develop schedules prior to submission to the college administration for approval.

The administratively-approved schedule shall be provided to the faculty member in writing

and shall include an itemization of all equated credit assignments.

Subd. 10. Combined Classes. This is an assignment to teach two (2) or more courses of

different content at the same time. Courses that have different designators or different course

numbers or different course titles are courses with different content. Cross listed courses are

not considered to be courses with different content. Courses delivered onsite at a college may

not be combined with courses that are delivered online or through another system of distance

learning. When combined class assignments are in distance learning, including online courses,

the assignment may be made only if agreed to by the instructor. For courses delivered onsite,

management may make such an assignment after consideration of the following conditions:

A. There must be a demonstrable business reason to do so, and

B. The combination must not cause a significant loss of course content or student ability to

meet course objectives and outcomes, and

C. The maximum class size shall not exceed the highest maximum of any of the classes that

are combined.

The credit-value of a combined-class assignment consisting of two (2) combined courses shall

be calculated according to the following formula: The credit-value of the instructor’s

assignment shall be the number of student credits of the course with the greatest student credits,

plus one (1) credit.

The credit-value for combined classes of three (3) or more courses shall be mutually agreed

upon by the administration and the faculty member. The credit-value may be equal to or

greater than that which would result from the formula above, but may not be less, except as

specified below.

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With mutual agreement between a faculty member and the administration, a small

enrollment/combined class waiver may be granted. This waiver will result in compensation

that is determined in a manner different than the compensation calculation of this Contract.

Credit-value calculations for small class/combined class waivers shall not be less than one-

third (1/3) of the credit-value calculations of this subdivision. Copies of such agreements will

be provided to the State MSCF in a timely manner. The State MSCF may terminate such

agreements after written notification to the system office and the college president. Such

terminations are to be effective at the end of the academic year.

For all of the configurations of combined classes described in this subdivision, once the credit-

value of the assignment has been determined, for workload purposes the assignment shall also

be given a contact-hour value. The contact hour value shall be determined according to the

applicable combined class formula listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 11. Class Size. The administration at each college shall establish, through the Shared

Governance Council, a regulation that sets a reasonable maximum class size for all instruction

at the college. Once the regulation is established any change must be considered through the

Shared Governance Council at least one (1) semester in advance. However, by mutual

agreement between the college president (or designee) and the State MSCF, the one (1)

semester notice for changing class size may be waived. There will be no intentional enrollment

beyond the maximum class size unless agreed to by the MSCF and the administration. Under

exceptional circumstances as determined by the affected faculty member, an instructor may

admit two (2) additional students per section.

Subd. 12. Faculty Advising. Faculty are expected to guide students to help them succeed

academically.

The faculty and college administration acknowledge that student success and retention are

enhanced by faculty members’ support of and engagement with students not only inside the

classroom, but also outside the classroom, within the larger college community.

The introductory preamble to Article 11 provides that advising students is part of a faculty

member’s complement of professional responsibilities. With respect to faculty members,

“advising students” is understood to mean that a faculty member is expected to support

students’ success at the college by:

a) engaging outside the classroom with students by providing information and guidance, on

matters within the faculty member’s professional competence, that supports students

achieving their academic goals, and

b) reasonable collaborating - with other members of the college community working in areas

such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Academic Affairs; and Student Affairs - in the

college’s efforts to facilitate and promote students’ academic progress and success.

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In both technical programs and general-education disciplines, faculty will engage in advising

activities consistent with (a) and (b), above. However, generally, the scope of students with

whom a faculty member will engage in these activities will be determined by the following:

Within technical programs, a student will be assigned a faculty advisor in the program when

the student begins participation in the program. In general education disciplines, a faculty

member will advise students in the faculty member’s courses.

Subd. 13. Science Laboratory Courses. Science laboratory courses (chemistry, biology,

physics, and natural science) shall be credited on the basis of one (1) credit for each one (1)

lecture hour and one (1) credit for each two (2) laboratory hours. Credits for science

laboratories shall be averaged over the academic year with totals in odd numbers being rounded

to the nearest whole number. For purposes of rounding, .5 shall be rounded up to one (1).

Section 2. Teaching Faculty in the Former MCCFA Bargaining Unit. A faculty member in

the former MCCFA bargaining unit may be assigned either the thirty (30) credits per academic

year limit or the forty (40) contact hours per academic year limit. Whenever either limit has been

reached, the instructor may accept additional credit or contact hour assignments only as overload.

When making part-time faculty assignments, the credit/contact hour limitations shall be a proration

of the fifteen (15) credit or twenty (20) contact hour term limits based on the FTE percentage.

When calculating the workload for part-time faculty who have a combination of credits and contact

hour assignments, the calculation which produces the higher amount of salary will be used.

Subd. 1. Credits.

Per Semester Per Academic Year

Credits (assigned to courses 15 30

or equated credits)

An individual instructor may be assigned as many as eighteen (18) credits in a given semester

if this assignment is necessary to provide the course offerings within a specific program or

department. The total credits assigned for the year shall not exceed thirty (30), and any

additional assignments beyond thirty (30) shall be considered overload.

Subd. 2. Contact Hours.

Per Semester Per Academic Year

Contact Hours 20 40

Contact hours above twenty (20), but no more than twenty-five (25) per semester, are allowable

by mutual written agreement between the instructor and the college president. However, the

forty (40) hours per year limitation shall remain. Part-time faculty contact hour assignments

shall be determined on a pro-rata basis.

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The twenty (20) or more contact hour limitation may be averaged per week within the semester

and/or per semester within the academic year.

Subd. 3. Credits/Contact Hour Workload Calculations. Lecture courses shall be credited

on the basis of one (1) credit for each one (1) lecture hour [1:1]. Unless specified otherwise in

this Agreement, laboratory courses, such as but not limited to, art studios, clinicals, and science

labs shall be credited on the basis of one (1) credit for each two (2) laboratory hours [1:2].

With the exception of science laboratory courses, the ratio for laboratory courses may differ if

approved through the AASC process. Refer to the specific provisions of this Agreement

concerning particular assignment types, as well as Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 4. Two-Year Averaging. Upon mutual agreement between the college administration

and an unlimited full-time faculty member, the total credits assigned may be averaged over

two (2) consecutive academic years. The credits and contact hours may be distributed over the

two (2) years with no less than twenty-four (24) credits or thirty-two (32) contact hours, and

no more than thirty-six (36) credits or forty-eight (48) contact hours in either year. The mutual

agreement regarding how the credits will be assigned over the two-year period must be in

writing and provided to the faculty member and the local grievance representative prior to

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in the academic year preceding the first of the two consecutive academic years

being averaged. In consultation with the affected faculty member, the college may make

adjustments to the two-year assignment when there is a demonstrable business reason to do so.

A. Revocation of Mutual Consent. Either party may revoke mutual consent within the first

semester of Year 1, in which case, the faculty member's load will be balanced in the second

semester of Year 1. Either party may revoke consent in the second semester of Year 1 if

the faculty member is overloaded in Year 1, in which case contractual overload provisions

shall apply. A faculty member may not revoke consent after the first semester of Year 1 if

the faculty member is underloaded in Year 1. If the college revokes consent after the first

semester of Year 1 and the faculty member is underloaded in Year 1, the faculty member

will be paid his or her full salary in Year 1.

B. Layoff. In the event a faculty member who entered into a mutual two-year averaging

agreement is laid off effective the spring semester of Year 1, he or she shall receive his or

her full base salary if underloaded in Year 1 and any applicable overload credits at the end

of spring semester of Year 1.

C. Separation or Retirement. In the event a faculty member who entered into a two-year

averaging agreement resigns or retires prior to the end of Year 1, any overload provisions

shall apply. If underloaded in Year 1, the faculty member will receive his or her full base

pay for the year.

D. Termination. In the event a faculty member who was assigned overload in Year 1 is

dismissed from his or her employment for cause per Article 25 prior to having completed

the two-year averaging period, the faculty member will not be entitled to overload pay that

he or she worked in Year 1.

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Subd. 5. Preparations. When possible, without disrupting the normal class offerings, a

maximum of three (3) separate class preparations may be assigned. A faculty member

normally will not be assigned more than six (6) class preparations for classes of three (3) or

more student-credits in an academic year. More than six (6) class preparations may be assigned

with the approval of the individual instructor. When the number of preparations exceeds seven

(7), for each additional preparation the total credits assigned to the faculty member will be

reduced by one (1) credit as well as by the applicable contact-hour equivalent listed in

Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 6. Office Hours. Each instructor shall post and maintain one (1) office hour or one (1)

hour of student availability in some other campus location per week for each three (3) credits

taught to a maximum of fifteen (15) credits. Additional office hours or student availability may

be scheduled at the instructor’s option. If a faculty member’s entire assignment is online, the

office hours can be held entirely online. If the entire assignment is onsite, the office hours are

held entirely onsite. If the assignment is mixed, the office hour locations are mixed in

reasonable proportions to allow for faculty availability to students. (See joint

MSCF/Minnesota State letter – Appendix B.)

Section 3. Teaching Faculty in the former UTCE Bargaining Unit.

Subd. 1. Credits and Contact Hours. Faculty in the former UTCE bargaining unit may be

assigned an academic-year maximum of up to thirty-two (32) credits or up to twenty-seven

(27) contact hours per week. Whenever either limit has been reached the instructor may accept

additional credit or contact hour assignments as overload. When making part-time

assignments, the credit/contact hour limitation shall be a proration of the FTE.

The twenty-seven (27) contact hour limit may be averaged per week within a semester and/or

per semester within the academic year.

Subd. 2. Credits/Contact Hour Workload Calculations. Lecture courses shall be credited

on the basis of one (1) credit for each (1) lecture hour [1:1]. Unless specified otherwise in this

Agreement, laboratory courses, such as but not limited to, art studios, clinicals, and science

labs shall be credited on the basis of one (1) credit for each two (2) laboratory hours [1:2].

With the exception of science laboratory courses, the ratio for laboratory courses may differ if

approved through the AASC process. Refer to the specific provisions of this Agreement

concerning particular assignment types, as well as Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 3. Two-Year Averaging. Upon mutual agreement between the college administration

and an unlimited full-time faculty member, the total credits assigned may be averaged over

two (2) consecutive academic years. The credits and contact hours may be distributed over the

two (2) years with no less than twenty-six (26) credits or forty-four (44) contact hours, and no

more than thirty-eight (38) credits or sixty-four (64) contact hours in either year. The mutual

agreement regarding how the credits will be assigned over the two-year period must be in

writing and provided to the faculty member and the local grievance representative prior to

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March 15

in the academic year preceding the first of the two consecutive academic years

being averaged. In consultation with the affected faculty member, the college may make

adjustments to the two-year assignment when there is a demonstrable business reason to do so.

A. Revocation of Mutual Consent. Either party may revoke mutual consent within the

first semester of Year 1, in which case, the faculty member's load will be balanced in

the second semester of Year 1. Either party may revoke consent in the second semester

of Year 1 if the faculty member if overloaded in Year 1, in which case contractual

overload provisions shall apply. A faculty member may not revoke consent after the

first semester of Year 1 if the faculty member is under loaded in Year 1. If the college

revokes consent after the first semester of Year 1 and the faculty member is under

loaded in Year 1, the faculty member will be paid his or her full salary in Year 1.

B. Layoff. In the event a faculty member who entered into a mutual two-year averaging

agreement is laid off effective the spring semester of Year 1, he or she shall receive his

or her full base salary if underloaded in Year 1 and any applicable overload credits at

the end of spring semester of Year 1.

C. Separation or Retirement. In the event a faculty member who entered into a two-

year averaging agreement resigns or retires prior to the end of Year 1, any overload

provisions shall apply. If underloaded in Year 1, the faculty member will receive his

or her full base pay for the year.

D. Termination. In the event a faculty member who was assigned overload in Year 1 is

dismissed from his or her employment for cause per Article 25 prior to having

completed the two-year averaging period, the faculty member will not be entitled to

overload pay that he or she worked in Year 1.

Subd. 4. RESERVED.

Subd. 5. Travel Time. Compensation for travel will be determined by the following:

A. When a faculty member is assigned to travel between campuses or sites on the same day,

the travel time shall be applied to the faculty member’s student contact hours. The travel

time shall be determined by dividing the number of miles between the work locations by

fifty (50).

Once the contact-hour value of the reduction has been determined, for workload purposes

the reduction shall also be given a credit-hour value. The credit-hour value shall be

determined according to the applicable formula listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of

Assignments.”

B. When a faculty member is assigned to travel to different campuses or sites on alternating

days, mileage compensation will be determined by Article 18 for travel from the faculty

member’s permanent work location to and from the assigned location.

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Subd. 6. Preparations for General Education Courses Assigned to Former-UTCE

Faculty. This subdivision applies to situations in which a Former-UTCE status faculty

member at a technical college is assigned, as a component of the faculty member’s load, a

course or courses in a discipline identified as a “General Education” discipline in Paragraph 2

of the 1999 BMS Order in Appendix A. When possible, without disrupting the normal class

offerings, a maximum of three (3) separate class preparations may be assigned. A faculty

member normally will not be assigned more than six (6) class preparations for classes of three

(3) or more student-credits in an academic year. More than six (6) class preparations may be

assigned with the approval of the individual instructor. When the number of preparations

exceeds seven (7), for each additional preparation the total credits/contact hours assigned to

the faculty member will be reduced by one (1) credit as well as by the applicable contact-hour

equivalent listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 7. Office Hours for General Education Courses Assigned to Former-UTCE

Faculty. This subdivision applies to situations in which a Former-UTCE status faculty

member at a technical college is assigned, as a component of the faculty member’s load, a

course or courses in a discipline identified as a “General Education” discipline in Paragraph 2

of the 1999 BMS Order in Appendix A. Each instructor shall post and maintain one (1) office

hour of student availability in his/her office or some other campus location per week for each

three (3) credits taught to a maximum of fifteen (15) credits. Additional office hours or student

availability may be scheduled at the instructor’s option. If a faculty member’s entire

assignment is online, the office hours can be held entirely online. If the entire assignment is

onsite, the office hours are held entirely onsite. If the assignment is mixed, the office hour

locations are mixed in reasonable proportions to allow for faculty availability to students. (See

joint MSCF/Minnesota State letter – Appendix B.)

Subd. 8. Office Hours for Teaching in Other than General Education Disciplines (See

Paragraph 2 of 1999 BMS Orders). Each instructor shall post and maintain two (2) office

hours of student availability per week on campus outside the instructor’s scheduled

instructional time. These hours will be scheduled in increments of not less than one-half (½)

hour. Additional office hours of student availability may be scheduled at the instructor’s

option.

Section 4. Librarians. Librarians, by credential field, shall be responsible for the development

and implementation of library/media services including summer coverage to support the mission

and philosophy of each institution, and to develop, cooperatively with the administration, the goals

and objectives for these services prior to the start of each academic year. Librarians on each

campus, among themselves, shall develop their methods of implementation for the purpose of

accomplishing these goals and objectives. Priority will be given to services necessary to fulfill the

educational needs of students and instructional needs of faculty. It is recognized that the quality

and quantity of these services will depend upon the availability of staff and other resources.

Librarians on each campus, among themselves, after consultation with the administration, shall

develop and post their hours of availability. Librarians shall be responsible for scheduling thirty-

five (35) hours per week to accomplish the goals and objectives referred to above. When librarians

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perform teaching assignments and/or non-instructional assignments, their responsibilities shall be

adjusted proportionately following the applicable credit-to-contact-hour calculations for

instructional and non-instructional assignments in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.” Part-

time librarian assignments shall be determined on a pro-rata basis.

Section 5. Counselors. All counselors, by credential field, shall be responsible for the

development and implementation of the counseling services, including summer coverage, to

support the mission and philosophy of each institution and to develop, cooperatively with the

administration, the goals and objectives for these services prior to the start of each academic year.

Counselors on each campus, among themselves, shall develop their methods of implementation

for the purpose of accomplishing these goals and objectives. Priority will be given to services

necessary to fulfill the educational needs of students and instructional needs of faculty. It is

recognized that the quality and quantity of these services will depend upon the availability of staff

and other resources. When counselors perform teaching assignments and/or non-instructional

assignments, their responsibilities shall be adjusted proportionately following the applicable

credit-to-contact-hour calculations for instructional and non-instructional assignments in

Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.” Part-time counselor assignments shall be determined

on a pro-rata basis.

It is further recognized by the parties that:

A. After consultation with the counseling department, the college president or designee

decides when and where counseling services necessary to meet the goals and objectives

shall be offered.

B. Counselors on each campus, among themselves, shall decide which individuals shall work

to cover the hours set by the college president or designee.

C. In the event that counselors are unable to decide which individuals shall work to cover the

set hours, the college president or designee shall assign individual counselors.

D. Counselors shall be responsible for scheduling thirty-five (35) hours per week to

accomplish the goals and objectives referred to above. When counselors perform teaching

assignments, their responsibilities shall be adjusted proportionately. Part-time counselor

assignments shall be determined on a pro-rata basis.

Section 6. Other Assignments. Instructors, librarians and counselors who are assigned full-time

to perform duties other than teaching, counseling duties or librarian duties, or who are assigned to

instructional labs which require no special advance preparation and no evaluation which cannot

be completed during the lab periods shall be responsible for scheduling thirty-five (35) hours per

week for the purposes of carrying out the development and implementation of services to support

the mission and philosophy of their credential field or area of assignment and to develop

cooperatively with the administration, the goals and objectives of these services prior to the start

of each academic year or the start of an assignment. These individuals, or groups as is appropriate

on each campus shall develop, after consultation with the administration, their hours of work and

methods of implementation for purposes of accomplishing the goals and objectives.

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Priority will be given to services necessary to fulfill the educational needs of students and the

instructional needs of faculty. It is recognized that the quality and quantity of these services will

depend upon the availability of staff and other resources.

If faculty members have a portion of their assignments in conformity with the “Other

Assignments” clause, then the balance of their assignment under the counselor, librarian or

instructor clauses of the Contract will be reduced proportionately, following the applicable credit-

to-contact-hour calculations for instructional and/or non-instructional assignments in Appendix G,

“Schedule of Assignments.”

Section 7. Reasonable Credit Equivalence. A faculty member may be assigned duties that are

not described in this agreement by written mutual agreement among the faculty member, and the

college president or designee. Copies of such agreements will be provided to the MSCF Chapter

grievance representative and the State MSCF in a timely manner. The credit-value for the

assignment will be determined before the assignment is made.

Once the credit-value of the assignment has been determined, for workload purposes the

assignment shall also be given a contact hour value. The contact-hour value shall be determined

according to the applicable formula for Reasonable Credit Equivalence assignments listed in

Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

The instructor’s regular workload will then be reduced by the credit-value/contact-hour value of

the RCE assignment. The college administration will schedule the assignment within the

parameters described in this Article except by mutual agreement among the faculty member, the

State MSCF, and the college president or designee. If an overload condition is created,

compensation shall be according to the overload calculation in Article 13, Section 19. A grievance

regarding this section may be initiated at Step 2. The time limit for any such grievance will begin

when the written notice is received by either the MSCF Chapter grievance representative or the

State MSCF.

Section 8. Alternate Delivery. Whenever possible, the administration will work cooperatively

with faculty when assignments for distance learning, combined classes, flex labs, and/or student-

choice multi-modal course delivery are necessary.

Subd. 1. Distance Learning. The intent of distance learning, including tele-courses, is to

provide student access to instruction and services. Materials developed expressly for distance

learning by the faculty may not be reused without the faculty member’s permission. The

faculty member shall not be responsible for maintenance of equipment. The terms and

conditions of this Contract shall apply to faculty who are providing distance learning.

Consistent with Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments”, the formula for calculating the

workload value of distance-learning assignments shall be as follows:

• Lecture courses delivered through a distance-learning mode shall be valued at one (1)

credit for each one (1) lecture hour.

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• Laboratory courses delivered through a distance-learning mode shall be valued at one

(1) credit for each two (2) laboratory hours.

Subd. 2. Flex Labs/Individualized Instruction. In accordance with Appendix G, “Schedule

of Assignments”, a flex lab is defined as follows:

A flex lab is a mode of delivery (just as lecture, lab, online, hybrid, and distance learning are

modes of delivery) whose discrete course components (which include an outline, syllabus,

assessment, and stated outcomes) are not scheduled at specific times. Flex labs are

asynchronous and students who register for a course delivered as a flex lab will progress at

their own pace. Students may receive a packet of materials in support of their individualized

instruction and learning. Unlike some of the other delivery modes referenced above, flex labs

are held in a physical location.

The formula for calculating the workload of flex-lab assignments shall be outlined in Appendix

G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 3. Student-Choice Multi-Modal Courses: Design and Delivery. Commencing at

the start of the first full semester after ratification of this Agreement by the Legislature, the

design and delivery of student-choice multi-modal courses as defined in this subdivision will

be subject to the special provisions set forth herein, in addition to other applicable terms of this

Agreement. This subdivision is a pilot, and it and all of its terms will expire at the end of the

day on June 30, 2025.

A. Student-Choice Multi-Modal Course Criteria. This subdivision applies only to courses

that include all of the following characteristics:

1. Student option to participate flexibly between the course’s designated modes of

instructional delivery as the student chooses and to change the selected mode of

delivery and participation at the convenience of the student throughout the duration of

the course; and

2. In-person instructional delivery and student participation at designated class times that

continues throughout the duration of the course; and

3. In addition to criteria A.1 and A.2 above, either or both of the following modes of

online instructional delivery and student participation:

a) Synchronous online instruction and online student participation that occur

simultaneously with the in-person delivery of the course and continue throughout

the duration of the course; and/or

b) Asynchronous online instruction and online student participation that continue

throughout the duration of the course.

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B. Additional Terminology. For purposes of this subdivision:

1. Bi-Modal. Courses that satisfy criteria A.1, A.2, and one of the modes of online

instructional delivery/participation in A.3 (either “a” or “b”), above, will be referred to

as “bi-modal” courses.

2. Tri-Modal. Courses that satisfy criteria A.1, A.2, and both modes of online

instructional delivery/participation in A.3 (i.e., both “a” and “b”) will be referred to as

“tri-modal” courses.

C. First-Time Instructional-Design Stipend. Faculty members whom the college assigns to

teach a course using student-choice multi-modal delivery, as defined above in Part A of

this subdivision, shall receive, at the start of the faculty member’s initial delivery of the

multi-modal course for the college, a stipend for having designed and developed the course

for multi-modal delivery.

1. Stipend Amount. The amount of this stipend shall be as follows:

a) Tri-Modal Courses: Seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per credit that the college

has assigned the faculty member for the faculty member’s initial delivery of the tri-

modal course. If the college assigns the faculty member more than three (3) credits

for the faculty member’s initial delivery of the tri-modal course, the faculty

member’s instructional-design stipend for the course will be capped at two

thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($2250), regardless of the number of student

grading-cohorts to whom the faculty member has been assigned to deliver the

course.

b) Bi-Modal Courses: The per-credit stipend amount and dollar limit will be half

(1/2) that provided for tri-modal courses in subdivision 3.C.1(a), above.

2. Course Cancellation Prior to Delivery. In the event the college cancels the multi-

modal course fewer than thirty (30) calendar days prior to the course’s scheduled start

date, the faculty member still will receive the instructional-design stipend. Should the

course be cancelled thirty (30) or more calendar days prior to its scheduled start date

and/or ultimately not be delivered by the faculty member due to other circumstances

beyond the faculty member’s control, the college, at its discretion, may still pay the

faculty member the instructional-design stipend. The college may condition payment

of the instructional-design stipend on the faculty member’s providing to the college

satisfactory evidence of complete development/design of the course for student-choice

multi-modal delivery.

3. Additional Terms:

a) This stipend is not counted for purposes of Article 13, Section 9 (“Miscellaneous

Wages”) and Article 13, Section 19 (“Overload Assignments and Overload Salary

Maximum”).

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b) A faculty member will not receive the instructional-design stipend more than once

per course at a college, regardless of whether the faculty member is assigned to

deliver the course again at the college in a subsequent semester using either bi-

modal or tri-modal instructional delivery.

D. Course-Delivery Stipend. Faculty members whom the college assigns to teach a course

using student-choice multi-modal delivery, as defined in part A of this subdivision, shall

receive a stipend for the faculty member’s initial delivery of the student-choice multi-

modal course, provided the course runs with the faculty member assigned as its instructor

of record. The faculty member will receive the initial-delivery stipend for each grading

cohort of students to whom the faculty member initially delivers the multi-modal course.

Course-delivery stipends are not counted for purposes of Article 13, Section 9

(“Miscellaneous Wages”) and Article 13, Section 19 (“Overload Assignments and

Overload Salary Maximum”).

1. Stipend Amount:

a) Tri-Modal Courses: Two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per credit that the college

has assigned the faculty member for the faculty member’s initial delivery of the tri-

modal course. If the college has assigned the faculty member more than three (3)

credits for the initial delivery of the course to a specific grading cohort of students,

the stipend for the faculty member’s delivery of the course to that student cohort

will be capped at seven hundred fifty dollars ($750).

b) Bi-Modal Courses. The per-credit stipend amount and dollar amount per grading-

cohort of students will be half (1/2) that provided for tri-modal courses in Subd.

3.D.1(a), above.

c) Subsequent Delivery. After a faculty member’s initial delivery of a specific

student-choice multi-modal course at the college, the college may reduce, increase,

or end the course-delivery stipend for subsequent academic terms in which the

college assigns the faculty member to teach the course using multi-modal

instructional delivery. If the college determines to continue and increase the stipend

to the faculty member for delivery of the course in a subsequent academic term, the

stipend amount may not equate to more than double the per-credit delivery-stipend

rates described above, dependent on whether the course is bi-modal or tri-modal.

E. Additional Terms.

1) Eligible Faculty Appointment Statuses. Student-choice multi-modal courses, as

defined in Subd. 3.A, above, may be offered to faculty in any appointment status

provided by Article 20 of this Agreement.

2) Mutual Agreement. Student-choice multi-modal courses, as defined in Subd. 3.A,

above, may only be assigned to a faculty member with mutual agreement between the

faculty member and the college administration.

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3) Notice. The college will timely notify the local MSCF Chapter of such agreements and

the identity of the affected faculty member.

4) Consistency. The modes of instructional delivery under subdivision 3.A and B, above,

shall be determined for the course prior to its being assigned to a faculty member and

shall remain consistent for the duration of the term in which the course runs.

5) Class-Size Limits – Initial Delivery. The first academic term that a faculty member

is assigned to deliver a specific course at the college using student-choice multi-modal

delivery, as defined in part A of this subdivision, enrollment in each grading cohort of

the multi-modal course assigned to the faculty member will be limited to thirty (30)

students or the established in-person enrollment maximum, whichever is less.

Section 9. Student Activity Assignments. Student activity assignments to faculty members shall

be given equitable credit equivalence on each campus according to the following:

In addition to the credit-values listed below in this Section for the named student-activity

assignments, for workload purposes student-activity assignments with credit values shall also be

given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour value shall be determined according to the applicable

formula listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

Subd. 1. Uniform Assignments Credit Equivalencies

A. Athletics

Effective July 1, 2022:

Football (Head) 9

Football (Asst.) 4

Wrestling (Head) 9

Wrestling (Asst.) 4

Baseball 9

Volleyball 9

Basketball (Head Women’s) 9

Basketball (Head Men’s) 9

Basketball (Asst. Women’s) 4

Basketball (Asst. Men’s) 4

Soccer (Women’s) 9

Soccer (Men’s) 9

Softball 9

Cross Country (Combined) 4.5

Cross Country (Men’s) 3

Cross Country (Women’s) 3

Golf (Men’s) 3

Golf (Women’s) 3

Golf (Combined) 4.5

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Clay Target Shooting (Men’s) 3

Clay Target Shooting (Women’s) 3

Clay Target Shooting (Combined) 4.5

Tennis (Women’s) 3

Tennis (Men’s) 3

Tennis (Combined) 4.5

When the teams are combined because the total participants are fewer than fifteen (15) and

the sport is coached by one faculty member, the coaching credit equivalency shall be 4.5

credits. When the number of total participants is fifteen (15) or greater, the teams shall

continue as two separate teams at three (3) credits each. In this case, the same faculty

member may coach both teams, as assigned.

When combined teams participate in both men’s and women’s national tournaments, the

additional coaching duties shall be recognized through reasonable credit equivalence

(Section 7 of this Article).

See also Article 13, Section 18 (“Coaching Salaries”).

B. Athletic Coordination. Credit equivalency allocation to be based on number of sports for

which there is responsibility, as follows:

Sport Credit Equivalencies

General Responsibility (Men’s) 2.5 Subtract from total

General Responsibility (Women’s) 2.5 the amount received

Football (Men’s) 2.5 for football in

Volleyball (Women’s) 2.5 summer before the

Wrestling (Men’s) 2.5 contract year starts.

Basketball (Men’s) 2.5

Basketball (Women’s) 2.5

Soccer (Men’s) 2.5

Soccer (Women’s) 2.5

Baseball (Men’s) 2.0

Softball (Women’s) 2.0

Cross Country (Combined) .5

Cross Country (Men’s) .5

Cross Country (Women’s) .5

Golf (Men’s) .5

Golf (Women’s) .5

Golf (Combined) .5

Clay Target Shooting (Men’s) .5

Clay Target Shooting (Women’s) .5

Clay Target Shooting (Combined) .5

Tennis (Women’s) .5

Tennis (Men’s) .5

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Tennis (Combined) .5

Athletic coordinators may responsibly direct other members of the bargaining unit in their

activity only, and may perform other administrative duties, but may not exercise other

supervisory responsibility as defined in M.S. 179A.03, Subd. 17.

C. Theater

1. Major Production:

Seven (7) credits per major

production to be divided as

appropriate by and between the

director and the technical director(s),

at the request of the director.

2. Minor Production:

Four (4) credits per minor production,

to be divided as appropriate by and

between the director and the technical

director.

D. Music

1. Major Group:

Five (5) credits per semester; a group

that rehearses a minimum of four (4)

times per week or a minimum of two

hundred (200) minutes per week, and

has a minimum of one (1) major

performance each semester.

2. Intermediate Group:

Four (4) credits per semester; a group

that rehearses a minimum of three (3)

times per week or a minimum of one

hundred-fifty (150) minutes per week,

and has a minimum of one (1) major

performance each semester.

3. Minor Group:

Three (3) credits per semester; a group

that rehearses a minimum of two (2)

times per week or a minimum of one

hundred (100) minutes per week, and

has a minimum of one (1) major

performance each semester.

4. Specialty Group:

Credits determined under non uniform

assignments; group does not meet the

specifications of 1. 2. or 3. above.

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The number of rehearsals shall be a part of the course outline as approved by the Academic

Affairs and Standards Council. For music activities, the credit equivalency of the instructor

will not be affected by the extent to which students do or do not receive credit for participation.

E. Publications

1. Major Publication:

Five (5) credits per semester; a

publication which requires four (4) or

more multi-page publications or E-

publications per semester.

2. Minor Publication:

Three (3) credits per semester; a

publication which requires fewer than

four (4) publications or E-publications

per semester.

Subd. 2. Other Student Activity Assignments. Assignments to do the following student

activities shall be by mutual agreement between the faculty member and the administration.

Release time may be mutually agreed upon between the faculty member, the college president

or designee in consultation with the local grievance representative. If the method of

compensation involves release time, once the credit-value of the assignment has been

determined, for workload purposes the assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value.

The contact-hour value shall be determined according to the applicable formula listed in

Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.” If the method of compensation is not release time,

compensation for the assignment shall be as follows:

Assignment

Total Compensation

Campus Club Advisor

Not less than $500.00 each

academic year

Cheerleader Advisor

Not less than $175.00 each

academic year

Student Senate Advisor

A minimum of $1,400.00 and

up to $2,000.00 each academic

year

Supervision of a student club activity on a night

or weekend

$100.00 per day plus expenses

The above assignments are based on mutual agreement between the faculty member and the

college administration and must be approved in advance. These assignments may be shared

by two (2) or more faculty members; however, the total compensation for shared advisory

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duties shall be divided. The dollar amounts in the table above represent the total compensation

for the indicated advising responsibilities. Compensation will be appropriately prorated if a

faculty member performs a partial assignment.

To qualify for the one hundred dollar ($100.00) per diem compensation, the following

conditions must be met:

o The faculty member must complete and have administrative pre-approval of a student

activity assignment form.

o The faculty member must be involved in a pre-approved state or national vocational student

organization activity.

o The faculty member must be involved in a pre-approved student contact/direction activity.

o The faculty member must be spending the night through 6:00 a.m.

Subd. 3. Non-Uniform Activity Assignments.

The credit-value for all student-activity assignments that are not listed in Section 9. Subds. 1.

and 2. above shall be calculated according to the following formula:

The faculty member shall receive one (1) credit for every twenty (20) hours/twenty-seven (27)

hours (depending on the faculty status) anticipated with students in any of the following:

practice, rehearsal, performance, instruction and activity supervision. (This would include

such activities as forensics, costuming, choreography, technical directing or stage managing of

non-theater activities, intramurals, drill-dance teams and others not listed.) The assignment is

initially to be valued in credits, not as total number of hours to be devoted to all aspects of the

activity. The estimation of anticipated hours with students is merely a method for arriving at

the credit value.

Once the credit-value of the assignment has been determined, for workload purposes the

assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour value shall be

determined according to the applicable formula listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of

Assignments.”

Subd. 4. Variance from Named Credit-Values. Variance from the credit-values listed above

may be requested through the following process:

A. After discussion with the Shared Governance Council, variance from the credit-values

named in Section 9, Subds. 1, 2, and 3 above may be requested by the college president,

provided that justification is included which clearly demonstrates the need or desirability

for such variations. The requests and justification will be made in writing to the

Chancellor’s designee.

B. Both the Chancellor’s designee and the MSCF must agree to the variance prior to

implementation. If such variation is approved, the fact and the reasons for it shall be posted

on official bulletin boards.

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Subd. 5. Scheduling Activities and Credit Determination. The faculty member shall have

responsibility for scheduling the activity in cooperation with the administration. However, the

actual contact hours of the activity will not be counted in the determination of the faculty

member’s classroom contact hour limitation. Instead the resulting actual number of workload

credits will have corresponding contact hours in accordance with the applicable formula listed

in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.”

The classroom contact hours reduction shall be applied in total to the semester in which the

activity assignment occurs unless requested by the faculty member and agreed to by the

administration. The administration will endeavor to schedule classes for faculty members

having student activity assignments at such times that the combination of classes and activities

will result in reasonable elapsed time.

Section 10. Department and/or Division Coordinators/Chairpersons.

Subd. 1. Former MCCFA Faculty. The college president may establish, through the Shared

Governance Council at each college, department and/or division coordinator/chairperson

positions as needed for liberal arts and occupational programs within the former MCCFA

bargaining unit. If such positions are established, they shall be based upon faculty members’

community of interest.

Subd. 2. Former UTCE Faculty. The administration and the MSCF Chapter(s) shall

designate departments and/or divisions for programs formerly within the UTCE bargaining

unit, consistent with the college’s mission. Designation of departments and/or divisions shall

occur once each year. All faculty members who teach in programs formerly within the former

UTCE bargaining unit shall be a member of at least one (1) department and/or division. Each

designated department and/or division will have a coordinator/chairperson position.

Subd. 3. Selection Process. If the college chooses to establish coordinator/chair positions for

liberal arts and occupational programs within the former MCCFA bargaining unit, and after

departments and/or divisions have been established for technical programs within the former

UTCE bargaining unit, faculty members in each department and/or division may annually

submit to the college president a list of at least two (2) acceptable candidates for the position

of coordinator/chairperson. The college president shall appoint the department and/or division

coordinator/chairperson from among the acceptable candidates. However, if none of these will

voluntarily accept the appointment, or if no list is submitted, the college president may select

and appoint no later than May 15 a department and/or division coordinator/chairperson from

the department/division for a one (1) year term for the following year.

Subd. 4. Duties.

A. The administration at each college shall establish, through the Shared Governance Council,

the tasks and responsibilities that will be assigned to department and/or division

coordinator/chairperson position(s).

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B. Department and/or division coordinators/chairpersons shall coordinate the activities of the

department and/or division through regular consultation with all members of the

department and/or division, the Shared Governance Council, and the college president.

C. Department and/or division coordinators/chairpersons may responsibly direct other

members of the bargaining unit in their department and/or division only, but may not

exercise other supervisory responsibilities as defined by M.S. § 179A.03, Subd. 17. This

subdivision (Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 4.C) is excluded from the provisions of Article

11, Section 10, Subd. 8 (“Alternative Terms” below).

Subd. 5. Compensation. After coordinator/chairperson tasks and responsibilities have been

established according to Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 4 above, the college shall determine

compensation for the department and/or division coordinator/chairperson position

assignment(s) in accordance with the following:

A. Faculty in the Former MCCFA Bargaining Unit. If the president establishes

coordinator/chairperson positions for liberal arts divisions formerly within the MCCFA

bargaining unit, a credit equivalence shall be assigned to department, and/or division

coordinators/chairpersons for their coordination/chairperson responsibilities as follows:

1) If there are ten (10) or fewer FTE faculty positions in the department and/or division,

the credit equivalence shall be no less than three (3) per semester unless the chapter

president, coordinator, and college president agree in writing to a lesser amount

2) If there are more than ten (10) FTE faculty positions in the department and/or division,

at least one (1) additional equated credit per semester shall be assigned for each

additional ten (10) FTE faculty positions or fraction thereof.

Normally, the equated credits will be used in determining release time from other

assignments. However, in cases where the release time cannot reasonably be granted

without undue disruption of the responsibilities of the department and/or division, the

administration may elect to pay for the equated credits as overload pay. Also, the

administration may in such cases elect to assign part of the equated credits as release time

and the rest as overload pay. Once the credit-value of the assignment has been determined,

for workload purposes the assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value. The contact

hour value shall be determined according to the applicable formula listed in Appendix G,

“Schedule of Assignments.”

B. Occupational Programs in the Former MCCFA Bargaining Unit. If the president

establishes a coordinator/chairperson for an occupational program formerly within the

MCCFA bargaining unit, such coordinator/chairperson shall be given a minimum credit

equivalence of three (3) credits per semester, unless the MSCF Chapter president,

coordinator, and college president agree in writing to a lesser credit-equivalence. Once the

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credit-value of the assignment has been determined, for workload purposes it shall also be

given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour value shall be determined according to the

formula for Occupational Program Coordinators listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of

Assignments.”

C. Faculty in the Former UTCE Bargaining Unit. Any faculty member appointed to a

position of department/division coordinator/chairperson for programs formerly within the

UTCE bargaining unit may mutually agree with the administration to one of the following:

an annual stipend of three thousand three hundred dollars ($3,300.00); release time in

addition to the stipend of three thousand three hundred dollars ($3,300.00); or release time

equal to a minimum of three thousand three hundred dollars ($3,300.00) based on the

faculty member’s annual base salary prorated. Stipends paid pursuant to this paragraph are

not counted for purposes of Article 13, Section 9 (“Miscellaneous Wages”). If the method

of compensation involves release time, once the credit-value of the assignment has been

determined, for workload purposes the assignment shall also be given a contact-hour value.

The contact-hour value shall be determined according to the applicable formula listed in

Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.” If the method of compensation includes a

stipend, credits and corresponding contact hours will not apply to the stipend.

Subd. 6. Shared Coordinator/Chairperson Positions. The assignment of, and compensation

for, department and/or division coordinator/chairperson tasks and responsibilities may be divided

among and shared by up to three (3) faculty members by mutual agreement between the respective

faculty members, the local MSCF Chapter, and the college president (or president’s designee).

Such agreements shall be memorialized in writing.

Subd. 7. Overload Limitation. Department and/or division coordination/chairperson overload

pay may exceed the forty percent (40%) overload limitation; but if it does, such

department/division coordinator/chairperson shall not be eligible for additional overload pay, extra

weeks, or summer school. This subdivision (Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 7) is excluded from the

provisions of Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 8 (“Alternative Terms” below).

Subd. 8. Alternative Terms.

A. With respect to this subdivision, the college administration and the MSCF may mutually agree

to alternatives and/or modifications to any or all of the following:

1. The “Selection Process” provisions of Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 3 above;

2. The “Duties” provisions of Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 4 above, with the exception noted

in Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 4.C above; and/or

3. At the request of the respective faculty coordinator(s)/chair(s), the “Compensation” (and,

where applicable, workload) provisions of Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 5 above, subject

to the exception noted in Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 8.C below.

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B. If the college administration and the MSCF mutually agree to alternatives and/or modifications

pursuant to Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 8.A, the agreement shall be memorialized in writing.

C. Regardless of any terms mutually agreed upon pursuant to Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 8.A,

if the compensation/workload valuation involves a release-time credit equivalence, once the

college has determined the credit-value of the assignment, for workload purposes the

assignment also shall be given a contact-hour value. The contact-hour value shall be

determined according to the formula listed in Appendix G, “Schedule of Assignments.” If the

alternative method results in a stipend, credits and corresponding contact hours will not apply

to the stipend.

ARTICLE 12

WORKLOAD FOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Section 1. Definitions.

Management Programs: “Management Programs” are where instruction is delivered to

owners/operators/managers of farm and small businesses in the form of management credits.

Students use their business entities as a base for case study and receive instruction that applies to

business and financial principles. Instruction is primarily delivered in an individualized format at

the student’s business but is supplemented by appropriate group, classroom, or distance

instruction. Specific programs include: Farm Business Management, Sparsity Farm Business

Management, Small Business Management, Computerizing Small Business, Lamb & Wool

Management, and Specialty Crop Management.

Management Credit: “Management Credits” recognize the direct application of instruction by

the student at the business on a continuous basis and give the student credit for those applications

and experiences. The management credit equates to 48 hours of total student effort under the

semester system, which includes 4 hours of formalized instruction and 44 hours of student

application.

Initial Contract: “Initial Contract” refers to the annual workload assignment issued to the faculty

member which is one of the following: a Part-time contract, a base contract, or a base contract

plus a maximum of up to thirty-four (34) extended days.

Base Contract: “Base Contract” shall refer to the contract that is equal to a 1.0 FTE or 171 days.

Base Year: “Base Year” refers to the fiscal year, or the time period starting July 1 and concluding

June 30.

Extended Days: “Extended Days” refers to days earned for credits delivered in excess of the base

contract.

Credit Equivalence: “Credit Equivalence” shall be reasonable and may be calculated as a

proportion of the 30 or 32-credit load or as a proportion of the days worked.

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Section 2. Management Program Faculty Workload. This section establishes a workload for

delivery of management credits by management program faculty. All other provisions of this

Contract that are not contained in this section shall remain in full force and effect.

Management faculty shall be awarded an initial contract for one of the following: a part-time

contract, a base contract, or a base contract plus extended days. An initial contract shall be awarded

by administration based on the faculty member’s earned contract days and/or credit equivalency

in the previous fiscal year. The initial contract will be calculated on or before June 15, and the

faculty member will be informed of the contract length prior to the end of the current fiscal year.

Contracts shall be calculated by totaling the days earned from the charts in Subd. 1. and Subd. 2.

of this section.

Subd. 1. Management Faculty Credit Expectation for Base Contract. Registered

management credits shall be used in determining management faculty workload. Credit

expectations for the management faculty base contracts are as follows:

Contract Expectations up to Base

Credits Per Day

Up to 171 days

Farm Business Management

2.03

Sparsity Farm Business Management

Small Business Management

Computerizing Small Business

Specialty Crop Management

Lamb & Wool Management

1.79

Contract Length (Days) = Registered Credits

Credits Per Day

Subd. 2. Management Faculty Credit Expectation for Extended Days. Registered

management credits generated in the current year in excess of the base shall be used to calculate

extended days for the current year. Total workload for the delivery of management credits

including base and extended days shall be limited to a maximum of 1.4 FTE. Credit

expectations for extended days for management faculty are as follows:

Extended Day Credit Expectations

Credits Per Day

Level 1: 172 days to 205 days

Farm Business Management

2.25

Sparsity Farm Business Management

Small Business Management

Computerizing Small Business

Specialty Crop Management

Lamb & Wool Management

2.00

Contract Length (Days) = Registered Credits

Credits Per Day

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Extended Day Credit Expectations

Credits Per Day

Level 2: 206 days to 239 days

Farm Business Management

2.75

Sparsity Farm Business Management

Small Business Management

Computerizing Small Business

Specialty Crop Management

Lamb & Wool Management

2.50

Contract Length (Days) = Registered Credits

Credits Per Day

Subd. 3. Work Schedule. The number of duty days in the base contract for management

faculty shall be as specified in Article 10 of this Contract. On or before July 1 of each year,

the management faculty shall submit for approval to the college president or designee a

schedule of workdays for the initial contract up to a maximum of 205 days. This schedule

shall include student contact days and all duty days assigned by administration including

regularly scheduled department/division meetings. The schedule may be modified as needed

by the management faculty with prior approval of the college president or designee.

Section 3. Contract Adjustments. A review of registered credits shall be made January 15 and

April 15 to determine if an adjustment to the faculty member’s contract is needed.

Subd. 1. Contract Adjustment Increases. If the registered credits are more than the initial

contract expectation, management shall make an appropriate adjustment to faculty pay.

Subd. 2. Contract Adjustment Decrease. If the registered credits are less than the initial

contract expectation, management may make an appropriate adjustment to faculty pay. This

adjustment shall not reduce the contract below the base or initial part-time contract level.

Subd. 3. Payment. Salary adjustments shall be made on or before the second full pay period

following the contract adjustment.

Section 4. Final Calculation. A final calculation of additional workload for the current year will

be made according to registered credits at the close of the business day on June 30. If the credit

level exceeds the workload level determined in the previous contract adjustment, additional

extended days will be awarded, up to a maximum contract length of the 239 days.

Subd. 1. Payment. Salary adjustments will be made on or before the second full pay period

following the final calculation.

Section 5. Management Faculty New to a Program or Site. A probationary management

faculty member is expected to reach the initial contract credit expectation by the end of his/her

third year. The administration may allow unlimited faculty new to a program site flexibility in

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meeting the base contract credit expectation. Probationary and unlimited faculty, new to a program

or site, shall be awarded extended days according to the same guidelines established for other

management faculty.

When time is needed to establish/expand the program, administration may award extended days

beyond what is earned.

Section 6. Full-time Status for Unlimited Faculty. Unlimited faculty are considered full-time

if the credits delivered are at least ninety-five percent (95%) of the base expectation.

ARTICLE 13

WAGES

The evaluation of each faculty member’s credentials for initial salary schedule placement in

accordance with this Contract will be conducted in the system office. Each applicant who is

offered employment shall, at the time of the offer, be so notified in writing and shall be required

to complete the salary schedule placement application forms. The faculty member and the

MSCF’s designee shall be notified concurrently in writing of the final column and step

determination. Such determination shall be implemented at the beginning of any semester or of

the extra days that precede the semester.

Challenges to the salary schedule placement shall be raised by either the individual faculty

member or the MSCF within thirty (30) working days of receipt of the written placement to

be considered. For faculty members hired on or after July 1, 2002, requests for re-evaluation

will be granted one time during the employment of the faculty member. Such requests shall be

made no later than the end of the first year following completion of probation. Such requests

for fixed-term full-time, fixed-term part-time and temporary part-time faculty shall be made no

later than the end of six (6) semesters of employment.

Section 1. Initial Step Placement. The initial step placement shall reflect the number of years

of experience for which credit is given on the salary schedule and will be determined at the

college. Credit for teaching experience and/or relevant work experience, (as determined by the

college president or designee), shall be granted on a one (1) for one (1) basis according to the

full-time aggregate of experience. The aggregate sum of experience shall be rounded up to the

next salary step. For example: 1.5 years of experience equals Step 02; 5.25 years of experience

equals Step 06; 4.00 years of experience equals Step 05. Credit for military experience shall be

granted only in cases where the faculty member leaves the college for military service and returns

to the college after completion of the service and then shall be on a one (1) for one (1) basis.

Credit for secondary (grades 7-12) and post-secondary teaching experience shall be granted

regardless of the discipline area of teaching. Effective July 1, 2004, credit for elementary (grades

K-6) teaching experience shall be granted for faculty hired in the areas of reading, child

development, and education. Full-time appropriate teaching employment for one (1) academic

year shall count as one (1) year of experience and all time worked may be counted, but in no

instance can more than one (1) year of experience credit be earned in a fiscal year.

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A faculty member with one (1) year of relevant work experience shall be placed on the salary

schedule at step two (2).

Subd. 1. Step Limits.

Except as noted in Subd. 4. below, initial step placement shall not exceed:

Column I - Step 15

Column II - Step 13

Column III - Step 11

Column IV - Step 9

Column V - Step 7

The provisions of Subd. 1 of this section shall sunset and cease to be effective at the end of the

day on June 30, 2026.

Subd. 1.1. Step Limits after June 30, 2026. Except as noted in Subd. 4. below, initial step

placement shall not exceed:

Column I - Step 13

Column II - Step 11

Column III - Step 9

Column IV - Step 8

Column V - Step 7

Subd. 2. Placement for Re-employed Temporary Part-time, Converted Temporary Full-

time, Fixed-Term Full-Time, Fixed-Term Part-Time, and Adjunct Faculty. Temporary

part-time, converted temporary full-time, fixed-term full-time, fixed-term part-time and

adjunct faculty who have had a break in service (defined as no assignments for four (4)

or more consecutive semesters) and are re-employed will be placed on the salary schedule

where s/he was at the time of separation and including any salary schedule reformatting

and/or renumbering. If such step re-placement does not exceed the step limits, a faculty

member may request to have relevant interim work experience evaluated for a higher step

placement up to the step limit. However, any additional steps granted shall not be more than

the total number of collectively bargained steps granted to current faculty during the same

intervening period of time. The relevant interim work experience shall be credited on a one

(1) year for one (1) step basis.

An adjunct faculty member whose previous employment was limited to the per-credit rate of

pay shall upon receiving a probationary appointment be given credit for all appropriate

experience including work in the state colleges and the state universities subject to the

step placement limits contained in Subd. 1. of this section.

Subd. 3. Placement for Re-employed Unlimited Faculty. When a faculty member who has

previously been employed by the state colleges as unlimited full-time, or unlimited part-time

is re-employed, such faculty member will be placed on the salary schedule where s/he was at

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the time of separation and including any salary schedule reformatting and/or renumbering. If

the faculty member has relevant interim work experience, such work experience will be

evaluated for a higher step placement. However, any additional steps granted shall not be

more than the total number of collectively bargained steps granted to current faculty during

the same intervening period of time. The relevant interim work experience shall be credited

on a one (1) year for one (1) step basis.

Subd. 4. Exceptions to the Maximum Step Placement. Initial step placement may

exceed the step limits when:

A. A college takes over a program from another institution and also employs the faculty

member(s) in the program. Such faculty member cannot be placed higher than one step

above his/her former base salary; or

B. The MSCF and the system office have mutually agreed upon a waiver as requested by the

college administration.

Subd. 5. Job Market Stress. Between January 1 and January 15 of each year,

representatives from MSCF and the system office shall meet and mutually agree on

disciplines/program areas that are suffering job market stress. For those disciplines/program

areas identified, the step placement process shall be waived and new hires may be placed on

any step within the appropriate column. The designation for disciplines/program areas that

are identified as suffering job market stress will remain in effect for twenty-four (24) full

months following the month in which the designation occurs, unless the parties subsequently

mutually agree to end the discipline/program area’s designation sooner.

Section 2. Initial Column Placement. Initial column placement for new faculty hires at a

college shall reflect the respective faculty member’s amount of academic preparation for which

column-placement credit is given. Column placement for new faculty members shall be

established at the system office in accordance with Section 2, Subd. 1 “Definition of Columns”

and Section 3 “In-Field and In-Field Advanced Degrees and Credits,” below, and shall go into

effect at the beginning of employment. In order for a faculty member’s academic credentials to

satisfy the thresholds for column placement below, the faculty member must have maintained

an average grade of "B" in the academic credentials under consideration.

Subd. 1. Definition of Columns.

Column I. All faculty members who do not possess the academic credentials described

for Columns II through V, respectively, below shall be placed on Column I.

Column II. Bachelor’s degree or one hundred twenty (120) undergraduate semester

credits.

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Column III. Master's degree in the credential field, or a master's degree with fifteen (15)

graduate semester credits (twenty-three (23) graduate quarter credits) in the credential field,

or bachelor's degree with twenty-four (24) graduate semester credits (thirty-six (36) graduate

quarter credits) in the credential field.

Column IV. Master's or doctoral degree with thirty (30) graduate semester credits (forty-

five (45) graduate quarter credits) in the credential field.

Column V. Master's or doctoral degree with forty-five (45) graduate semester credits (sixty-

eight (68) graduate quarter credits) in the credential field.

Section 3. In-Field and In-Field Advanced Degrees and Credits. Credit(s) will be counted as

in-field

when any of the following apply:

A. The college department offering the course has the same name as the assignment or credential

field of the faculty member.

B. The course title indicates that the course is intended for the faculty member's assignment or

credential field.

C. The course description states that the course is intended specifically for the assignment or

credential field.

D. The faculty member has received written pre-approval from the college president or designee.

A copy of the approval shall be forwarded to the system office and MSCF. The written

pre-approval of specific courses for individuals will not set a precedent at the college or

system wide.

E. A faculty member with an assignment or a credential field of Accounting who holds a CPA

or CMA and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting shall be placed on Column III, but will have

to meet the other requirements for Column IV and V.

F. In the case of librarians, up to eight (8) graduate semester (twelve (12) graduate quarter)

credits in a combination of two (2) or more academic disciplines may be counted in-field for

movement to Column IV, and up to ten (10) graduate semester (fifteen (15) graduate quarter)

credits in a combination of two (2) or more academic disciplines may be counted as in-field

for movement to Column V.

Faculty members who are assigned to teach environmental science courses in the Biology

department of the college shall be granted in-field credit for graduate coursework in

environmental science; except those environmental science courses specifically designated

for other disciplines or law-related. These courses will not be counted as

in-field for Biology.

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H. Faculty members who are assigned to teach statistics courses in the Mathematics department

of the college shall be granted in-field credit for graduate coursework in statistics; except

those statistics courses specifically designated for other disciplines. These courses will not be

counted as in-field for Math.

I. Faculty who are consistently assigned in a discipline other than in their credential field(s)

shall be granted in-field credit for graduate credits in the discipline of the other assignment(s).

For this purpose, “consistently” shall be defined as at least one course per semester for two

(2) or more academic years and the college president verifies that the assignment will continue.

J. Undergraduate credits, if approved by the system office prior to enrollment in the course,

shall be counted as in-field graduate credit.

K. When the name of the assignment or credential field area of a faculty member is not the same

as that of an academic department such as history, sociology, etc., and is an assignment or

credential field which cuts across disciplinary lines, then the determination as to which

credits will count as in-field for such a faculty member will be made by the system office.

L. Master’s degree in Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Vocational Education or equivalent

shall be considered in-field for all instructors who teach in an occupational or technical area

in which there is no advanced degree available.

M. Advanced professional degrees may substitute for the master's degree for column movement

beyond Column III if all other requirements are met. Professional school credits may count

as graduate credits if they are in the credential field of the faculty member.

N. Credits will be considered to be graduate-level credits if such credits are granted by a

recognized institution of higher education that grants graduate level degrees and the faculty

member was granted graduate credit for the courses.

O. A total of six (6) undergraduate and/or graduate credits, the core course-content of which

demonstrates a direct focus on cultural-competency and/or cultural-fluency considerations

related to diversity, equity, and/or inclusion, will be counted as infield graduate-level credits

for initial column placement and for column-advancement purposes, provided that these

credits were earned after the effective date of the 2021-2023 MSCF Master Agreement.

Section 4. Column Advancement. A faculty member who is eligible to apply may apply for a

change to advance the faculty member’s current column placement based on either of the

following paths. These two paths are described in greater detail in Section 4, Subdivisions 2 and

3, below.

1) Higher education the faculty member has completed that meets the criteria in Section 4,

Subdivision 2, below; or

2) Alternative paths the faculty member has pursued that meet the criteria in Section 4,

Subdivision 3, below.

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The faculty member’s application for column advancement shall specify on which of these paths

the faculty member’s request for column advancement is based.

Subd. 1. Timing of All Faculty Applications for Column Advancement. With respect to

either of the above grounds for column advancement, no application for column advancement

will be considered for summer-session. Applications submitted after the start of spring

semester and before the start of fall semester will be deemed submitted for fall-semester

review.

With respect to all applications for column advancement - i.e., applications made on either of

the two (2) grounds listed above in this section, the effective date of an application approved

for column advancement will be as follows: provided the faculty member submits the

application materials specified below prior to the start of the semester (fall or spring), the

column advancement, if approved as provided in this section, will be effective as of the start

of the faculty member’s assignment for that semester, including any extra days or weeks prior

to the start of the semester that are included in the faculty member’s assignment.

Subd. 2. Column Advancement Based on Higher Education. A faculty member may

apply for column advancement based on higher education obtained by the faculty member

that has not already been evaluated and approved for initial salary placement or a previous

column advancement.

A faculty member may apply for a column advancement once the faculty member has

completed the academic requirements for placement in the column to which the faculty

member wishes to advance. These academic thresholds for the various columns are the

same as those described in Section 2, Subd. 1 “Definition of Columns.”

The faculty member’s application for column advancement must be documented and supported

as follows:

A. Prior to the start of the semester (fall or spring) for which the faculty member wishes the

requested column advancement to go into effect, the faculty member must provide to the

college Human Resources designee a complete application for column advancement. The

application must include: a written statement of the faculty member’s intent to advance

columns; the grounds upon which the column advancement is being sought; and

verification that the faculty member has completed the requirements for a column

advancement. The faculty member must include copies of official transcripts to support

the requested column advancement.

B. The college Human Resources designee will forward the faculty member’s complete

application for column advancement to the system office for review. The system office

will review the substance of the application. Provided that the system office’s review

concludes that the faculty member’s submitted higher-education documentation has

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satisfied the grounds for column advancement, the column advancement will be granted.

Once the system has verified that a column advancement is warranted and approved, the

salary of the faculty member will be adjusted accordingly. Such adjustment will apply

retroactively to the start of the faculty member's assignment for that semester.

C. Column advancement based on changes of assignment or credential field are subject to the

same timing provisions of Section 4, Subd. 1, above, that apply to column advancement

based on other grounds.

D. A change of the assignment or credential field shall not result in a decrease in pay for a

faculty member.

Subd. 3. Pilot: Column Advancement Based on Alternative Paths.

A. Pilot Status of Subdivision 3. The terms of this subdivision are a pilot. This subdivision

and all of its terms (as well as any related references outside of this subdivision, located

elsewhere in Section 4, Column Advancement) will sunset (end) effective June 30, 2026.

B. Introduction. As an alternative to column advancement based on higher education,

faculty who meet the threshold eligibility in subdivision 3.C, below shall have the option

to apply for column advancement by documenting, through the process described in this

subdivision, alternative activities and accomplishments that fall within one or more of the

categories enumerated in Subdivision 3.F (“Other Requirements for Column

Advancement”), below. In order to result in column advancement under this subdivision,

such activities and accomplishments must also, when considered in the totality of the

faculty member’s application, both:

i. credibly demonstrate substance comparable to the completion of an academic degree

(a bachelor’s degree for advancement to column II; a master’s degree for column III);

and

ii. exceed all of the following:

a) the minimum qualifications for the faculty member’s credential field;

b) the normal professional development required for the faculty member as part of

the faculty member’s teaching assignment; and

c) certifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities of students graduating from the

faculty member’s program.

C. Eligibility Thresholds for Submission of Application. In order to be eligible to submit

an application for column advancement under this subdivision, in addition to being subject

to the limitations in Subd. 3.G below, a faculty member must meet all of the following

requirements:

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1. The faculty member must have accumulated a total of at least 1.0 FTE continuous

service with the Minnesota State colleges at the time of application. For purposes of

this paragraph, “continuous service” and “FTE” will be interpreted consistent with how

these terms are used in Subd. 3.G(3)(a-e), below;

2. The faculty member must hold a faculty appointment status that is paid off the salary

schedule (i.e., unlimited, fixed-term (full-time or part-time), or temporary part-time);

3. If the faculty member holds a credential field, the faculty member’s appointment must

be in a credential field for which there is no in-field advanced degree (i.e., master’s

degree or higher) option for column advancement;

4. If the faculty member does not hold a credential field, the faculty member’s “designated

assignment,” as defined by Minnesota State Board Policy, must be in a field, discipline,

or program for which there is no advanced degree (i.e., master’s degree or higher)

option for column advancement;

5. At the time of application, the faculty member must be positioned at either Column I

or Column II on the MSCF salary schedule.

D. Consultation and Pre-Approval. Faculty members should discuss their intention to apply

for column advancement with the faculty member’s supervising administrator in advance

of undertaking activities intended to meet the criteria set forth in this subdivision. Faculty

members are strongly encouraged to seek, secure, and retain the college president’s or

president’s designee’s written, signed pre-approval of activities and experiences intended

for this purpose. Such pre-approved agreements shall be honored by future changes in

college administration.

E. Activities/Accomplishments Undertaken Prior to Start of Pilot. Although advance

consultation as described in Subd. 3.D above, is strongly encouraged, a faculty member’s

activities and/or accomplishments begun and/or completed prior to the start of this pilot

will not be excluded from consideration, provided the activities/accomplishments

otherwise meet the requirements of this subdivision.

F. Other Requirements for Column Advancement. In addition to meeting the terms in

Subd. 3.B, above, and the application-eligibility thresholds in Subd. 3.C above, in order to

receive column advancement under this subdivision, a faculty member’s application must

credibly prove that the faculty member engaged in activities or had experiences that fall

within one or more of the following enumerated categories. These activities and

experiences also must satisfy the requirements of Subd. 3.B(i) and (ii), above.

1) Coursework and/or training recognized and certified by an organization that aligns with

the faculty member’s credential field and exceeds any certifications that might be

obtained by students in the faculty member’s college program as part of students’

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coursework and/or participation in the program. The faculty member may obtain such

coursework and/or training concurrent with occupational (i.e., non-faculty)

employment outside the faculty member’s college; and/or

2) Documented research/study, which may be either theoretical or practical/applied in

nature - which demonstrates innovation in skills and/or technologies within the faculty

member’s credential field as well as topical significance to leaders and practitioners in

the faculty member’s field; and/or

3) Authoring or co-authoring articles and/or professional-development materials, that

align with the faculty member’s credential field, in trade/industry-recognized national

and/or international publications such as journals, magazines, and/or

trade/professional-association resources; and/or

4) Leadership experiences and/or leadership positions in the occupational field that are of

significant rigor, substance, and alignment with the faculty member’s credential field;

and/or

5) Membership in and/or certification by a national and/or international trade or

professional association in the faculty member’s credential field, provided that all of

the following criteria are satisfied:

a) Membership in and/or certification by the association is widely recognized

nationally and/or internationally by leading practitioners in the field as signifying

the association’s recognition and/or endorsement of the member’s excellence in the

field (i.e., that the person awarded membership meets the association’s high

standards in relevant areas including but not limited to: professional ability,

expertise, innovation, and integrity); and

b) Membership in and/or certification by the association is based on merit, with

requirements/criteria for membership/certification that include substantial

occupational (i.e., non-teaching) experience in the field as well as demonstrated,

high-level professional skills/expertise and quality of work in the field; and

c) The association must have a Governing Board and a published Code of Ethics.

G. Limitations.

1. Faculty members will not be permitted to advance beyond Column III using this option.

Faculty seeking column movement beyond Column III must meet the requirements for

Columns IV and V as outlined in Article 13, Section 4, Subd. 2.

2. Faculty members will not be permitted to re-use activities, accomplishments, and/or

experiences that were accepted and factored into the determination of the faculty

member’s initial column placement or a previous column advancement.

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3. Faculty members may not advance columns under this subdivision more than once

every three (3) years of continuous service. For purposes of this subdivision:

a) A faculty member’s accumulated total of 1.0 continuous FTE will count as a year

of service.

b) Continuous service shall mean holding a college faculty assignment at least one (1)

semester (fall and/or spring) in each academic year.

c) Continuous service in any of the Minnesota State colleges shall be included in the

calculation of full-time equivalency (FTE).

d) FTE will include all FTE worked in an academic year (i.e., fall and spring

semester).

e) Faculty members working part-time and/or at multiple colleges, will have FTE

aggregated for an academic year on a systemwide basis but truncated at 1.0 FTE

for any given academic year.

4. Faculty members may not advance more than one (1) column at a time under this

subdivision.

5. Faculty members who possess an academic credential which does not fully satisfy the

minimum qualifications for the system-established credential field are not eligible to

apply for column advancement under this subdivision.

H. Application for Column Change. Faculty members wishing to apply for a column change

pursuant to this subdivision must submit, as part of the faculty member’s application, a

portfolio that clearly describes and sufficiently documents and/or demonstrates how the

faculty member meets the criteria for column advancement under this subdivision. The

portfolio shall contain a table of contents. The application and portfolio shall be submitted

to the faculty member’s college Human Resources department. The timing provisions in

Section 4, Subd. 1, above, will apply with respect to both submission of the faculty

member’s application as well as the effective date for any approved column advancement.

1. College Evaluation and Decision. The college’s Human Resources and Academic

Affairs divisions will collaborate to review the application and portfolio and may

choose to consult with the program advisory committee, other subject matter experts in

the field, and/or the system office in order to assess and determine whether the contents

of the application and portfolio demonstrate that the faculty member has met the

requirements for column advancement under this subdivision. The college shall

provide the faculty member with written notice of the college’s decision. If the

college’s decision is a denial, the college’s written notice will include a summary of

the reason(s) the faculty member’s application was denied.

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A college’s determination(s)/decision(s) with respect to applications submitted under

this subdivision will not set precedent regarding salary determinations of any kind at

other colleges, systemwide, and/or made by the system office. Unless otherwise

explicitly specified in this subdivision, college-based determination(s)/decision(s) with

respect to column-advancement applications under this subdivision are not subject to

the provisions of Article 27 (“Grievance Procedure”).

2. Appeal to College President.

a) If the college denies the faculty member’s application for column advancement

under paragraph H.1, above, the faculty member will have thirty (30) calendar days

from the date of the college’s written decision to submit an appeal of the denial to

the college president.

b) The faculty member must submit the appeal in writing. The faculty member’s

written appeal must clearly and specifically articulate good-faith reasons the faculty

member believes the college’s original decision to be in error and/or warranting

reconsideration.

c) The president’s appellate review of materials submitted by the faculty member will

be limited to the following: the faculty member’s written rationale for the appeal

and the original contents of the faculty member’s application for column

movement/portfolio. The faculty member may not submit additional, supplemental

materials for inclusion in the portfolio at the appeal stage.

d) The college president may grant or deny the appeal. The college shall provide the

faculty member with written notice of the president’s decision. If the president’s

decision is a denial, the written notice to the faculty member will include a summary

of the reason(s) the faculty member’s appeal was denied by the president.

e) Appeal determination(s)/decision(s) by a college’s president with respect to

column-advancement applications submitted under this subdivision will not set

precedent regarding salary determinations of any kind at other colleges,

systemwide and/or made by the system office.

f) Unless otherwise explicitly specified in this subdivision, college-based

determination(s)/decision(s) with respect to applications under this subdivision are

not subject to the Article 27 Grievance Procedure.

g) If, after having fully complied with the application criteria and requirements in this

subdivision and the terms above for appeal to the college president, the faculty

member and the local MSCF chapter believe the college’s denial of the faculty

member’s application for column advancement under this subdivision is

unwarranted, they may request that the MSCF bring the matter to a Joint Labor

Management (“JLM”) meeting with Minnesota State for discussion. Following

the JLM meeting, the JLM committee may issue, with respect to the college’s

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decision, a statement indicating the committee’s concurrence, impasse, or

recommendation that the college reconsider its decision. Before requesting to

convene such a meeting with Minnesota State, the MSCF shall gather and assess

the relevant underlying facts and confirm that:

i. the faculty member’s application and appeal materials demonstrate

compliance with the terms of this subdivision, and

ii. the MSCF has determined the local request for system-level Joint Labor

Management discussion to have merit.

Such meetings shall be scheduled as needed at the request of the MSCF, not to

exceed one (1) per month absent mutual agreement between the MSCF and

Minnesota State Labor Relations.

Subd. 4. Formerly Licensed Faculty Members on Column I or Column II. Faculty

members who held a five-year license prior to July 1, 2006 and are currently placed on

Column I or II shall be granted a column change from either Column I to Column II or from

Column II to Column III, provided they have met the requirements set forth in the March

22, 2006 Memorandum of Agreement appended here as Appendix E.

Faculty members who hold more than one (1) license will be able to use this provision only

once during a five-year period.

Section 5. Awards for Excellence. At the discretion of the college president or designee, a

faculty member may be granted an award for excellence of up to two thousand five hundred

dollars ($2,500.00), subject to the following limitations:

A. A faculty member or a group of faculty members seeking consideration for an award for

excellence will submit a written proposal that has been approved by the individual’s or

individuals’ supervising administrator(s) to a college award for excellence committee.

The proposal must specifically delineate either: a.) performance objective to be achieved

during an identified period of time that are above and beyond the normal requirements of

the individual’s position(s), and a method of assessing the outcome; or b.) special project

goals during an identified period of time, and a method of assessing the outcome. The

committee will be composed of an equal number of college administrators appointed by

the college president or designee and MSCF faculty members appointed by the MSCF

Chapter president. The committee may accept, reject or make suggestions on how to

improve the proposal to make it acceptable. Rejected proposals and proposals with

improvement suggestions shall be returned to the proposer(s). In the event the committee

is deadlocked the proposal shall be forwarded, with supporting documentation, to the

college president or designee for a decision.

B. Proposals deemed acceptable by the committee will be forwarded to the college president

or designee, who may approve the proposal. At the time of approval, the college president

shall identify the monetary award to be paid upon successful completion of the proposal.

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Approval of the college president or designee must be received prior to initiation of the

plan.

C. Each college may propose additional reasonable and necessary written guidelines, for this

committee’s use after review by the Faculty Shared Governance Council.

D. Failure to complete the objectives and/or goals of the project shall result in no award for

excellence being given but shall not be cause for any discipline or loss of professional

advantage.

E. Upon completion of the objectives and/or goals of the proposal, the faculty member(s)

will provide written notice to the committee and describe how the objectives and/or goals

have been achieved. The committee will meet and prepare a written recommendation for

the college president or designee whether or not to issue an award for excellence. The

committee shall keep minutes of its meetings and post them.

F. The college president or designee may accept or reject the committee’s recommendation

if the recommendation is neutral or negative. If the recommendation is positive, the

college president or designee shall authorize payment.

G. This payment will be in the form of a one-time lump sum payment, and it will not be

added to the faculty member’s base salary. This lump sum payment shall be exempt from

the forty percent (40%) overload salary maximum.

H. Work done for an Award for Excellence is excluded from hiring practices calculation.

Section 6. Step Movement.

Subd. 1. Career Steps.

A. Eligibility.

i. Effective July 1, 2024, all unlimited full-time, unlimited part-time, fixed-term

full-time, fixed-term part-time, and temporary part-time (including temporary

part-time faculty converted to temporary full-time per Article 20, Section 5,

Subd. 1) faculty members who have completed twelve (12) consecutive years

of service in the MSCF bargaining unit and who are not at the top step of the

salary schedule shall, at the beginning of the faculty member’s thirteenth (13

)

consecutive year of service in the MSCF bargaining unit, receive one (1)

additional step on the salary schedule.

ii. All unlimited full-time, unlimited part-time, fixed-term full-time, fixed-term

part-time, and temporary part-time (including temporary part-time faculty

converted to temporary full-time per Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) faculty

members who have completed fifteen (15) consecutive years of service in the

MSCF bargaining unit and who are not at the top step of the salary schedule

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shall, at the of beginning the faculty member’s sixteenth (16th) consecutive

year of service in the MSCF bargaining unit, receive one (1) additional step on

the salary schedule.

iii. All unlimited full-time, unlimited part-time, fixed-term full-time, fixed-term

part-time, and temporary part-time (including temporary part-time faculty

converted to temporary full-time per Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) faculty

members who have completed twenty (20) consecutive years of service in the

MSCF bargaining unit and who are not at the top step of the salary schedule

shall receive one (1) additional step at the salary schedule at the beginning of

the faculty member’s twenty-first (21

) consecutive year of service in the

MSCF bargaining unit.

iv. For purposes of this subdivision, a “year of service” means that the faculty

member has completed an assignment of at least five (5) credits (or the

equivalent thereof) in at least one semester (i.e., either fall or spring, but not

summer) of the academic year at one or more Minnesota State college(s). An

academic year which did not constitute a year of service, as defined above, for

the faculty member shall constitute a break in the consecutive years of service,

with the following exceptions:

a) Paid Leaves. For purposes of this subdivision, paid leaves of absence shall

be treated the same as time worked and shall not constitute a break in the

consecutive years of service;

b) Unpaid Leaves. For purposes of this subdivision, unpaid leave of absence

under Article 15 shall not be treated as time worked, but shall not constitute

a break in consecutive years of service.

B. Lump-Sum Payment in Lieu of Step.

i. Effective July 1, 2024, faculty members who are at the top of the salary

schedule and who otherwise would be eligible for a Career Step under Section

6, Subd. 1.A(i), above, shall receive, at the beginning of the faculty member’s

thirteenth (13

) consecutive year of service in the MSCF bargaining unit, a

one-time lump-sum payment equivalent to one (1) step. The lump-sum

payment for part-time faculty shall be prorated according to the faculty

member’s FTE in the preceding academic year (i.e., cumulative FTE for fall

and spring semesters, truncated at 1.0).

ii. Faculty members who are at the top of the salary schedule and who otherwise

would be eligible for a Career Step under Section 6, Subd. 1.A(ii), above, shall

receive, at the beginning of the faculty member’s sixteenth (16

) consecutive

year of service in the MSCF bargaining unit, a one-time lump-sum payment

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equivalent to one (1) step. The lump-sum payment for part-time faculty shall

be prorated according to the faculty member’s FTE in the preceding academic

year (i.e., cumulative FTE for fall and spring semesters, truncated at 1.0).

iii. Faculty members who are at the top of the salary schedule and who otherwise

would be eligible for a Career Step under Section 6, Subd. 1.A(iii), above,

shall receive a one-time lump-sum payment equivalent to one (1) step at the

beginning of the faculty member’s twenty-first (21

) consecutive year of

service in the MSCF bargaining unit. The lump-sum payment for part-time

faculty shall be prorated according to the faculty member’s FTE in the

preceding academic year (i.e., cumulative FTE for fall and spring semesters,

truncated at 1.0).

C. One-Time Catch-Up Provision. Faculty members who, as of July 1, 2024, have

completed more than twelve (12) consecutive years of service in the MSCF

bargaining unit and who otherwise would meet the terms in A(i) of this subdivision

shall receive one (1) additional step on the salary schedule, or, if the faculty member

is at the top of the salary schedule, a one-time lump sum payment equivalent to one

(1) step. The lump-sum payment for part-time faculty shall be prorated according

to the faculty member’s FTE in the preceding academic year (i.e., cumulative FTE

for fall and spring semesters, truncated at 1.0).

Subd. 2. Progression Step Advancement.

A. Academic Year 2023-2024 Eligibility. A faculty member who, during the 2022-2023

academic year, was employed at least one (1) semester (fall and/or spring), paid

according to the salary schedule, and not at the top step of the faculty member’s

respective salary column, shall advance one (1) step on the salary schedule effective

July 1, 2023, if the faculty member is employed and paid off the salary schedule for

any period of time between July 1, 2023, until the end of spring semester 2024.

B. Academic Year 2024-2025 Eligibility. A faculty member, who during the 2023-2024

academic year, was employed at least one (1) semester (fall and/or spring), paid

according to the salary schedule, and not at the top step of the faculty member’s

respective salary column, shall advance one (1) step on the salary schedule effective

July 1, 2024, if the faculty member is employed and paid off the salary schedule for

any period of time between July 1, 2024, and the end of spring semester 2025.

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Section 7. Salary Schedules and Differential Pay.

Subd. 1

. The salary schedule for the

2023-2024 academic year, to be effective July 1,

2023 shall be as follows:

STEPS

COLUMN I

COLUMN II

COLUMN III

COLUMN IV

COLUMN V

41,976

45,990

50,004

54,018

58,032

43,983

47,997

52,011

56,025

60,039

45,990

50,004

54,018

58,032

62,046

47,997

52,011

56,025

60,039

64,053

50,004

54,018

58,032

62,046

66,060

52,011

56,025

60,039

64,053

68,067

54,018

58,032

62,046

66,060

70,074

56,025

60,039

64,053

68,067

72,081

58,032

62,046

66,060

70,074

74,088

60,039

64,053

68,067

72,081

76,095

62,046

66,060

70,074

74,088

78,102

64,053

68,067

72,081

76,095

80,109

66,060

70,074

74,088

78,102

82,116

68,067

72,081

76,095

80,109

84,123

70,074

74,088

78,102

82,116

86,130

72,081

76,095

80,109

84,123

88,137

74,088

78,102

82,116

86,130

90,144

76,095

80,109

84,123

88,137

78,102

82,116

86,130

90,144

80,109

84,123

88,137

82,116

86,130

90,144

84,123

88,137

86,130

90,144

88,137

90,144

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Subd. 2. The salary schedule for the 2024-2025 academic year, to be effective July 1,

2024, shall be as follows:

STEPS

COLUMN I

COLUMN II

COLUMN III

COLUMN IV

COLUMN V

43,067

47,185

51,303

55,421

59,539

45,126

49,244

53,362

57,480

61,598

47,185

51,303

55,421

59,539

63,657

49,244

53,362

57,480

61,598

65,716

51,303

55,421

59,539

63,657

67,775

53,362

57,480

61,598

65,716

69,834

55,421

59,539

63,657

67,775

71,893

57,480

61,598

65,716

69,834

73,952

59,539

63,657

67,775

71,893

76,011

61,598

65,716

69,834

73,952

78,070

63,657

67,775

71,893

76,011

80,129

65,716

69,834

73,952

78,070

82,188

67,775

71,893

76,011

80,129

84,247

69,834

73,952

78,070

82,188

86,306

71,893

76,011

80,129

84,247

88,365

73,952

78,070

82,188

86,306

90,424

76,011

80,129

84,247

88,365

92,483

78,070

82,188

86,306

90,424

94,542

80,129

84,247

88,365

92,483

82,188

86,306

90,424

94,542

84,247

88,365

92,483

86,306

90,424

94,542

88,365

92,483

90,424

94,542

92,483

94,542

Subd. 3. Wage Differential for Faculty with “Former-UTCE” Status.

A. Rationale. The terms of this subdivision are in recognition that the Article 11

workload limits for instructional faculty with Former-UTCE status are higher than

for instructional faculty with Former-MCCFA status.

B. Subject to the terms of this subdivision, effective July 1, 2024, faculty with Former-

UTCE status will receive additional compensation in the form of a two and one-

half percent (2.5%) enhancement (“differential”) over the faculty member’s base

salary for work assignments that are paid off the salary schedule. Part-time faculty

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(in all appointment types that are paid off the salary schedule) will receive the

differential based on the faculty member’s position on the salary schedule, pro-

rated by assignment FTE.

1. Differential for Unlimited Faculty. The differential will be paid on all

portions of the faculty member’s assignment, instructional and non-

instructional, at the college that are paid off the salary schedule (including any

portions of the assignment that are in a Former-MCCFA credential field).

2. Differential for Fixed-Term Faculty. Fixed-Term faculty whose fixed-term

position at a college was posted with a Former-UTCE credential field will get

the differential paid on all portions of the faculty member’s assignment,

instructional and non-instructional, at that college that are paid off the salary

schedule (including any portions of the assignment that are in a Former-

MCCFA credential field). Concurrently held faculty assignments at other

colleges will not be subject to differential pay unless the concurrent assignment

independently satisfies the provisions of this paragraph or Subdivision 3.B.3,

below.

3. Differential for Temporary Part-Time Faculty. Temporary part-time (TPT)

faculty at a college will get the differential paid on all portions of the faculty

member’s assignment, instructional and non-instructional, at that college that

are paid off the salary schedule (including any portions of the assignment that

are in a Former-MCCFA credential field), provided the TPT faculty member

has Former-UTCE faculty status at the college.

C. “Differential Base Salary” and When Applicable to Other Calculations and

Payouts under the CBA. For faculty who are eligible for and are receiving the

differential, the amount that results from the total of the faculty member’s step and

column placement on the current year’s salary schedule plus two and one-half

percent (2.5%) of that amount will constitute, for purposes of those CBA

calculations (e.g., overload limits) and payouts that are based on a faculty member’s

base-salary, the faculty member’s “base salary,” except where explicitly stated in

this Agreement. The differential will not apply to calculations and payments under

provisions of the CBA that are not paid off the salary schedule (e.g., stipends, prior

learning assessments, etc.).

D. Discontinuance of Differential: Criteria for and Effect of.

1. The terms of this subdivision may be discontinued with two hundred seventy

(270) calendar days’ advance written notice by either party to the collective

bargaining agreement to the other party that it wishes to discontinue this

subdivision. If such notice is given, the differential under this subdivision will

cease on the two hundred seventy-first (271

) calendar day, unless the parties

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choose to negotiate – and mutually agree to – successor terms that provide for

its continuance. If a party does not given written notice to discontinue on or

before June 30, 2029, the differential under this subdivision may not be

discontinued absent mutual agreement.

2. If the differential ends because the parties do not negotiate and mutually agree

upon successor terms by the two hundred and seventy-first (271

) calendar day

after written notice to discontinue is given, Former-UTCE status faculty will

cease to receive differential pay and will either:

a) receive a one-step increase on their base-salary step placement on the salary

schedule (i.e., salary-schedule base without application of the differential),

b) if their base salary step at the time the differential ends is the top step,

receive a two and one-half percent (2.5%) enhancement to their base salary-

step placement on the salary schedule (i.e., salary schedule base without

application of the differential) and their enhanced based salary, which will

be off-step, will be “red circled.” Their enhanced base salary will remain

static until the salary schedule in a successor CBA meets or exceeds their

red-circled salary, at which time they will be placed on the step on the salary

schedule that is nearest to, but not less than, their red-circled, enhanced base

salary.

Section 8. Customized Training Instructors. The compensation for customized training

faculty, as defined in Article 28, Section 1, shall be agreed to by the college president or

designee and the faculty member with a copy of such agreements to the local grievance

representative.

Section 9. Miscellaneous Wages. Non-credit teaching, if not part of assigned load, shall be

paid to faculty members on the same basis as to others with like assignments.

Honoraria and/or stipends may be mutually agreed to by the faculty member and the college

administration for purposes of special project work, extracurricular activities, etc. Total honoraria

and/or stipend payments for any individual faculty member shall not e x c e e d f o u r

thousand dollars ($4,000.00) in any fiscal year. Such payments shall be exempt from the forty

percent (40%) overload salary maximum. These wages may be paid as discrete, mutually agreed,

non-teaching assignments which do not rise to reasonable credit equivalence. As such, they are

excluded from hiring practices.

Section 10. PSEO/Concurrent Enrollment. Payment for assignments for mentoring/

monitoring instruction in the college/high school credit programs shall be paid on a pro-rata credit

equivalent basis. In no case shall an individual who does not meet minimum qualifications in the

credential field of the course be assigned to mentor or do similar work. Mentors for these

programs shall be compensated at the rate of one (1) credit for the first time an instructor is

mentored in a course and one-half (1/2) credit each successive time.

Article 13

Section 11. Life/Work Experience Evaluation and Test Outs. For purposes of determining

whether a student should be awarded Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) for a course consistent with

Minnesota State Board Policy 3.35 (“Credit for Prior Learning”), a college may offer a faculty

member the assignment of evaluating the student’s demonstrated college-level learning gained

through learning outside of college coursework.

A faculty member who agrees to conduct an evaluation that constitutes an “internal assessment”

as defined by Minnesota State Board Policy 3.35 shall be paid at the rate of at least seventy-five

dollars ($75.00) per credit.

Section 12. Extended Contracts. Extended contracts or extra days worked prior to July 1 shall

be compensated on the previous academic year base salary. Extended contracts or extra days

worked on or after July 1 shall be compensated based on the subsequent academic year base

salary.

Section 13. Summer Session Wages. Unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time faculty

members teaching during the summer session shall be paid a proration of the faculty member’s

salary schedule for the previous academic year. Temporary part-time/full-time faculty members

teaching more than three (3) credits for the summer session shall be paid a proration of the faculty

member’s salary schedule for the previous academic year.

Section 14. Temporary Part-time and Adjunct Faculty Wages. Prior to accepting a part-

time appointment, the applicant(s) shall provide the college with information pertaining to

current or anticipated employment at another state college.

Subd. 1. Temporary Part-time. Temporary part-time faculty members teaching five (5)

or more credits per semester during an academic year shall be paid a proration of the

appropriate position on the salary schedule for that academic year. Temporary part-time

contracts shall be semester by semester.

Subd. 2. Adjunct.

Adjunct faculty members will be compensated at the rate of seven hundred seventy-five

dollars ($775.00) to one thousand six hundred fifty dollars ($1,650.00) per semester

credit. If a faculty member who has previously held an academic year (i.e., for purposes

of this subdivision, fall semester or spring semester) adjunct appointment at any

Minnesota State college is re-hired into an adjunct appointment at any Minnesota State

college in a subsequent academic year, the faculty member shall be entitled to a

minimum increase of two hundred dollars ($200.00) per adjunct credit (regardless of

whether the faculty member held a different type of college faculty appointment under

Article 20 in the interim period between the adjunct appointments), up to the per-credit

maximum of one thousand six hundred fifty dollars ($1,650.00).

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Subd. 3. Fluctuating Workload Salary Rates for Temporary Part-time and Adjunct.

The salary rate for temporary part-time and adjunct faculty in Subd. 1. and Subd. 2 above

shall be modified as follows. (Faculty members working at one college or at multiple colleges

within a semester are included.)

A. When a temporary part-time faculty member’s workload decreases below five (5) credits

as a result of a class cancellation, the pay rate shall be adjusted from a proration of the

appropriate position on the salary schedule (pro-rata) to a per credit rate as established in

Section 14, Subd. 2 above. The credit rate shall be effective at the beginning of the pay

period following notification the class(es) cancelled.

B. When a temporary part-time faculty member’s workload decreases below five (5) credits

after a class has started but before the end of the semester, as a result of a separation for

any reason, the final FTE calculation will continue to be paid based on a proration of the

appropriate position on the salary schedule (pro-rata), as of the faculty member’s last day

of work or final salary placement if in the queue for approval, whichever is greater, as

established in Section 14, Subd. 1 above.

C. When an adjunct faculty member’s workload increases to five (5) or more credits after the

semester has begun, the pay rate shall be adjusted from a per credit rate to a proration of

the appropriate position on the salary schedule (pro-rata) as established in Section 14,

Subd. 1 above. The pro-rata rate shall be effective at the beginning of the pay period

following notification the class(es) were added.

Section 15. Unlimited Part-time Wages. Unlimited part-time faculty members shall be paid a

proration of the appropriate position on the salary schedule for all work assigned. Unlimited

part-time faculty members will be paid according to credits taught on a semester by semester

basis. If the workload in each semester is essentially equal, unlimited part-time faculty members

may choose to be paid equally over nine (9) or twelve (12) months. Unlimited part-time faculty

members whose assignments do not meet their minimum guaranteed appointment shall be

compensated for the balance of their appointment in the spring semester. However, unlimited

part-time faculty members may be given additional assignments consistent with Article 11 to

meet the minimum guaranteed appointment.

Section 16. Substitute Wages. Faculty members who are included in the MSCF bargaining

unit and are assigned to provide substitute services shall be paid according to the following:

Subd. 1. The nature of the assignment, including load, shall be determined prior to acceptance

of the assignment by the faculty member.

Subd. 2. Faculty members who are assigned to provide substitute services for short-term

absences where there are no or minimal responsibilities outside the classroom shall be paid

an hourly rate that is established by first dividing the individual annual base salary amount by

one hundred and seventy-one (171) days and then dividing the quotient by seven (7) hours.

The amount paid shall be for the actual number of hours assigned. Short term substitute

wages shall not count against the overload maximum.

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Subd. 3. Faculty members who are assigned to provide full substitute services commensurate

to the duties of the faculty member being replaced shall be paid by FTE of the work provided.

Subd. 4. An assignment to substitute may cause a faculty member to move from the per-

credit rate to a pro-rata salary schedule pay level.

Section 17. Applied Music

Subd. 1. Credit Equivalency. Faculty who teach applied music (i.e., private music

lessons) in addition to having other, non-applied-music assignments during the academic

year (or semester, for faculty with appointments of less than a full academic year) will

receive for the applied music assignment(s) credit equivalency of one (1) credit for every

four (4) students with each student being equal to one-fourth (1/4) of a credit.

Subd. 2. Private Lesson Rate. Applied music instruction provided by instructors who teach

only applied music shall be paid at the rate of at least two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per

semester for each one half (½) hour lesson per week.

Subd. 3. Uniform Application. The applied music instruction pay rate shall be applied

uniformly at the college.

Section 18. Coaching Salaries. Coaches and assistant coaches shall receive pro-rata pay when

coaching a student activity whose credit equivalency exceeds three (3) credits. The credits

allocated may be distributed over two (2) semesters whenever the actual season of the activity

occurs over two (2) semesters. When a student activity has more than one (1) assistant coach

assigned, the credit equivalency will be divided between/among coaches to reflect the assignment.

Individuals who volunteer to assist during college athletic practices and/or events shall not be

identified as coaches or assistant coaches.

Section 19. Overload Assignments and Overload Salary Maximum.

A. An overload assignment shall be defined as any assignment to a faculty member that

exceeds the workload assignment limitations in this contract. Overload assignments must

be mutually agreed upon between the faculty member and the college president or

designee.

B. The total payment for non-credit teaching, summer school teaching, overload, and extra

days shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of the faculty member's schedule salary, except

in cases where the conditions of an outside grant requires additional days, or except as

specified in Article 11, Section 10, Subd. 7. The one hundred forty percent (140%)

total for a given year refers to the academic year and overload pay and/or the extra days

assigned during the fiscal year in which the academic year occurs.

C. When offered to a full-time unlimited instructor, overload shall first be offered to full-

time unlimited instructors within the credential field, except where provisions of a grant

require an exception to this provision.

Article 13 and Article 14

D. The exceptions in paragraph B. above shall include grants and honoraria, including those

from college foundations, that faculty apply for competitively and that are dispersed

through payroll.

E. The activities listed in paragraphs B. and D. above must be non-student contact. C.B.E.

evaluation payments, life/work experience evaluation and test out payments, customized

training compensation, short-term substitute faculty work, and honoraria/stipend payments

in accordance with Section 9. above shall not count toward the overload restriction. The

guiding principle is that whenever assignments require student contact, approval for

exception to the forty percent (40%) restriction must be granted prior to the assignment.

Section 20. Health/Dental Expense Accounts. The Employer agrees to provide insurance-

eligible faculty members with the option to pay for the employee portion of health and dental

premiums on a pretax basis as permitted by law or regulation. The Employer also agrees to allow

faculty members to cover Copayments, deductibles and other medical and dental expenses or

expenses for services not covered by health or dental insurance as permitted by law or regulation.

Section 21. Dependent Care Expense Account. The Employer agrees to provide insurance-

eligible faculty members with the option to participate in a dependent care reimbursement

program for work-related dependent care expenses on a pretax basis as permitted by law or

regulation.

Section 22. Other Pretax Expense Account. The Employer agrees to provide faculty members

with the option to participate in an expense account for payment of parking fees and transit

expenses on a pretax basis as permitted by law or regulation.

Section 23. Appeals. Any grievances filed under this article shall be filed initially at Step 2 of

the grievance procedure consistent with time limits provided therein.

ARTICLE 14

LEAVES OF ABSENCE WITH PAY

Section 1. Compensation. Faculty members will receive compensation for all paid leave days

equal to compensation received for a regular duty day, as described in this Contract. Accrual of

all benefits (seniority, salary advancement, retirement, insurances, etc.) continues uninterrupted

during any paid leave. Faculty members with partial or entirely online or distance learning

assignments are expected to use paid leave exactly as required of onsite faculty. (See joint

MSCF/Minnesota State letter – Appendix B).

Section 2. Communicating Absence. A faculty member who finds it necessary to be absent shall

communicate with the state college official to whom the faculty member is responsible, in

accordance with college policy, in advance whenever possible.

Article 14

Section 3. Sick Leave. Upon initial employment each full-time faculty member shall be credited

with twenty (20) days of sick leave allowance. At the beginning of the third academic year of

employment and each academic year thereafter, each full-time faculty member shall be credited

with ten (10) days of sick leave allowance to be used for approved absences necessitated by reason

of illness or injury, by necessity for dental or medical care, by exposure to contagious disease so

that attendance on duty may endanger the health of other faculty members or the public, or the

illness of the faculty member’s spouse, minor children, or parent, or spouse’s parents, and other

residents of the faculty member’s household for such periods as the faculty member’s attendance

shall be necessary. Faculty members also shall be permitted to take sick leave as provided by

statute. Sick leave credited to a faculty member in advance is earned at the rate of ten (10) days

per academic year. If a faculty member separates and has used more sick leave than has been

earned, such faculty member shall reimburse the Employer for any such overpayment.

Subd. 1. Birth or Adoption Leave. A faculty member shall be granted up to five (5) days,

charged against sick leave, for the birth of a child or placement of an adoptive or foster child.

Subd. 2. Accumulation of Sick Leave. Unused sick leave may be accumulated to a maximum

of one hundred and twelve (112) days. Sick leave earned over the maximum will be considered

lapsed but shall be recorded to the faculty member’s credit. In the event that a faculty member

with an illness exhausts the current accumulated sick leave and has lapsed sick leave recorded

to the faculty member’s credit, additional sick leave shall be granted by the college president

upon valid medical documentation, to the extent required by the faculty member’s illness, but

not to exceed the total amount of lapsed sick leave.

Subd. 3. Maternity Use of Sick Leave. Sick leave may be used for maternity-related

disability. The length of time shall be limited to the number of days that the attending physician

certifies is maternity-related or the number of accumulated sick leave days, whichever is less.

Subd. 4. Sick Leave Usage. Sick leave may be taken in full day or one-half (1/2) day

increments. Faculty who have accrued a fractional day other than one-half (1/2) day may also

use that fractional day.

Subd. 5. Additional Sick Leave. One (1) additional day of sick leave allowance shall be

credited to each faculty member for every multiple of twenty (20) days or every multiple of

three (3) credits assigned during a summer session or as extra days. If less than full-time, it

shall be prorated. No more than three (3) additional days shall be accrued per the provisions

of this subdivision.

Subd. 6. Reinstatement of Sick Leave. A faculty member who is reinstated or re-appointed

to the Minnesota State Colleges within four (4) years from the date of resignation or retirement

may, at the Employer’s discretion, have the accumulated but unused sick leave balance restored

and posted to the faculty member’s credit provided such sick leave was accrued in accord with

the provisions of this Contract. However, upon reinstatement or rehire, a faculty member who

received severance pay shall have sick leave restored in an amount equal to the sick leave

Article 14

balance not liquidated as severance pay at the time of separation or may buy back the total

amount of sick leave previously paid off as severance by paying the college at the time of

reinstatement or rehire the gross amount of dollars previously paid out.

Subd. 7. Sick Leave and College Closing. When a faculty member applies for and is granted

sick leave and, on the day the sick leave is to be taken, the college is closed because of an

emergency in accordance with Article 24, Section 1, the faculty member will be considered to

have taken and used the sick leave applied for despite the subsequent emergency closure of the

college. The faculty member’s leave accumulation will be reduced accordingly.

Section 4. Bereavement.

Subd. 1. Bereavement Leave. A faculty member shall be granted up to five (5) days of

approved leave as necessary for bereavement purposes. Bereavement leave of up to five (5)

days shall not be deducted from sick leave in the event of death in the immediate family or of

death of any individual who is named a beneficiary in the individual’s retirement program. For

purposes of this section, the term “immediate family” shall mean:

a. the faculty member’s spouse or domestic partner;

b. the faculty member’s child (including biological, adopted, or foster child; a stepchild;

a child-in-law; or a child to whom the faculty member stands in loco parentis, is a legal

guardian, or is a de facto parent);

c. the faculty member’s parent or guardian;,

d. a parent of the faculty member’s spouse/domestic partner;

e. the faculty member’s sibling (including adopted, step, foster, or sibling-in-law);

f. the faculty member’s grandchild;

g. the faculty member’s grandparent;

h. wards of the faculty member’s spouse/domestic partner; and

i. other residents of the faculty member’s household.

Subd. 2. Sick-Leave Use for Bereavement Purposes. Sick leave use may be appropriate for

bereavement purposes under the following conditions:

a. If a faculty member requests additional bereavement leave beyond the five (5) days

under Subd. 1, above, any additional days of approved bereavement leave shall be

deducted from sick leave.

b. The parties recognize that the scope of a faculty member’s significant, close and caring

personal relationships may extend beyond the definition of “immediate family,” in

Subd. 1, above. Accordingly, upon consultation with the administration, leave for a

faculty member in the event of the death of a person with whom the faculty member

had such a close relationship may be approved and deducted from sick leave.

Subd. 3. Bereavement Leave and College Closing. When a faculty member applies for and

is granted bereavement leave and, on the day the bereavement leave is to be taken, the college

is closed because of an emergency in accordance with Article 24, Section 1, the faculty

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member will be considered to have taken and used the bereavement leave applied for despite

the subsequent emergency closure of the college. The faculty member’s five (5) days of

bereavement leave will be reduced accordingly.

Section 5. Personal Leave. Each full-time faculty member shall accrue two (2) days of personal

leave per academic year. Such leave shall be credited at the beginning of each academic year

provided that the total accumulated personal leave does not exceed ten (10) days.

A faculty member may use no more than three (3) days in any semester. However, if approved by

the college president a fourth and/or fifth day may be used. Prior approval may only be required

if more than ten percent (10%) of the faculty at a campus request personal leave on any given day.

Personal leave may be taken in full day or one-half (1/2) day increments. Faculty members who

have accrued a fractional day other than a one-half (1/2) day may also use that fractional day.

Subd. 1. Personal Leave and College Closing. When a faculty member applies for and is

granted personal leave and, on the day the personal leave is to be taken, the college is closed

because of an emergency in accordance with Article 24, Section 1, the faculty member will be

considered to have taken and used the personal leave applied for despite the subsequent

emergency closure of the college. The faculty member’s leave accumulation will be reduced

accordingly.

Section 6. Pro-Rata. The provisions of Section 3. Sick Leave, Section 4. Bereavement Leave,

and Section 5. Personal Leave, above shall apply on a pro-rata basis to all unlimited part-time and

temporary part-time faculty members.

Section 7. Paid Parental Leave.

Subd. 1. Length of Leave. Paid parental leaves of absence of up to six (6) consecutive

weeks shall be granted to eligible faculty members who request such leave following the

birth or adoption of a child.

Subd. 2. Eligibility. Faculty members are eligible if they meet eligibility criteria for

Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") leave, which generally means the faculty

member has been employed by the Employer for twelve (12) months and has worked at

least 1,250 hours during the year immediately preceding the leave. Paid parental leave

("PPL") is available to faculty members who experience the following qualifying events:

• a faculty member or their spouse/partner gives birth to the faculty member’s child;

• a child is placed in the faculty member’s home for adoption; or

• a child is placed in the faculty member’s home to adjudicate parentage in cases of

surrogacy when the faculty members is the intended parent.

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Subd. 3. Use. Eligible faculty members must complete PPL within six (6) months of the

qualifying event. At the Appointing Authority’s discretion, faculty members may be

allowed intermittent or reduced schedule use of leave, which must be completed within

twelve (12) months of the qualifying event. PPL not used within the required timeframe

shall not be carried over or cashed out.

Subd. 4. Interaction with Other Leaves. Paid parental leave will run concurrently with

any unpaid leave(s) that parents may be entitled to under other provisions of this

Agreement or provided by law. Faculty members shall not receive other types of paid leave

provided by this Agreement (e.g., sick, personal, etc.) for hours for which they are

receiving PPL.

Section 8. Advanced Degree or Certification Leave. Upon application, a faculty member shall

receive a leave of up to five (5) days to take written or oral exams for an advanced degree or

certification.

Section 9. Legal Leave.

Subd. 1. Jury Leave. A faculty member shall be excused from work for jury service. For

the duration of such leave the faculty member shall be paid his/her regular pay. The faculty

member will retain payments received for jury service.

Subd. 2. Court Appearance Leave. Leave shall be granted for appearance before a court,

legislative committee, or other judicial or quasi-judicial bodies in response to a subpoena or

other direction of proper authority for job related purposes other than those initiated by the

employee or the exclusive representative. Leave shall also be granted for attendance in court

in connection with a faculty member’s official duty, which shall include any necessary travel

time. Such faculty member shall be paid his/her regular rate of pay but shall remit to his/her

college the amount received, exclusive of expenses, for serving as a witness, as required by the

court.

Section 10. Military Leave. Up to fifteen (15) working days leave per calendar year shall be

granted to members of a reserve force of the United States or of the State of Minnesota and who

are ordered by the appropriate authorities to attend a training program or perform any other duties

under the supervision of the United States or of the State of Minnesota during the period of such

activity.

Section 11. Accounting of Leave Status. The system office, through whatever Human Resources

Information System (HRIS) Technology it then uses, shall make available electronically and

provide faculty members with access to any leave accrual, usage, and balance information

applicable to them on an individual basis.

Section 12. Leave Benefit Accumulations. Leave benefit accumulations accrued on the basis of

service prior to the signing of this Contract shall be retained by the faculty member after such

signing.

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ARTICLE 15

LEAVES OF ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY

Section 1. Benefits. A faculty member on an unpaid leave of absence that exceeds ten (10)

working days duration shall:

A. Be reinstated to his/her original position or to a position of similar status and pay.

B. Retain seniority accrual, salary and benefit status and other advantages accrued prior to

taking the leave.

C. Not accrue or use sick leave or personal leave during the period of the unpaid leave.

D. Not receive service credit toward fulfillment of his/her probationary period.

E. Be eligible to continue benefits provided by this Contract at his/her own expense during

the leave of absence.

An unlimited faculty member who is granted an unpaid leave for up to one (1) full academic

semester shall, upon return, be placed on the salary schedule as if the faculty member’s service

had been continuous in the system. Such faculty member must request use of this provision prior

to or immediately upon returning from the leave, and may be granted this provision once only

during the faculty member’s career with the Employer. Such one (1) semester shall also be counted

as continuous service for purposes of seniority and service to count towards sabbatical leave

eligibility.

Section 2. Military Leave. Leave shall be granted to a faculty member who enters into active

military service in the armed forces of the United States for the period of military service, not to

exceed four (4) years, plus such additional time in each case as such a faculty member may be

required to serve pursuant to law.

Section 3. Parenting Leave. Faculty members are entitled to unpaid parenting leave under the

following conditions:

Subd. 1. Eligibility. The college administration shall grant parenting leave without pay to

any faculty member who requests such leave for the purpose of providing parental care to his

or her newborn, newly adopted, or newly foster-care placed child or children. The faculty

member must commence this leave within two (2) years of the birth or adoption or placement

of the foster child.

Subd. 2. Duration. A faculty member may take a parenting leave of up to one (1) year by

notifying the college administration in writing stating the beginning date and length of the

requested leave. The request for parenting leave shall be submitted at least six (6) weeks before

the effective beginning date, except in the event of an emergency.

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Subd. 3. Extension. The faculty member may elect to extend the parenting leave for an

additional six (6) months by notifying the college administration of this election in writing.

The faculty member’s election to extend the leave shall be submitted at least six (6) weeks

before the ending date of the previously scheduled parenting leave.

Subd. 4. Return from Leave. In the event of interruption of pregnancy or cancellation of

adoption or foster care placement, the faculty member may cancel parenting leave, if it has not

already commenced. If the leave has commenced, the faculty member may return to duty early

in the event of interruption of the pregnancy or cancellation of adoption or foster care

placement upon giving six (6) weeks written notice to the college administration.

Subd. 5. Leave Synchronization. The initial leave or subsequent extension may be adjusted

by the college president to the next natural academic schedule break following the scheduled

ending date of the initial leave or subsequent extension of that leave.

Subd. 6. Mutual Agreement. The provisions of this section may be altered by mutual

agreement among the college president, the faculty member, and MSCF.

Subd. 7. FMLA. In the event a parenting leave granted under this Section qualifies for a

leave under the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) the leaves shall run concurrently

and the faculty member shall be entitled to any benefits under the FMLA for which s/he is

eligible.

Section 4. General Leave. A faculty member shall be considered for a general leave that the

college administration may grant under the following conditions:

Subd. 1. Duration. Unless otherwise specified in this Section, a general leave of absence

shall be for a maximum of one (1) year. Upon request of the faculty member, up to two (2) one

(1) year extensions of the leave may be granted by the college administration. The college

administration shall not arbitrarily deny a faculty member’s request for a general leave or an

extension thereof. Leave for personal emergencies will be granted.

Subd. 2. Notice. Except in the case of an emergency, a faculty member must give two (2)

months notice when applying for a general leave or for an extension of the general leave. A

faculty member’s failure to return from the leave shall constitute a voluntary resignation and

the faculty member shall be severed from state service.

Subd. 3. Mutual Agreement. The provisions of this section may be altered by mutual

agreement among the college president, the faculty member, and MSCF.

Subd. 4. General Leave for Teaching and Related Occupational Activities.

a. A faculty member who is granted an unpaid leave specifically to do full-time teaching

elsewhere or to engage in other full-time occupational endeavors that are related to the

faculty member’s performance, expertise at the college, or credential field (except in cases

of extended leaves pursuant to M.S. 136F.43) shall, upon return, be placed on the salary

Article 15

schedule as if the faculty member’s service had been continuous in the system, and the

time spent on such leaves shall count for seniority purposes as well. When this type of

unpaid leave is one (1) academic year or less, the time spent on the leave shall count for

sabbatical eligibility.

b. When the related full-time occupational activity under Subd. 4(a) is service as a Minnesota

State administrator, the following additional terms will apply with respect to a faculty

member’s general leave(s) for such service:

i. The salary-placement and seniority provisions in Subd. 4(a), above, shall be extended

for up to a maximum cumulative total of sixty (60) months of administrator-service

leave. A faculty member who is granted leave(s) to serve as a Minnesota State

administrator(s), upon return from the leave(s), shall be subject to the salary-

placement and seniority provisions in Subd. 4(a) provided that the faculty member’s

cumulative total leave taken to serve as a Minnesota State administrator(s) amounts

to sixty (60) months or fewer.

ii. For purposes of this subdivision, where the word “month” is used, working a day or

more in a month shall count as one (1) month.

iii. See Article 21, Section 11 for additional terms governing the seniority of faculty who

take leave(s) to serve as a Minnesota State administrator(s).

Section 5. Extended Leaves of Absence. Full-time employees who are eligible and apply for

extended leave under M.S. 136F.43, Subd. 2. (a full-time faculty member who has been employed

by the state college and/or Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees for at

leave five (5), years and has at least ten (10) years of allowable service as defined in M.S. 354.05

Subd.13.) may be granted a leave without pay of at least three (3) years, but no more than five (5)

years. An extended leave of absence pursuant to this section may be granted only once. Denials

of such leaves shall not be arbitrary, unreasonable or discriminatory. Pursuant to M.S. 354.094,

the state shall pay Employer contributions into the fund for each year for which a member who is

on extended leave pays employee contributions into the fund. Such contribution shall be based on

the schedule salary amount the faculty member received in the year immediately preceding the

leave. In accordance with M.S. 136F.43, Subd. 5., the faculty member will be placed back on the

salary schedule at the same column and step the faculty member was on at the time the leave was

granted.

Section 6. Religious Holidays. Any faculty member who observes a religious holiday on a day

that does not fall on a Sunday or a legal holiday shall be entitled to such day off from employment

for such observance. Such day off shall be taken without pay, except where the faculty member

has unused personal leave, and in that case such day may be charged against the personal leave of

the faculty member upon request of the faculty member. The faculty member shall notify the

college in writing at least ten (10) days prior to the absence.

Article 16

ARTICLE 16

SICK LEAVE LIQUIDATION AND

FACULTY RETIREMENT PROVISIONS

Section 1. Sick Leave Liquidation. A sick leave liquidation payment shall be granted to all

faculty members under the following provisions:

Subd. 1. Eligibility.

A. All faculty members who have completed twenty (20) years of continuous service shall

receive a sick leave liquidation payment upon separation from state service.

B. All faculty members who are separated by reason of death shall receive a sick leave

liquidation payment.

C. All unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time faculty members who are laid off from

service in the state colleges shall receive a sick leave liquidation payment.

D. Faculty members who separate from state service after ten (10) years of continuous state

service and whose combined years of service and age equal to or greater than sixty-eight

(68) shall also receive a sick leave liquidation payment.

Subd. 2. Benefits. A faculty member who is eligible for sick leave liquidation pursuant to

Subd. 1 above shall receive a sick leave liquidation payment in an amount equal to forty percent

(40%) of the faculty member’s accumulated but unused sick leave balance (not to exceed 112

days) plus twelve and one-half percent (12 ½%) of the faculty member’s accumulated but

unused sick leave bank times the faculty member’s regular daily rate of pay at the time of

separation. If necessary, accumulated but unused bank days shall be added to the sick leave

balance to attain the one hundred and twelve (112) days maximum. The form and manner of

the sick leave liquidation payment for eligible faculty shall be governed by Article 16, Section

8 (“Health Care Savings Plan”), Subd. 2 (“Methodology”).

Subd. 3. Reinstatement. Should any faculty member who has received a sick leave

liquidation payment be subsequently reappointed to state service, eligibility for future a sick

leave liquidation payment shall be computed upon the difference between the amount of

accumulated but unused sick leave restored to the faculty member’s credit at the time the

faculty member was reappointed and the amount of accumulated but unused sick leave at the

time of the faculty member’s subsequent eligibility for a sick leave liquidation payment.

However, if the faculty member has bought back the total amount of sick leave previously paid

off as sick leave liquidation pay, eligibility for future sick leave liquidation pay shall be

computed upon the amount of accumulated but unused sick leave to the faculty member’s

credit at the time of the faculty member’s subsequent eligibility for a sick leave liquidation

payment.

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Subd. 4. Age at Separation. A faculty member who retires at the end of the academic year

will be considered to have retired as of the following July 1 for purposes of a sick leave

liquidation payment.

Section 2. Unlimited Faculty who Provide Early Notice of Retirement. Unlimited faculty

members who elect to retire with at least fifteen years (15.0 FTE) of service at any colleges of

Minnesota State and who are at least age fifty-five (55) shall receive an incentive of two thousand

dollars ($2,000.00). The incentive will be paid over the final two (2) academic year semesters of

employment following notice or at the option of the faculty member, paid in a one-time lump sum

at the end of employment.

To receive this benefit the affected faculty member must submit a written letter of retirement to

the college president or designee by September 15

if the retirement will occur at the end of the

following spring semester, or by January 15

if the retirement will occur at the end of the

subsequent fall semester. Such notice of retirement is irrevocable upon written acceptance by the

college president or designee. However, upon application to the Vice Chancellor of Human

Resources or his/her designee, this notice may be rescinded. If the Vice Chancellor or his/her

designee agrees to rescind the early notice of retirement submission, any portion of the two

thousand dollar ($2,000.00) incentive already paid to the faculty member as a result of the faculty

member’s early notice shall be refunded by the affected faculty member to the college in a timely

manner as determined by the college president.

Faculty members who are taking part in the Phased Retirement program under Article 16, Section

7 are not precluded from receiving the two thousand dollar ($2,000.00) early-notice-of-retirement

incentive. However the faculty member’s Phased Retirement Agreement will not satisfy the

notice-of-retirement requirement described in the previous paragraph. A faculty member on

Phased Retirement who wishes to receive the two thousand dollar ($2,000.00) early-notice-of-

retirement incentive must submit a separate, irrevocable letter of retirement by the applicable

deadline in the previous paragraph.

Section 3. Early Retirement Incentive (for Former MCCFA Bargaining Unit Members).

Subd. 1. Sunset Provision. Faculty members hired after June 30, 1995, shall not be eligible

for this early retirement incentive.

Subd. 2. Eligibility. In addition to the provisions of Section 1., any faculty member who has

served at least fifteen (15) years in the MCCFA bargaining unit, and is at least fifty-five (55)

years of age shall be eligible for early separation, except that faculty members with a faculty

status designated as Former-MCCFA as a result of the operation of Article 1, Section 4, are

not eligible for the early-separation incentive provided in this section. Individual applications

for early retirement incentive will only be granted where it can be shown that the specific

application would prevent a layoff, allow the recall of a laid off faculty member and/or would

result in a cost savings to the system.

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Subd. 3. Compensation. An eligible faculty member who elects early separation through

resignation or early retirement shall receive compensation equal to base salary. An eligible

faculty member who elects such early separation shall receive compensation equal to base

salary minus twenty percent (20%) of base salary for each year beyond age sixty (60). The

faculty member shall receive the compensation in two (2) equal annual payments: the first

upon separation and the second in the following year or on other reasonable terms as conveyed

by the faculty member and accepted by the administration. In order for a faculty member to

be eligible for compensation under this section, the effective date of early retirement must be

before the date on which the faculty member turns age sixty-five (65).

Subd. 4. Maintenance of Benefits. In order for a faculty member to be eligible to receive

the health insurance benefits, under this section, the faculty member must be eligible for and

receive a benefit under Article 16, Section 3, Subd. 3. The separated faculty member shall

have the right to continue, at the Employer’s expense, health insurance benefits for one (1)

year after separation. The parties agree that the faculty member’s college shall make

payment(s) into the faculty member’s Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP) as follows:

A. A payment in the amount equivalent to the employee and employers health insurance

contribution from the date of the faculty member’s separation to December 31

in the year

of the separation. The payment will be made upon separation.

B. If necessary, a second payment to the faculty member’s HCSP in the amount equivalent to

the employee and employer health insurance contribution from January 1

in the year

following the faculty member’s separation to the date that would equal one (1) year of

health insurance coverage. The payment shall be made during the month of January in the

year following the faculty member’s separation.

Subd. 5. Early Separation. Persons choosing early separation shall have eligibility for early

retirement payments determined in accordance with appropriate statutes and regulations.

Subd. 6. EEOC Window. An MSCF faculty member older than age sixty (60) when s/he

completes the applicable service requirement in Subd. 2. above will also be eligible to receive

the full benefit of the early retirement incentive in Subd. 3. above if s/he:

A. Applies within one hundred and eighty (180) days of meeting the service requirement, and

B. Separates no later than one hundred and eighty (180) days following the date of application

for the benefit.

Any faculty member eligible under this subdivision who does not elect early retirement during

the window but chooses to apply later will be compensated in accordance with the applicable

early retirement incentive provision outlined above.

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Section 4. Enhanced Sick Leave Liquidation Pay (for Former UTCE Bargaining Unit

Members).

Subd. 1. Eligibility. Faculty members hired prior to July 1, 1995, who have reached age fifty-

five (55) shall be eligible for enhanced sick leave liquidation pay under the following

provisions:

A. All eligible faculty members who have a total of fifteen (15) years of service shall be

granted enhanced sick leave liquidation pay upon permanent separation from state service.

B. All eligible faculty members who are separated by reason of death shall receive enhanced

sick leave liquidation pay.

C. All eligible unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time faculty members who are laid off

from service in the technical colleges shall receive enhanced sick leave liquidation pay.

D. All eligible faculty members who retire from state service after ten (10) years of continuous

state service and who are immediately entitled at the time of retirement to receive an

annuity under a state retirement program shall, notwithstanding an election to defer

payment of the annuity, also receive enhanced sick leave liquidation pay.

Subd. 2. Benefits. A faculty member who is eligible for enhanced sick leave liquidation pay

pursuant to Subd. 1 above shall receive enhanced sick leave liquidation pay in an amount equal

to fifty percent (50%) of the faculty member’s accumulated but unused sick leave balance (not

to exceed one hundred twelve (112) days) plus twelve and a half percent (12 ½%) of the faculty

member’s accumulated but lapsed unused sick leave times the faculty member’s regular daily

rate of pay at the time of separation. If necessary, accumulated but unused bank days shall be

added to the sick leave balance to attain one hundred twelve (112) days maximum. The form

and manner of the enhanced sick leave liquidation payment for eligible faculty shall be

governed by Article 16, Section 8 (“Health Care Savings Plan”), Subd. 2 (“Methodology”).

Subd. 3. Faculty whose status changed from Former-UTCE to Former-MCCFA on July 1,

2024. See Article 16, Section 9, infra.

Subd. 4. Reinstatement. Should any faculty member who has received basic or enhanced

sick leave liquidation pay be subsequently re-appointed to state service, eligibility for future

sick leave liquidation pay shall be computed upon the difference between the amount of

accumulated but unused sick leave restored to the faculty member’s credit at the time the

faculty member was re-appointed and the amount of accumulated but unused sick leave at the

time of the faculty member’s subsequent eligibility for basic or enhanced sick leave liquidation

pay. However, if the faculty member has bought back the total amount of sick leave previously

paid off as sick leave liquidation pay, eligibility for future sick leave liquidation pay shall be

computed upon the amount of accumulated but unused sick leave top the faculty member’s

credit at the time of the faculty member’s subsequent eligibility for sick leave liquidation pay.

Article 16

Section 5. Retirement Incentive Grandparent Clause for Former UTCE Bargaining Unit

Members.

Subd. 1. Eligibility. See also Article 16, Section 9, infra. Unlimited faculty members who

as of July 1, 1995, have served at least ten (10) years in Minnesota Technical College(s) and/or

in a K-12 district(s) which was the Employer for a technical college, shall be eligible for the

retirement incentive and severance except for post age sixty-five (65) insurance. The aggregate

from the above-described Employers shall be considered as single eligibility for the purposes

of this section where no break in service occurred. This section shall include Farm Business

Management (FBM), Small Business Management (SBM), or any other instructor who became

the employee of a technical college when a program was transferred, or is transferred, to a

technical college from a K-12 district.

Subd. 2. Choices. Those faculty who have ten (10) years of service as defined above by July

1, 1995, will have a choice at the time of retirement to choose the early retirement and

severance provisions of their member district 1993-1995 contract from which they transferred

to the state on July 1, 1995, or the enhanced severance pay as provided in Section 4. above. In

no event, however, will a faculty member be allowed to receive Employer provided health

insurance beyond age sixty-five (65). The Employer contribution shall continue at the

Employer dollar contribution in effect on the date of retirement.

Subd. 3. EEOC Window. An MSCF faculty member older than age fifty-five (55), who met

the ten (10) year service requirement as defined in this Section by July 1, 1995 will also be

eligible to receive the full benefit of the applicable retirement incentive of the former 1993-95

technical college/school district contract if s/he:

A. Applies within one hundred and eighty (180) days of meeting the age and service

requirement, and

B. Separates no later than one hundred and eighty (180) days following the date of application

for the benefit.

Any faculty member eligible under this subdivision who does not elect early retirement during

the window but chooses to apply later will be compensated in accordance with the applicable

early retirement incentive provision outlined in this Section or in Section 3. above.

Subd. 4. Payment of Benefits. Faculty members shall receive compensation for the benefits

outlined in this section in three (3) equal payments: the first upon separation, the second on or

about the first anniversary of separation and the remainder the following year not later than

one day prior to the second anniversary of separation.

Subd. 5. Portability of Article 16, Section 4 Retirement Benefits. Faculty who meet the

eligibility requirements of Article 16, Section 4, Subd. 1 and who are subsequently laid off and

have claimed a vacancy or who subsequently voluntarily transfer to another Minnesota State

Article 16

college may have the right to continue the grandparented retirement benefits of the sending or

receiving college in accordance with the “portability of retirement benefits from college-to-

college” MOU dated January 26, 2005. (See Appendix F).

Section 6. Supplemental Retirement. The Employer shall make a contribution in an amount

equal to the deductions made from the faculty member’s salary. Deductions shall begin in the

faculty member’s third year of employment.

Faculty members may withdraw their supplemental retirement funds in accordance with state and

federal laws and with State Board of Investment or other third-party provider requirements, if

applicable.

Subd. 1. Amount of Deduction. Pursuant to M.S. 354C.11, 354C.12 and 356.24, the

Employer shall deduct from the salary of full-time faculty members a sum equal to five percent

(5%) of the annual salary paid after the first six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) up to a maximum

of two thousand seven hundred dollars ($2,700.00) for all eligible faculty members in the

MSCF bargaining unitto be paid into the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Supplemental Retirement Account of the retirement fund.

Subd. 2. New Hires. Faculty members who become eligible for this benefit during the life of

this Contract shall receive the benefits in Subd. 1. above.

Section 7. Phased Retirement Program.

Subd. 1. Eligibility. Pursuant to M.S. 354.66, 354A.094 or 354B.31 unlimited full-time

faculty members who are fifty-five (55) years of age, and who have at least ten (10) FTE years

of service credit in Minnesota state colleges shall be granted, upon application a phased

retirement subject to the provisions below.

In order for the phased retirement program to be easily understood and administered, the MSCF

and the Employer are in agreement to the following provisions:

Subd. 2. Application Procedure. Faculty members who are eligible may request in writing

to take part in the phased retirement program. Such written request shall be submitted prior to

the end of fall semester in the academic year prior to the year the reduction is going to start.

The length of the phased retirement period and the faculty member’s annual workload shall be

mutually agreed to by the faculty member and the college president, subject to the limitations

in Subd. 3. below. If the parties are unable to reach mutual agreement on the faculty member’s

request, the request will be granted unless the college can demonstrate that approving a portion

or all of an individual’s phased retirement proposal would pose a unique and undue burden on

the institution. Each application and any subsequent request for a change will be considered

on a case-by-case basis. The agreed upon arrangements shall be made in writing between the

faculty member and the college president. Faculty members who are considering a sabbatical

during phased retirement should include such intention in the program application. A copy of

the phased retirement agreement shall be forwarded to the chancellor’s designee and the

MSCF.

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Subd. 3. Terms of Program. The phased retirement agreement must meet the following

terms:

A. A length of time no less than one (1) year and no more than six (6) years.

B. An annual workload no less than .40 FTE and no more than .80 FTE.

The level of reduction and the length of time of phased retirement may change upon mutual

agreement of the faculty member and the college president. At the end of the phased retirement

period the faculty member must retire from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

system, unless circumstances give cause for the faculty member and the college president to

end the phased retirement program early and the faculty member returns to full-time

employment. Faculty members who are in a phased retirement program shall be counted as

full-time for the purpose of meeting the hiring practices requirements contained in Article 20

of this Contract.

The calculation of workload shall be in credits for faculty who teach plus a percentage of

additional days beyond the student contact time required. An example of the application of

this provision would mean that a fifty percent (50%) phased retirement plan would require that

the faculty member teach fifty percent (50%) of the maximum load as outlined in Article 11

and be responsible for fifty percent (50%) of the administratively assigned duty days regardless

of the length of the semester.

Subd. 4. Benefits. The faculty member shall continue to receive insurance benefits and

payment toward Teacher’s Retirement Account or IRAP as if working full-time. Any faculty

member contributions toward insurance premiums will continue to be deducted from the

faculty members paycheck. The faculty member shall be directly responsible for payment of

the faculty member’s portion of TRA or IRAP. Faculty members who are on phased retirement

shall be treated as if they are regular full-time faculty when calculating early retirement benefits

and severance pay benefits. In the event of death while actively working on a phased

retirement, the annual base salary for purposes of life insurance in accordance with Article 19,

Section 7, Subd. 1. shall be 100% of the faculty member’s current base salary.

A. Faculty members who are on phased retirement shall receive sick leave and personal leave

on a pro-rata basis, i.e. if the phased retirement contract is for eighty percent (80%), then

the faculty member will be granted eight (8) days of sick leave and one point six (1.6)

personal leave days.

B. Faculty members are urged to select the twenty (20) pay option during the year prior to

phased retirement and continuing during the phased retirement program.

C. Overload restrictions shall be determined for a faculty member on phased retirement based

on the actual pay received during the fiscal year prior to the first year of a phased retirement

program.

D. Normal summer session rotation rights shall be maintained.

Article 16

E. Faculty members shall maintain eligibility for a sabbatical and the benefits shall be the

same as for full-time faculty. Any remaining FTE needed to qualify during phased

retirement shall accrue on a pro-rata basis. The return requirement shall also be satisfied

on a pro-rata basis. The return requirement must be reachable in the plan in order to be

eligible for the sabbatical leave. This paragraph will apply only to phased retirement plans

beginning on or before June 30, 2024.

F. For phased retirement plans beginning on or after July 1, 2024, the sabbatical-leave benefits

for a faculty member on phased retirement will differ from sabbatical leave benefits under

Article 17, Section 4, Subd. 8 as follows: If a faculty member takes a sabbatical while on

phased retirement, the faculty member’s pay for the sabbatical will be the applicable

percentage of the faculty member’s base salary specified in Article 17, Section 4, Subd. 8,

multiplied by the faculty member’s annual workload specified in the faculty member’s

phased retirement agreement. Any remaining FTE needed to qualify during phased

retirement shall accrue on a pro-rata basis. The return requirement shall also be satisfied

on a pro-rata basis. The return requirement must be reachable in the plan in order to be

eligible for the sabbatical leave.

Subd. 5. Limits on Access. The number of faculty members at each college who will be

granted this option shall be limited to seven percent (7%) of the number of unlimited full-time

faculty at the college or one (1), whichever is greater. Except in single person

programs/departments, no more than fifty percent (50%) of the employees in a credential field

may access the phased retirement program. If more applications are received than the seven

percent (7%) limit or the fifty percent (50%) department limit, the approvals shall be granted

on a seniority basis, with the most senior applicants being granted first. In the event the campus

limit is reached, an applicant in excess may be granted the phased retirement program if the

president and the Employer agree to the request. The seven percent (7%) limit will be

established each year and shall not be cumulative. The actual numbers may change based on

the roster changes each year.

Section 8. Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP).

Subd. 1. Eligibility. All faculty members who have been employed with the Minnesota State

Colleges and Universities System or its predecessors for at least ten (10) years shall participate

in the Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP) in accordance with Subd. 2. below.

Subd. 2. Methodology. Sick leave liquidation/severance payments shall be paid in cash if:

• The payment is being made because of the death or layoff of the faculty member,

• The gross amount of a payment to be paid under this Article is less than one thousand

dollars ($1,000.00), or

• The faculty member has not met the eligibility criteria for participation in the HCSP as

described in Section 8, Subd. 1, above.

Article 16 and Article 17

Faculty members eligible, for reasons other than death, for sick leave liquidation in a lump-

sum cash payment shall receive payment during the pay period immediately following their

last pay period. The lump-sum cash payment of sick leave liquidation for eligible faculty

members separated by death shall be made in a timely manner to the recipient lawfully

authorized to receive such payment. One hundred percent (100%) of any other sick leave

liquidation/severance payment shall be transferred to a Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP)

Account established under M.S. 352.98.

Sick leave liquidation/severance payments for the purpose of this section shall mean the

payments provided for in Sections 1, 4, and 5 of this Article. Any provision contained in

Section 5 of this Article that relates to the health insurance premiums shall not be considered

as a severance payment.

Section 9. Clarification regarding Article 16 Benefits for Certain Former-MCCFA Faculty.

Faculty members with a faculty status designated as Former-MCCFA as a result of the operation

of Article 1, Section 4, and who previously held Former-UTCE faculty status on June 30, 2024,

will continue to have access to those retirement incentive and/or sick-leave liquidation options for

which they might otherwise have been eligible had their faculty status remained Former-UTCE as

of July 1, 2024.

ARTICLE 17

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Section 1. College Level Funds. Each college will allocate faculty professional-development

funds at the rate of three hundred dollars ($300.00) per each full-time equivalent faculty position

at the college during the preceding academic year. The MSCF Chapter shall determine an

equitable procedure for the distribution of faculty professional-development funds.

These funds are to be used to support the professional development of faculty members by

reimbursing costs reasonably associated with a faculty member’s professional development,

subject to the limitations below.

Funds provided by this section shall be limited to paying the cost of travel, lodging, meals,

conference registration, memberships, materials, and other expenses reasonably associated with

the faculty member’s participation in professional-development activities that are aligned with the

professional-development needs of the faculty member, the faculty member’s sabbatical plan (if

applicable), the development needs of the faculty member’s academic department or area at the

college, and/or the goals and mission of the college. Professional-development activities need not

take place off campus to qualify for reimbursement under this section.

All materials and assets whose purchase is reimbursed with professional-development funds are

the property of the faculty member’s college. Software, computer applications, electronic

subscriptions, and publications in electronic format, such as books and periodicals, must be stored

Article 17

on a college-owned device. Professional-development funds may not be used to purchase routine

equipment that is necessary for the faculty member to perform the requirements of the faculty

member’s position at the college.

The committee may carry over a portion of the funds not used in one academic year to the next

academic year as follows:

As of June 30, 2003, funds carried over from one academic year to the next academic year may

not exceed one-third (1/3) of the college’s total faculty professional-development funds provided

by this section for that year.

The college president or designee may review proposed faculty professional-development

expenditures, and may veto a proposed expenditure within one (1) week of the

president’s/designee’s receipt if the proposed expenditure does not meet the terms of this section.

Nothing in this section shall preclude the local MSCF Chapter from proposing to spend faculty

professional-development funds on joint activities with other groups at the college. Upon mutual

written agreement, the MSCF Chapter president and college president may agree to another

method for determination of the use of college level professional-development funds.

Section 2. System Level Faculty Development Funds. For each fiscal year of this Contract, the

Employer will allocate a pro-rata share of the funds identified in the budget as “staff development”

for faculty development. Such funds will be used to provide statewide or regional conferences,

workshops and other activities for the staff development of faculty members. The joint committee

for faculty development comprised of at least three (3) faculty members appointed by the MSCF

and at least three (3) administrators appointed by the Chancellor shall aid and advise the Chancellor

or designee in the use of these funds.

Section 3. Sabbatical Backlog Fund. The parties agree to establish and maintain a sabbatical

backlog fund in the amount of four hundred twenty thousand dollars ($420,000.00). The purpose

of this fund is to support additional sabbatical leaves beyond those generated by the formula at

colleges with a significant backlog of eligible applicants. Each year, following the awarding of

sabbatical leaves through the process set forth in Section 4., Subd. 1., colleges with two or more

approved applicants who did not receive sabbatical leaves are eligible for these funds.

The funds shall be allocated by a committee comprised of MSCF and system office representatives.

The committee shall consider the seniority and eligibility of applicants as well as the current and

potential backlog situations and staffing needs of each college.

Each allocation of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000.00) to a college shall cause the college to award

one additional sabbatical.

Article 17

Section 4. Sabbatical Leave. The purpose of sabbatical leaves is to give faculty members the

opportunity to secure additional education, training, or experience which will make them better

prepared for carrying out their college assignments, and will support the professional development

of the faculty, the development needs of academic departments or areas, and the planned

instructional priorities of the college/system mission.

No sick leave or personal leave shall be accumulated or credited to a faculty member during a

sabbatical leave.

Subd. 1. Sabbatical Leave. A sabbatical leave shall be granted to unlimited full-time, fixed-

term full-time and unlimited part-time faculty who meet the following criteria:

A. The applicant must have continuously served the equivalent of six (6) or more academic

years in the Minnesota state colleges with an aggregate of twelve (12) semesters of actual

service without having been granted such an experience.

All continuous service in the Minnesota state colleges shall be included in the calculation

of full-time equivalency. For purposes of this section, continuous service shall mean

holding an assignment during each academic year. No more than one (1) year of service

will be counted for each academic year. This total must be achieved prior to the

commencement of the leave.

Faculty members may have one (1) semester in which the faculty member was on an

approved unpaid leave count as one (1) of the twelve (12) semesters. If a faculty member

is on an unpaid leave for one (1) year or more, the calculation of equivalent FTE will

resume on the date of return.

Faculty members on notice of layoff are not eligible for a sabbatical leave. In the event

that the faculty member's layoff notice is rescinded, a faculty member who has applied for

and met all other requirements for a sabbatical leave shall be granted the sabbatical

regardless of the number of sabbaticals that have already been granted if the faculty

member is more senior than the least senior faculty member who was granted a sabbatical

leave at that college.

B. The faculty member has submitted a plan for a sabbatical leave that is designed to serve

the purpose described above.

C. The college president has certified that a replacement can be found. In individual cases

where a replacement cannot be found, a faculty member determined to meet the other

eligibility requirements in the year of request will not be denied a sabbatical leave in

subsequent years based solely on this reason. This provision shall not be applicable to the

faculty member after a sabbatical leave request is granted (unless the situation recurs after

six (6) more years of service).

Article 17

D. Funds to cover the cost of the sabbaticals are available. Except in situations of financial

exigency for the Minnesota state colleges, sabbatical leaves will not be denied for this

reason.

1. For sabbatical applications made in the 2023-2024 academic year: The number of

sabbaticals approved for a stand-alone community college does not exceed ten percent

(10%) rounded up to the next whole number or one (1), whichever is greater, of the

unduplicated headcount of unlimited (including probationary) full-time faculty and

the total FTE of the minimum guarantees for unlimited part-time faculty on November

1 as published in the seniority rosters for that year for the former MCCFA bargaining

unit.

The number of sabbaticals approved for a stand-alone technical college does not exceed

two and one-half percent (2 ½%) rounded up to the next whole number or one (1),

whichever is greater, of the unduplicated headcount of unlimited (including

probationary) full-time faculty and the total FTE of the minimum guarantees for

unlimited part-time faculty on November 1 as published in the seniority rosters for that

year for the former UTCE bargaining unit.

The number of sabbaticals approved for a consolidated college shall be the combined

total not to exceed ten percent (10%) for former MCCFA and two and one-half percent

(2 ½%) for former UTCE, each rounded up to the next whole number or one (1),

whichever is greater, of the unduplicated headcount of unlimited (including

probationary) full-time faculty and the total FTE of the minimum guarantees for

unlimited part-time faculty on November 1 as published in the seniority rosters for that

year for the MSCF bargaining unit.

2. Commencing with sabbatical applications made in the 2024-2025 academic year, the

number of sabbaticals approved for each college does not exceed seven and one-half

percent (7.5% rounded up to the next whole number or one (1), whichever is greater,

of the unduplicated headcount of unlimited (including probationary) full-time faculty

and the total FTE of the minimum guarantees for unlimited part-time faculty on

November 1 as published in the seniority rosters for that year.

Subd. 2. Application Procedure. Application for a sabbatical leave shall be submitted to the

college president or designee between October 24 and November 15 in the year preceding the

academic year during which the faculty member is planning to initiate the sabbatical. The

application must be delivered to the college president or designee by November 15 or mailed

by certified mail not later than November 15 to be considered. Notification of approval or

rejection will be provided by the college president or designee no later than January 15.

Article 17

If a faculty member desires to change the substance of the plan that was previously approved

by the college president or designee, the faculty member shall submit an amended plan to the

college president. If the president fails to approve the amended plan, the faculty member may

submit an alternative plan(s).

Subd. 3. Selection of Applicants. If the number of applicants in a given college exceeds the

number of sabbatical leaves generated by the calculation contained in Subd. 1E. above,

approval will be granted to those who have the greatest number of continuous years of full-time

equivalent service based on the date of employment or the date of return after the last sabbatical

leave, whichever is most recent. In the event of a tie, the sabbatical leave will be awarded to

the applicant with the greatest system wide seniority. Then, if a tie still exists, the tie shall be

broken by the flip of a coin. At the request of either party, the tie shall be broken in the presence

of an MSCF representative.

If there are no sabbaticals available, the applicants may, at their option, fill vacancies created

by cancellations at their college in order of descending number of years of service. In case of

ties, selection will be made in accordance with the tie-breaker procedure above. Applicants

must make a separate application each year that they wish to be considered for a sabbatical

leave.

Subd. 4. Additional Sabbatical Leaves. If requested by a college president and agreed to by

the system office and the MSCF, additional sabbatical leaves may be approved. If a tie still

exists, the tie shall be broken by a flip of the coin. At the request of either party, the tie shall

be broken in the presence of a MSCF representative.

Subd. 5. Refusal of an Approved Sabbatical Leave. When a sabbatical leave is granted and

the faculty member wishes to refuse it, the faculty member may make a written request to the

college president stating this fact. The college president shall submit this request along with a

recommendation to the Chancellor or designee for approval. If the Chancellor or designee

grants the request, the faculty member shall forfeit eligibility for a sabbatical leave until such

faculty member has served the equivalent of four (4) more full-time academic years in the state

colleges as a full-time or unlimited part-time faculty member without a break in service unless

the Chancellor or designee chooses to waive this requirement. The determination of whether

or not the four (4) year waiting period will apply shall be made at the time the refusal is

approved. Any semester interrupted by thirty (30) or more working days of unpaid leave shall

not count toward the four (4) year requirement. This total shall be achieved prior to the

commencement of the sabbatical leave.

Subd. 6. Prior Service Time. Time spent in the former UTCE and MCCFA bargaining units

shall be carried forward and included in the calculation of service eligibility for sabbatical

leaves in this Contract.

Subd. 7. Sabbatical Return Requirements. A faculty member who has taken a sabbatical

leave shall be required to return to her/his college for at least two (2) consecutive semesters of

service. Summer session work shall not count toward fulfilling this requirement. If the faculty

member fails to do so, the faculty member will be required to repay the salary that was paid by

Article 17

the Employer during the sabbatical leave unless the Chancellor or designee chooses to waive

this requirement because of special circumstances. The repayment shall be completed no later

than the beginning of the academic semester in which the faculty member was expected to

return.

Upon returning from the sabbatical leave, the faculty member shall submit a written description

of plan activities undertaken during the sabbatical leave.

Subd. 8. Sabbatical Leave Benefits. Sabbatical leaves may be granted for one (1) or two (2)

consecutive semesters in an academic year. Sabbaticals that have been approved for and are

taken in academic years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 will be compensated consistent with the

provisions in Article 17, Section 4, Subd. 8 of the 2021-2023 MSCF collective bargaining

agreement. Sabbaticals approved for academic year 2025-2026 and beyond shall be subject to

the remainder of this subdivision.

A. First Sabbaticals.

1. One-Semester Sabbaticals. If a faculty member’s first sabbatical is for one (1)

semester, the sabbatical pay will equal the faculty member’s full base salary for the

semester, unless the faculty member is unlimited part-time, in which case the definition

of “full base salary” in Subd. 8.C, below, will apply.

2. Academic-Year Sabbaticals. If a faculty member’s first sabbatical is for a full

academic year, the sabbatical pay will equal ninety-five percent (95%) of the faculty

member’s full base salary for the academic year, unless the faculty member is unlimited

part-time, in which case the definition of “full base salary” in Subd. 8.C, below will

apply.

B. Subsequent Sabbaticals. If a faculty member already has taken one (1) sabbatical, any

subsequent sabbaticals the faculty member takes will be paid according to the following:

1. One-Semester Sabbaticals. The pay for subsequent one-semester sabbaticals will

equal the faculty member’s full base salary for the semester, unless the faculty member

is unlimited part-time, in which case the definition of “full base salary” in Subd. 8.C,

below, will apply. The faculty member’s first sabbatical does not have to have been a

one-semester sabbatical in order for subsequent sabbaticals to be paid at this benefit.

2. Academic-Year Sabbaticals. The pay for subsequent full academic-year sabbaticals

will equal eighty percent (80%) of the faculty member’s base salary, unless the faculty

member is unlimited part-time, in which case the definition of “full base salary” in

Subd. 8.C, below, will apply. The faculty member’s first sabbatical does not have to

have been an academic-year sabbatical in order for subsequent sabbaticals to be paid

at this benefit.

Article 17

Definition of “Full Base Salary” for Sabbaticals Taken by Unlimited Part-Time Faculty.

For purposes of sabbaticals taken by unlimited part-time faculty, “full base salary” shall be

the average of the faculty member’s salary for the three (3) academic years prior to the

academic year in which the sabbatical is being taken. This calculation shall not affect the

faculty member’s minimum guarantee.

Faculty members on sabbatical may accept scholarships, fellowships, grants or employment

during the leave.

Time spent on sabbatical leave shall be counted as continuous service for all purposes for

which continuous service is a factor in the Minnesota state colleges.

Section 5. Faculty Internships. An unlimited faculty member may apply for an internship under

the following conditions:

Subd. 1. Purpose. The purpose of internship is to give faculty members the opportunity to

update and enhance the faculty member’s technical background, job knowledge, or teaching

skills.

Subd. 2. Benefits. For internships that are assigned as part of the faculty member’s regular

duty days, the faculty member shall receive his or her regular pay and benefits. For internships

that are not part of the faculty member’s regular duty days, the faculty member shall receive a

stipend of three hundred dollars ($300.00) per day.

Subd. 3. Selection of Applicants. A committee jointly appointed by the Shared Governance

Council and the college president will determine eligible applicants based on the purposes

stated in Subd. 1 above. The list of eligible applicants shall be forwarded to the college

president or designee. Notification of approval or rejection will be given by the college

president or designee to all applicants.

Subd. 4. Return Requirements. A faculty member who has taken an internship shall be

required to return to his/her college for at least one (1) academic semester if paid for four (4)

weeks or more for an internship. If the faculty member refuses to do so, the faculty member

will be required to repay the stipend that was paid by the Employer during the internship unless

the Chancellor or designee chooses to waive this requirement because of special circumstances.

The repayment shall be completed no later than the beginning of the academic semester that

the faculty member was expected to return.

If a report of activities was required in the approval process for the internship then the faculty

member shall submit a written report of the activities undertaken during the internship.

Article 18 and Article 19

ARTICLE 18

EXPENSE ALLOWANCES

Section 1. General. The Employer may authorize travel at state expense. Such authorization

must be granted prior to the incurrence of the actual expenses.

Section 2. Expense Reimbursement. Faculty members shall be reimbursed for actual expenses,

which have been authorized by the Employer. Reimbursement allowances shall be in accordance

with the terms set forth in the Personnel Plan for Minnesota State Administrators.

ARTICLE 19

INSURANCE

Section 1. State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP). During the life of this

Agreement, the Employer agrees to offer a group insurance program that includes health, dental,

life, vision, and disability coverage equivalent to existing coverage, subject to the provisions of

this Article.

All insurance eligible faculty members will be provided access to an electronic summary of

benefits (SOB) or certificate of coverage (COC) for each insurance product. These documents

shall be provided no less than biennially and prior to the beginning of the insurance year.

Section 2. Eligibility for Group Participation. This section describes eligibility to participate

in the group insurance program.

Subd. 1. Faculty Members -- Basic Eligibility. A faculty member may participate in the

group insurance program if the faculty member:

A. Holds one of the following:

1. An appointment to an unlimited full-time position;

2. An appointment to a fixed-term full-time position;

3. An appointment to an unlimited part-time position with an annual guarantee of at least

twelve (12) semester credits or its equivalent; or

4. An appointment to a fixed-term part-time position with an annual guarantee of at least

twelve (12) semester credits or its equivalent; or

B. Holds a temporary part-time appointment and meets the following conditions:

1. Initial qualification requires an appointment at one (1) institution totaling at least six

(6) credits per semester over two (2) consecutive academic year semesters. Such

eligibility starts at the beginning of the second semester.

Article 19

2. Once qualified, the faculty member remains qualified for each semester in which the

faculty member’s appointment at one (1) institution equals at least six (6) credits.

3. When the faculty member's semester appointment drops below six (6) credits,

insurance eligibility will cancel for that semester, but will be reinstated when the

semester appointment at one (1) institution returns to at least six (6) credits.

4. Once a break in service (defined as no assignments for one (1) full academic year)

occurs (excluding summer session) initial qualification in Subd. 1B.1. above must be

re-met.

Subd. 2. Faculty Members -- Special Eligibility. The following faculty members are also

eligible to participate in the group insurance program:

A. Faculty members with a work related injury/disability. A faculty member who was off

the state payroll due to a work related injury or work related disability may continue to

participate in the group insurance program as long as such a faculty member receives

workers' compensation payments or while the workers’ compensation claim is pending.

B. Totally disabled faculty members. Consistent with M.S. 62A.148, certain totally

disabled faculty members may continue to participate in the group insurance program.

C. Separated faculty members. Pursuant to M.S. 43A.27, Subd. 3a(1), a faculty member

who separates from State service and who, at the time of separation has five (5) or more

years of allowable pension service, is not eligible for regular (non-disability) Medicare

coverage, and meets the age or length of service requirements of TRA or MSRS [thirty

(30) years of service, no age limit; or fifty-five (55) years of age, not less than three (3)

years of service; or Rule of Ninety (90)] and is entitled at the time of retirement to

immediately receive a retirement benefit under M.S. 354B or an annuity under a retirement

program, may continue to participate in the health and dental coverages offered through

the group insurance program. Pension service includes service from K-12, Joint

Vocational, or Intermediate Districts.

a. Consistent with M.S. 43A.27, Subd. 3a(2), a separated faculty member who separates

from State service and who, at the time of separation is at least fifty (50) years of age

and has at least fifteen (15) years of State service may continue to participate in the

health and dental coverage(s) offered through the group insurance program at the

faculty member’s own expense. A spouse of a deceased retired faculty member may

continue health and dental coverage(s) through the group insurance program provided

the spouse was dependent under the retired member’s coverage at the time of the

retiree’s death and continues to make the required premium payments. Retiree

coverage must be coordinated with Medicare.

D. Summer Coverage - Unlimited Faculty After Resignation. An unlimited faculty

member who is enrolled in the group insurance program and submits notice of resignation

effective following the faculty member’s completion of the academic year continues that

Article 19

eligibility to participate in the group insurance program through the summer. This

paragraph shall not apply to those faculty members who retire; however, faculty members

who elect early retirement continue to be provided with the provisions of Article 16,

Sections 3, 4, or 5. This paragraph does not change current practice relative to the

provisions of Article 16, Sections 3, 4, or 5, if eligible.

E. Summer Coverage - Temporary Part-Time Faculty. A faculty member on a temporary

part-time appointment (including temporary part-time converted to temporary full-time per

Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) who is eligible to participate in the group insurance program

continues that eligibility during the summer if:

1. The faculty member has received written notice from the president (or the president’s

designee) of the employing college by May 31

of the current year that the same college

intends to re-hire the faculty member into either:

a) an insurance-eligible (i.e., at least six [6] credits or the equivalent) temporary part-

time faculty position for the subsequent fall term, or

b) a fixed-term faculty position starting the subsequent academic year, or

c) a probationary faculty position starting the subsequent academic year.

2. the faculty member has received and delivered to the president (or president’s designee)

of the employing college, by May 31st of the current year, written notice from the

president (or president’s designee) of another Minnesota State college that the other

college intends to hire the faculty member into either:

a) an insurance-eligible (i.e., at least six [6 credits or the equivalent) temporary part-

time faculty position for the subsequent fall term, or

b) a fixed-term faculty position starting the subsequent academic year, or

c) a probationary faculty position, starting the subsequent academic year.

F. Summer Coverage - Probationary Faculty. A faculty member who is on a probationary

appointment who is eligible to participate in the group insurance program continues that

eligibility during the summer if:

1. the faculty member’s probationary appointment will be continuing at the college the

following academic year; or

2. the faculty member’s probationary appointment at the employing college will be ending

by non-renewal at the close of the current academic year, and the faculty member has

received written notice from the college president (or the president’s designee) by May

Article 19

of the current year that the same college intends to re-hire the faculty member into

either a fixed-term faculty position or an insurance-eligible (i.e., at least six [6] credits

or the equivalent) temporary faculty position at the college for the subsequent fall term;

3. the faculty member’s probationary appointment at the employing college will be ending

by non-renewal at the close of the current academic year, and the faculty member has

received and delivered to the college president (or president’s designee), by May 31

of the current year, written notice from the college president (or president’s designee)

of another Minnesota State college that other college intends to hire the faculty member

into a probationary faculty position, starting the subsequent academic year.

G. Summer Coverage – Fixed-Term Faculty. A faculty member on a fixed-term

appointment who is eligible to participate in the group insurance program continues that

eligibility during the summer if:

1. the faculty member’s current fixed-term appointment will be continuing at the college

for the subsequent fall term, or

2. the faculty member has received written notice from the president (or the president’s

designee) of the employing college by May 31

of the current year that the same college

intends to re-hire the faculty member into either:

a) an insurance-eligible (i.e., at least six [6] credits or the equivalent) temporary part-

time faculty position for the subsequent fall term, or

b) a different fixed-term faculty position starting the subsequent academic year, or

c) a probationary faculty position starting the subsequent academic year, or

3. the faculty member received and delivered to the president (or president’s designee) of

the employing college, by May 31

of the current year, written notice from the

president (or president’s designee) of another Minnesota State college that the other

college intends to hire the faculty member into either:

a) an insurance eligible (i.e., at least six (6) credits or the equivalent) temporary part-

time faculty position for the subsequent fall term, or

b) a fixed-term faculty position starting the subsequent academic year, or

c) a probationary faculty position starting the subsequent academic year.

H. Sabbatical Leave. A faculty member eligible to participate in the group insurance

program immediately prior to taking a sabbatical leave continues that eligibility during the

sabbatical leave.

Article 19

I. Faculty Members on Layoff. An unlimited faculty member who has been laid off, whose

layoff option under Article 22, Section 8 is Option A, and who was eligible to participate

in the group insurance program immediately prior to being placed on layoff continues that

eligibility during the recall period.

J. Faculty Members on Unpaid Leave of Absence. A faculty member who is eligible to

participate in the group insurance program immediately prior to taking an unpaid leave of

absence continues that eligibility during the unpaid leave of absence at the faculty

member’s own expense.

Subd. 3. Dependents. Eligible dependents for the purposes of this Article are as follows:

A. Spouse. The spouse of an eligible faculty member (if legally married under Minnesota

law). For the purposes of health insurance coverage, if that spouse works full-time for an

organization employing more than one hundred (100) people and:

(1) elects to receive either credits or cash in place of health insurance or health coverage

or towards some other benefit in place of health insurance, then they are not eligible

for the comparable coverage or insurance under this Article; or

(2) is enrolled in a high deductible medical insurance plan (as defined by the IRS) that

includes a contribution to a health savings account (HSA) through their employing

organization, then they are not eligible for medical coverage under this Article.

When both spouses work for the State or another organization participating in the State

Employee Group Insurance Program, a spouse may be covered as a dependent by the other

but when covered as a dependent they may not carry their own coverage (members may

only be covered once).

B. Children.

a. Health and Dental Coverage: A dependent child is an eligible faculty member’s child

to age twenty-six (26).

b. Dependent Child: A “dependent child” includes a faculty member’s (1) biological

child, (2) child legally adopted by or placed for adoption with the faculty member, (3)

stepchild, and (4) foster child who has been placed with the faculty member by an

authorized placement agency or by a judgment, decree, or other court order. For a step-

child to be considered a dependent child, the faculty member must be legally married

to the child’s legal parent or legal guardian. A faculty member (or the faculty member’s

spouse or jointly) must have permanent, full and sole legal and physical custody of the

foster child.

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c. Coverage Under Only One Plan: For purposes of (a) and (b) above, if the faculty

member’s adult child (age 18 to 26) works for the State or another organization

participating in the State’s group insurance program, the child may not be covered as a

dependent by the faculty member unless the child is not eligible for a full Employer

Contribution as defined in Section 3, Subd. 1.

Effective January 1, 2015 for purposes of (a) and (b) above, if the faculty member’s adult child

(age 18 to 26) works for the State or another organization participating in the State’s group

insurance program, the child may be covered as a dependent by the faculty member.

C. Grandchildren. A dependent grandchild is an eligible faculty member’s unmarried

dependent grandchild who:

a. Is financially dependent upon the faculty member for principal support and

maintenance and has resided with the faculty member continuously from birth, or

b. Resides with the faculty member and is dependent upon the faculty member for

principal support and maintenance and is the child of the faculty member’s unmarried

child (the parent) to age nineteen (19).

c. If a grandchild is legally adopted or placed in the legal custody of the grandparent, the

grandchild is covered as a dependent child under Section 2, Subd. 3 (B)(b).

D. Child with a Disability. A dependent child with a disability is an eligible faculty

member’s child or grandchild regardless of marital status, who was covered and then

disabled prior to the limiting age or any other limiting term required for dependent

coverage and who continues to be incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of

developmental disability, mental illness or disorder, or physical disability, and is chiefly

dependent upon the faculty member for support and maintenance, provided proof of such

incapacity and dependency must be furnished to the health carrier by the faculty member

or enrollee within thirty-one (31) days of the child’s attainment of the limiting age or any

other limiting term required for dependent coverage. The dependent with a disability is

eligible to continue coverage as long as the disabled dependent continues to be disabled

and dependent, unless coverage terminates under the contract.

E. Qualified Medical Child Support Order. A child who would otherwise meet the

eligibility requirements and is required to be covered by a Qualified Medical Child Support

Order (QMCSO) is considered an eligible dependent.

F. Child Coverage Limited to Coverage Under One Faculty member. If both spouses

work for the State or another organization participating in the State’s group insurance

program, either spouse, but not both, may cover the eligible dependent children or

grandchildren. This restriction also applies to two divorced, legally separated, or

unmarried faculty members who share legal responsibility for their eligible dependent

children or grandchildren. A member in the State’s Group Insurance benefits may only be

covered once, by one (1) parent or guardian.

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Subd. 4. Continuation Coverage. Consistent with state and federal laws, certain faculty

members, former faculty members, dependents, and former dependents may continue group

health, dental, and/or life coverage at their own expense for a fixed length of time. As of the

date of this Agreement, state and federal laws allow certain group coverage to be continued if

they would otherwise terminate due to:

A. termination of employment (except for gross misconduct);

B. layoff;

C. reduction of hours to an ineligible status;

D. dependent child becoming ineligible due to change in age, student status, marital status, or

financial support (in the case of a foster child or stepchild);

E. death of faculty member;

F. divorce, legal separation; or

G. a covered faculty member’s enrollment in Medicare.

Section 3. Eligibility for Employer Contribution. This section describes eligibility for

Employer contribution toward the cost of coverage.

Subd. 1. Full Employer Contribution. A faculty member shall be eligible to receive the full

Employer contribution for health, dental and basic life coverage(s) if the faculty member:

A. Holds one of the following:

1. An appointment to an unlimited full-time position;

2. An appointment to a fixed-term full-time position;

3. An appointment to an unlimited part-time position, the annual guarantee of which,

alone or when combined with other assignments worked by the faculty member at the

same or another Minnesota State college during the academic year, is at least seventy-

five percent (75%) of the full-time work assignment load for the academic year; or

B. Holds an appointment to a fixed-term part-time position and meets one (1) of the conditions

below for the associated contribution benefit:

1. When a faculty member holds an appointment to a fixed-term part-time position which,

alone or when combined with other assignments worked by the faculty member at the

same or another Minnesota State college during fall semester, results in the faculty

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member’s being assigned twelve (12) or more credits or credit equivalents fall

semester, then the faculty member shall receive the full Employer contribution for that

semester;

2. When a faculty member holds an appointment to a fixed-term part-time position which,

alone or when combined with other assignments worked by the faculty member at the

same or another Minnesota State college during spring semester, results in the faculty

member’s being assigned twelve (12) or more credits or credit equivalents spring

semester, then the faculty member shall receive the full Employer contribution for that

semester;

C. Holds a temporary part-time appointment and meets one (1) of the conditions below for

the associated contribution benefit:

1. When a temporary part-time faculty member is assigned to twelve (12) or more credits

or credit equivalents in fall semester then the faculty member shall receive the full

Employer contribution for that semester.

2. When a temporary part-time faculty member is assigned for twelve (12) or more credits

or credit equivalents in spring semester then the faculty member shall receive the full

Employer contribution for that semester.

3. If a temporary part-time faculty member is eligible for insurance coverage during the

summer, the level of the Employer contribution (full or partial) shall be the same as the

temporary part-time faculty member received during the immediately preceding spring

semester. However, if the aggregate number of credits assigned to the temporary part-

time faculty member for the academic year (fall and spring semesters) is twenty-four

(24) or more the faculty member shall receive the full Employer contribution for

insurance during the summer regardless of the level received during the immediately

preceding spring semester.

Subd. 2. Partial Employer Contribution. Faculty members who are eligible for the partial

Employer contribution for health, dental and basic life coverage (s) shall receive the full

Employer contribution for basic life coverage, and at the faculty member’s option, the partial

contribution for health and dental coverage(s). The partial Employer contribution for health

and dental coverage(s) is fifty percent (50%) of the full cost. The following will receive the

partial Employer contribution:

A. Faculty with Unlimited Part-Time Appointments.

1. Faculty holding unlimited part-time appointments whose total appointments are at least

six (6) credits per semester but less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the full-time

work assignment load for the academic year.

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B. Faculty with Temporary Part-Time Appointments.

1. Faculty members holding temporary part-time appointment(s) who meet the basic-

eligibility criteria in Article 19, Section 2, Subd. 1.B and who are assigned to at least

six (6) credits but less than twelve (12) credits or credit equivalents in fall semester

shall receive the partial Employer contribution for that semester.

2. Faculty members holding temporary part-time appointment(s) who meet the basic-

eligibility criteria in Article 19, Section 2, Subd. 1.B and who are assigned to at least

six (6) credits but less than twelve (12) credits or credit equivalents in spring semester

shall receive the partial Employer contribution for that semester.

C. Fixed-Term Part-Time Faculty.

1. When a fixed-term part-time faculty member is assigned to fewer than twelve (12)

credits or credit equivalents in fall semester, the faculty member shall receive the partial

Employer contribution for that semester.

2. When a fixed-term part-time faculty member is assigned to fewer than twelve (12)

credits or credit equivalents in spring semester, the faculty member shall receive the

partial Employer contribution for that semester.

Subd. 3. The following faculty members also receive an Employer contribution:

A. Faculty Members on Layoff.

a. An unlimited faculty member who receives a full Employer contribution, who has three

(3) or more years of continuous service, who has been laid off, and whose layoff option

under Article 22, Section 8 is Option A, remains eligible for the full Employer

contribution and all other benefits provided under Article 19 for twelve (12) months in

accordance with Article 22, Section 8, Option A, Subd. 6, Group Insurance.

2. An unlimited full-time faculty member who receives a full Employer contribution, who

has three (3) or more years of continuous service, who has been laid off, and who selects

Option B under Article 22, Section 8, shall receive into their HCSP account an amount

equivalent to the employer-paid portion of one (1) year of health, dental, and basic life

insurance in accordance with Article 22, Section 8, Option B, Subd. 3, Contribution to

Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP).

B. Work Related Injury/Disability. A faculty member who receives an Employer

contribution and who is off the state payroll due to a work related injury or a work related

disability remains eligible as long as such a faculty member receives workers'

compensation payments. If such faculty member ceases to receive workers' compensation

payments for the injury or disability and is granted a disability leave under Article 15,

Section 4 the faculty member shall be eligible during that leave.

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C. Summer Coverage - Unlimited Faculty After Resignation. An unlimited faculty

member who is enrolled in the group insurance program and who submits notice of

resignation effective following the faculty member’s completion of the academic year

continues to receive the Employer contribution through the summer at the same level of

Employer contribution as the faculty member was receiving immediately prior to the end

of spring semester. This paragraph shall not apply to those faculty members who retire;

however, faculty members who elect early retirement continue to be provided with the

provisions of Article 16, Sections 3, 4, or 5. This paragraph does not change current

practice relative to the provisions of Article 16, Sections 3, 4, or 5, if eligible.

D. Summer Coverage - Temporary Part-Time Faculty. A faculty member on a temporary

part-time appointment (including temporary part-time converted to temporary full-time per

Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) who is eligible for an Employer contribution and who is

eligible to participate in the group insurance program during the summer under the terms

of Article 19, Section 2, Subd. 2.E, above, continues to receive the Employer contribution

during the summer at the same level of Employer contribution as the faculty member was

receiving immediately prior to the end of spring semester.

E. Summer Coverage - Probationary Faculty. A faculty member on a probationary

appointment who is eligible for an Employer contribution and who is eligible to participate

in the group insurance program during the summer under the terms of Article 19, Section

2, Subd. 2.F, above, continues to receive the Employer contribution during the summer at

the same level of Employer contribution as the faculty member was receiving immediately

prior to the end of spring semester.

F. Summer Coverage – Fixed-Term Faculty. A faculty member on a fixed-term

appointment who is eligible for the Employer contribution and who is eligible to participate

in the group insurance program during the summer under the terms of Article 19, Section

2, Subd. 2.G, above, continues to receive the Employer contribution during the summer at

the same level of Employer contribution as the faculty member was receiving immediately

prior to the end of the Spring semester, subject to the following exception:

If the aggregate number of credits assigned to the fixed-term part-time faculty member for

the academic year (fall and spring semesters), from the fixed-term part-time appointment

alone or when combined with other assignments worked by the faculty member at the same

or another Minnesota State college, is twenty-four (24) or more, the faculty member shall

receive the full Employer contribution for insurance during the summer regardless of the

level received during the immediately preceeding spring semester.

G. Sabbatical Leave. A faculty member eligible for an Employer contribution immediately

prior to taking a sabbatical leave continues to receive the Employer contribution during the

sabbatical leave.

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Subd. 4. Maintaining Eligibility for Employer Contribution.

A. General. A faculty member who receives a full or partial Employer contribution maintains

that eligibility as long as the faculty member meets the Employer contribution eligibility

requirements, and appears on a state payroll for at least one full working day during each

payroll period. This requirement does not apply to faculty members who receive an

Employer contribution while on layoff or who are off state payroll due to a work-related

injury or disability as described above.

B. Unpaid Leave of Absence. If a faculty member is on an unpaid leave of absence, then

leave cannot be used for the purpose of maintaining eligibility for an Employer contribution

by keeping the faculty member on a state payroll for one working day per pay period. For

a faculty member returning from an approved unpaid leave of absence of less than a full

academic year, the Employer contribution shall resume immediately following the end of

the last semester of the leave.

C. Academic Year Employment. If a faculty member is employed on the basis of an

academic year and such employment contemplates absences from the state payroll during

the summer months, the faculty member shall nonetheless remain eligible for an Employer

contribution, provided that the faculty member appears on the regular payroll for at least

one (1) working day in the payroll period immediately preceding such absences, except as

noted in Subd.4.B. above.

D. FMLA Leave. A faculty member who is on an approved FMLA leave maintains eligibility

for an Employer contribution.

Section 4. Amount of Employer Contribution. The Employer contribution amounts and rules

in effect on June 30, 2023 will continue through December 31, 2023.

Subd. 1. Contribution Formula -- Health Coverage.

A. Faculty Member Coverage. For faculty member health coverage for the 2024 and 2025

plan years, the Employer contributes an amount equal to ninety-five percent (95%) of the

faculty member-only premium of the Minnesota Advantage Heath Plan (Advantage).

B. Dependent Coverage. For dependent health coverage for the 2024 and 2025 plan years,

the Employer contributes an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the dependent

premium of the Minnesota Advantage Health Plan (Advantage).

Subd. 2. Contribution Formula -- Dental Coverage.

A. Faculty Member Coverage. For faculty member dental coverage, the Employer

contributes seventy percent (70%) of the employee premium of the dental plan.

B. Dependent Coverage. For dependent dental coverage, the Employer contributes fifty

percent (50%) of the dependent premium of the dental plan.

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Subd. 3. Contribution Formula -- Basic Life Coverage. For faculty member basic life

coverage and accidental death and dismemberment coverage, the Employer contributes one

hundred percent (100%) of the cost.

Section 5. Coverage Changes and Effective Dates.

Subd. 1. When Coverage May Be Chosen.

A. Newly Hired Faculty Members. All faculty members hired to an insurance eligible

position must make their elections by their initial effective date of coverage as defined in

this Article, Section 5, Subd. 3. Insurance eligible faculty members will automatically be

enrolled in basic life coverage. If faculty members eligible for a full Employer contribution

do not choose a health plan administrator and a primary care clinic by their initial effective

date, they will be enrolled in a Benefit Level Two clinic (or Level One, if available) that

meets established access standards in the health plan with the largest number of Benefit

Level One and Two clinics in the county of the faculty member’s residence at the beginning

of the insurance year. If a faculty member does not choose a health plan administrator and

a primary care clinic by their initial effective date, but was previously covered as a

dependent immediately prior to their initial effective date, they will be defaulted to the plan

administrator and primary care clinic in which they were previously enrolled.

B. Eligibility Changes. A faculty member who becomes eligible for a full Employer

contribution must make the faculty member’s benefit elections within thirty (30) calendar

days of becoming eligible. If a faculty member does not choose a health plan administrator

and a primary care clinic within this thirty (30) day timeframe, the faculty member will be

enrolled in a Benefit Level Two clinic (or Level One, if available) that meets established

access standards in the health plan with the largest number of Benefit Level One and Two

clinics in the county of the faculty member’s residence at the beginning of the insurance

year.

If a faculty member who becomes eligible for a partial Employer contribution chooses to

enroll in insurance, the faculty member must do so within thirty (30) days of becoming

eligible or during open enrollment.

A faculty member may change the faculty member’s health or dental plan if the faculty

member changes to a new permanent work or residence location and the faculty member's

current plan is no longer available. If the faculty member has family coverage and if the

new residence location is outside of the current plan’s service area, the faculty member

shall be permitted to switch to a new plan administrator and new Benefit Level within thirty

(30) days of the residence location change. The election change must be due to and

correspond with the change in status. A faculty member who receives notification of a

work location change between the end of an open enrollment period and the beginning of

the next insurance year, may change the faculty member’s health or dental plan within

thirty (30) days of the date of the relocation under the same provisions accorded during the

last open enrollment period.

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A faculty member or retiree may also change health or dental plans in any other situation

in which the Employer is required by the applicable federal or state law to allow a plan

change.

C. Waiving Medical Coverage. Faculty members may choose to waive medical coverage.

If a faculty member is eligible for the full employer contribution and desires to waive

medical coverage, the faculty member must submit a Waiver of Medical Coverage form

and provide proof of other coverage by the end of the faculty member’s enrollment period.

If a faculty member does not submit the form and proof by the end of the faculty member’s

enrollment period, the faculty member will be enrolled in medical coverage, with the next

opportunity to waive coverage during Open Enrollment or upon a permitted Qualified Life

Event. If a faculty member waives medical coverage, the faculty member can elect it again

during the next Open Enrollment or midyear upon a permitted Qualified Life Event.

Subd. 2. When Coverage May be Changed or Canceled.

A. Changes Due to a Life Event. After the initial enrollment period and outside of any open

enrollment period, a faculty member may elect to change health or dental coverage

(including adding or canceling coverage) and any applicable faculty member contributions

in the following situations (as long as allowed under the applicable provisions, regulations,

and rules of the federal and state law in effect at the beginning of the plan year).

B. The request to change coverage must be consistent with a change in status that qualifies as

a life event, and does not include changing health or dental plans, which may only be done

under the terms of Section 5A. above. Any election to add coverage must be made within

thirty (30) days following the event, and any election to cancel coverage must be made

within sixty (60) days following the event. (A faculty member and a retired faculty member

may add dependent health or dental coverage following the birth of a child or dependent

grandchild, or following the adoption of a child, without regard to the thirty (30) day limit.)

These life events (for both faculty members and retirees) are:

1. A change in legal marital status, including marriage, death of a spouse, divorce, legal

separation and annulment.

2. A change in number of dependents, including birth, death, adoption, and placement for

adoption.

3. A change in employment status of the faculty member, or the faculty member’s or

retiree’s spouse, or dependent, including termination or commencement of

employment, a strike or lockout, a commencement of or return from an unpaid leave of

absence, a change in worksite, and a change in working conditions (including changing

between Part-time and full-time or hourly and salary) of the faculty member, the faculty

member’s or retiree’s spouse, or dependent which results in a change in the benefits

they receive under a cafeteria plan or a health or dental plan.

4. A dependent ceasing to satisfy eligibility requirements for coverage due to attainment

of age, or otherwise no longer meets the eligibility requirements under Section 2, Subd.

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5. A change in the place of residence of the faculty member, retiree or their spouse or

dependent that is not in the health plan service administrator’s service area.

6. Significant cost or coverage changes (including coverage curtailment and the addition

of a benefit package).

7. Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave.

8. Judgments, decrees or orders.

9. A change in coverage of a spouse or dependent under another Employer’s plan.

10. Open enrollment under the plan of another Employer.

11. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) special enrollment rights

for new dependents and in the case of loss of other insurance coverage.

12. A COBRA-qualifying event.

13. Loss of coverage under the group health plan of a governmental or education institution

(a State’s children’s health insurance program, medical care program of an Indian tribal

government, State health benefits risk pool, or foreign government group health plan).

14. Entitlement to Medicare or Medicaid.

15. Any other situations in which the group health or dental plan is required by the

applicable federal or state law to allow a change in coverage.

C. Canceling Dependent Coverage During Open Enrollment. In addition to the above

situations, dependent health or dependent dental coverage may also be cancelled for any

reason during the open enrollment period that applies to each type of plan (as long as

allowed under the applicable provisions, regulations and rules of the federal and state law

in effect at the beginning of the plan year).

D. Canceling Faculty Member Coverage. A part-time faculty member may also cancel

faculty member coverage within sixty (60) days of when one of the life events set forth

above occurs.

E. Effective Date of Benefit Termination. Medical, dental and life coverage termination

will take effect on the first of the month following the loss of eligible faculty member or

dependent status. Disability benefit coverage terminations will take effect on the day

following loss of eligible faculty member status.

Subd. 3. Effective Date of Coverage.

A. Initial Effective Date. The initial effective date of coverage under the Group Insurance

Program is the thirtieth (30

) day following the faculty member's first day of employment,

re-hire, or reinstatement with the State. The initial effective date of coverage for a faculty

member whose eligibility has changed is the date of the change. A faculty member must

be actively at work on the initial effective date of coverage, except that a faculty member

who is on paid leave on the date State-paid life insurance benefits increase is also entitled

to the increased life insurance coverage. In no event shall a faculty member's dependent's

coverage become effective before the faculty member's coverage.

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If a faculty member is not actively at work due to faculty member or dependent health

status or medical disability, medical and dental coverage will still take effect. (Life and

disability coverage will be delayed until the faculty member returns to work.)

B. Delay in Coverage Effective Date.

1. Basic Life. If a faculty member is not actively at work on the initial effective date of

coverage, coverage will be effective on the first day of the faculty member’s return to

work. The effective date of a change in coverage is not delayed in the event that, on

the date the coverage change would be effective, a faculty member is on an unpaid

leave of absence or layoff.

2. Medical and Dental. If a faculty member is not actively at work on the initial effective

date of coverage due to a reason other than hospitalization or medical disability of the

faculty member or dependent, medical and dental coverage will be effective on the first

day of the faculty member’s return to work.

The effective date of a change in coverage is not delayed in the event that, on the date

the coverage change would be effective, a faculty member is on an unpaid leave of

absence or layoff.

3. Optional Life and Disability Coverage. In order for coverage to become effective,

the faculty member must be in active payroll status and not using sick leave on the first

day following approval by the insurance company. If it is an open enrollment period,

coverage may be applied for but will not become effective until the first day of the

faculty member's return to work.

Subd. 4. Open Enrollment.

A. Frequency and Duration. There shall be an open enrollment period for health coverage

in each year of this Contract and for dental coverage in the first year of this Contract. Open

enrollment periods shall last a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days in each year of the

Contract. Open enrollment changes become effective on January 1 of each year of this

Contract. Subject to a timely contract settlement, the Employer shall make open enrollment

materials available to faculty members at least fourteen (14) days prior to the start of the

open enrollment period.

B. Eligibility to Participate. A faculty member eligible to participate in the State Employee

Group Insurance Program, as described in Section 2, Subd. 1 and Subd. 2, may participate

in open enrollment. In addition, a person in the following categories may, as allowed in

Section 5, Subd. 4A. above, make certain changes: (1) a former faculty member or

dependent on continuation coverage, as described in Section 2, Subd. 4, may change plans

or add coverage for health and/or dental plans on the same basis as active faculty members;

and (2) an early retiree, prior to becoming eligible for Medicare, may change health and/or

dental plans as agreed to for active faculty members, but may not add dependent coverage.

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C. Materials for Faculty Member Choice. Each year prior to open enrollment, the

Appointing Authority will give eligible faculty members the information necessary to make

open enrollment selections. Faculty members will be provided a statement of their current

coverage each year of the Contract.

Subd. 5. Coverage Selection Prior to Retirement. A faculty member who retires and is

eligible to continue insurance coverage as a retiree may change their health or dental plan

during the sixty (60) calendar day period immediately preceding the date of retirement. The

faculty member may not add dependent coverage during this period. The change takes effect

on the first day of the month following the date of retirement.

Section 6. Basic Coverage. (Faculty Member and Family Health Coverage)

Subd. 1. Minnesota Advantage Health Plan (Advantage). The health coverage portion of

the State Employee Group Insurance Program is provided through the Minnesota Advantage

Health Plan (Advantage), a self-insured health plan offering four (4) Benefit Level options.

Provider networks and claim administration are provided by multiple plan administrators.

Coverage offered through Advantage is determined by Section 6, Subd. 2.

Subd. 2. Coverage Under the Minnesota Advantage Health Plan. From July 1, 2023,

through December 31, 2023, health coverage under the SEGIP will continue at the level in

effect on June 30, 2023. Effective January 1, 2024, Advantage will cover eligible services

subject to the copayments, deductibles and coinsurance coverage limits stated. Services

provided through Advantage are subject to the managed care procedures and principles,

including standards of medical necessity and appropriate practice, of the plan administrators.

Coverage details are provided in the Advantage Summary of Benefits.

A. Benefit Options. Faculty members must elect a plan administrator and primary care clinic.

Those elections will determine the Benefit Level through Advantage. Enrolled dependents

must elect a primary care clinic that is available through the plan administrator chosen by

the faculty member.

1. Plan Administrator. Faculty members must elect a plan administrator during their

initial enrollment in Advantage and may change their plan administrator election only

during the annual open enrollment and when permitted under Section 5. Dependents

must be enrolled through the same plan administrator as the faculty member.

2. Benefit Level. The primary care clinics available through each plan administrator are

assigned a Benefit Level. The Benefit Levels are outlined in the benefit chart below.

Primary care clinics may be in different Benefit Levels for different plan

administrators. Family members may be enrolled in clinics that are in different

Benefits Levels. Faculty members and their dependents may change to clinics in

different Benefit Levels during the annual open enrollment. Faculty members and their

dependents may also elect to move to a clinic in a different Benefit Level within the

same plan administrator by calling their plan administrator, with changes typically

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effective the following day. Unless the individual has a referral from their primary care

clinic, there are no benefits for services received from providers in Benefit Levels that

are different from that of the primary care clinic in which the individual has enrolled.

3. Primary Care Clinic. Faculty members and each of their covered dependents must

individually elect a primary care clinic within the network of providers offered by the

plan administrator chosen by the faculty member. Faculty members and their

dependents may elect to change clinics within their clinic’s Benefit Level as often as

the plan administrator permits and as outlined above.

4. Advantage Benefit Chart for Services Incurred During Plan Year 2024 and 2025.

2024 and 2025

Benefit Provision

Benefit Level 1

The member pays:

Benefit Level 2

The member pays:

Benefit Level 3

The member pays:

Benefit Level 4

The member pays:

Deductible for all services

except drugs and

preventive care (S/F)

$250/$500

$400/$800

$750/$1,500

$1,500/$3,000

Office visit copay/urgent

care (copay waived for

preventive services)

$35

$40

$70

$90

Mental health office visit

copay

$0 not subject to the

Deductible

$0 not subject to the

Deductible

$50

$70

In-Network Convenience

Clinics and Online Care

(deductible waived)

Emergency room copay

$100 not subject to

Deductible

$125 not subject to

Deductible

$150 not subject to

Deductible

$350 not subject to

Deductible

Facility copays

● Per inpatient admission

(waived for admission to

Center of Excellence)

● Per outpatient surgery

$100

$60

$200

$120

$500

$250

N/A – subject to

Deductible and 25%

Coinsurance to OOP

maximum

N/A – subject to

Deductible and 25%

Coinsurance to OOP

maximum

Coinsurance for MRI/CT

scan services

10%

15%

25%

N/A – subject to

Deductible and 30%

Coinsurance to OOP

maximum

Coinsurance for services

NOT subject to copays

5% (95% coverage after

payment of deductible)

5% (95% coverage after

payment of deductible)

20% (80% coverage after

payment of deductible)

25% for all services to

OOP maximum after

deductible

Coinsurance for lab,

pathology and x-ray (not

included as part of

preventive care and not

subject to office visit or

facility copayments)

10% (90% coverage

after payment of

deductible)

10% (90% coverage after

payment of deductible)

20% (80% coverage after

payment of deductible)

25% for all services to

OOP maximum after

deductible

Coinsurance for durable

medical equipment

20% (80% coverage

after payment of 20%

coinsurance)

20% (80% coverage after

payment of 20%

coinsurance)

20% (80% coverage after

payment of 20%

coinsurance)

25% for all services to

OOP maximum after

deductible

Copay for three-tier

prescription drug plan

Tier 1: $18

Tier 2: $30

Tier 3: $55

Tier 1: $18

Tier 2: $30

Tier 3: $55

Tier 1: $18

Tier 2: $30

Tier 3: $55

Tier 1: $18

Tier 2: $30

Tier 3: $55

Maximum drug out-of-

pocket limit (S/F)

$1,050/$2,100

Maximum non-drug out-

of-pocket limit (S/F)

$1,700/$3,400

$2,400/$4,800

$3,600/$7,200

Article 19

110

B. Incentive.

Employees will receive a seventy dollar ($70.00) first-dollar credit in plan year 2024 to

their individual deductible (regardless of whether the employee is enrolled in single or

family coverage), conditional upon completion of qualifying activities in the well-being

program by the deadline. The well-being incentive will sunset after 2024.

C. Service Area.

The Minnesota Advantage Health Plan service area shall be comprised of all Minnesota

counties as well as border communities, with the specific boundaries initially established

by MMB and any changes thereafter agreed to by the JLM.

D. Services received from, or authorized by, a primary care physician within the

primary care clinic. Under Advantage, the health care services outlined in the benefits

charts above shall be received from, or authorized by a primary care physician within the

primary care clinic. Preventive care, as outlined in the Summary of Benefits, is covered at

one hundred percent (100%) for services received from or authorized by the primary care

clinic. The primary care clinic shall be selected from approved clinics in accordance with

the Advantage administrative procedures. Unless otherwise specified in Section 6, Subd.

2, services not received from, or authorized by, a primary care physician within the primary

care clinic may not be covered. Unless the individual has a referral from their primary care

clinic, there are no benefits for services received from providers in Benefit Levels that are

different from that of the primary care clinic in which the individual has enrolled.

E. In-Area services not requiring referral from a primary care physician within the

primary care.

1. Routine Eye Exams. Limited to one (1) routine examination per year for which no

copay applies. Eye injury or illness at an in-network provider will be covered as an

office visit based on the benefit level in which the individual is enrolled.

2. Emergency services and urgent care. The emergency room copay applies to all

outpatient emergency visits that do not result in hospital admission within twenty-four

(24) hours.

3. Obstetrics and Gynecological Care. The deductible and coinsurance for services not

subject to copays applies.

4. Mental Health Care and Substance Use Disorder Treatment.

5. Chiropractic Care.

For all services listed above apart from urgent care and emergency care, a provider must

be in-network with the member’s plan administrator for the service to be covered.

Article 19

111

F. Prescription drugs.

1. Copayments and annual out-of-pocket maximums.

For the first and second year of the Contract:

• Tier 1 co-payment: Eighteen dollar ($18.00) copayment per prescription or refill

for a Tier 1 drug dispensed in a thirty day (30) supply.

• Tier 2 co-payment: Thirty dollar ($30.00) copayment per prescription or refill for

a Tier 2 drug dispensed in a thirty (30) day supply.

• Tier 3 co-payment: Fifty-five dollar ($55.00) copayment per prescription or refill

for a Tier 3 drug dispensed in a thirty (30) day supply.

• Out-of-pocket maximum: There is an annual maximum eligible out-of-pocket

expense limit for prescription drugs of one thousand and fifty dollars ($1,050.00)

per person or two thousand one hundred dollars ($2,100.00) per family.

2. Insulin. Insulin will be treated as a prescription drug subject to a separate copay for

each type prescribed.

3. Brand Name Drugs. If the subscriber chooses a brand name drug when a

bioequivalent generic drug is available, the subscriber is required to pay the standard

copayment plus the difference between the cost of the brand name drug and the generic.

Amounts above the pay that an individual elects to pay for a brand name instead of a

generic drug will not be credited toward the out-of-pocket maximum.

G. Special Service Networks. The following services must be received from special service

network providers in order to be covered. All terms and conditions outlined in the Summary

of Benefits apply.

1. Mental health services – inpatient or outpatient.

2. Chemical dependency services – inpatient and outpatient.

3. Chiropractic services.

4. Transplant coverage.

5. Cardiac services.

6. Home infusion therapy.

7. Hospice.

8. Fertility services.

H. Individuals whose permanent residence and principal work location are outside the

State of Minnesota and outside of the Advantage Plan’s service area. If these

individuals use a provider within the plan administrator’s national network, services will

be covered at Benefit Level Two. If a national network provider is not available in their

area, services will be covered at Benefit Level Two through any other provider available

in their area. If a national network provider is available but not used, benefits will be

covered at Benefit Level Three. All terms and conditions outlined in the Summary of

Benefits will apply.

Article 19

112

I. Children living with an ex-spouse outside the Advantage Plan’s service area. Covered

children living with former spouses outside the Advantage Plan’s service area and enrolled

under this provision as of December 31, 2003, will be covered at Benefit Level Two. If

available, services must be received from providers in the plan administrator’s national

network. If a national network provider is available but not used, benefits will be covered

at Benefit Level Three.

J. Health Care Services Received Outside the Minnesota Advantage Health Plan’s

Service Area.

For covered services received by employees, former employees, and dependents outside of

the Advantage service area, all care that is received within the national network of the

member’s plan administrator will be covered at Benefit Level Three, with a separate out-

of-area deductible. Urgent care and emergency care will be covered at Benefit Level Three

whether or not the providers are within the member’s plan administrator’s national

network. All other out-of-area care must be received within the given plan administrator’s

national network to be covered by the plan. Referrals are not required for care received

outside of the Advantage Plan’s service area.

K. Lifetime maximums and non-prescription out-of-pocket maximums. Coverage under

Advantage is not subject to a per person lifetime maximum.

In the first and second years of the Contract, coverage under Advantage is subject to a plan

year, non-prescription drug, out-of-pocket maximum of one thousand seven hundred

dollars ($1,700.00) per person or three thousand four hundred dollars ($3,400.00) per

family for members whose primary care clinic is in Cost Level 1 or Cost Level 2; two

thousand four hundred dollars ($2,400.00) per person or four thousand eight hundred

dollars ($4,800.00) per family for members whose primary care clinic is in Cost Level 3;

and three thousand six hundred dollars ($3,600.00) per person or seven thousand two

hundred dollars ($7,200.00) per family for members whose primary care clinic is in Cost

Level 4.

L. In-Network Convenience Clinics and Online Care. Services received at in-network

convenience clinics and online care are not subject to a copayment in each year of the

Contract. First dollar deductibles are waived for convenience clinic and online care visits.

(Note that prescriptions received as a result of a visit are subject to the drug copayment and

out-of-pocket maximums described above.)

Subd. 3. Benefit Level Two Health Care Network Determination. Issues regarding the

health care networks for the 2024 insurance year shall be negotiated in accordance with the

following procedures:

A. At least twelve (12) weeks prior to the open enrollment period for the 2024 insurance year

the Employer shall meet and confer with the Joint Labor/Management Committee on

Health Plans in an attempt to reach agreement on the Benefit Level Two health care

networks.

Article 19

113

B. If no agreement is reached within five (5) working days, the Employer and the Joint

Labor/Management Committee on behalf of all of the exclusive representatives shall

submit a list of providers/provider groups in dispute to a mutually agreed upon neutral

expert in health care delivery systems for final and binding resolution. The only

providers/provider groups that may be submitted for resolution by this process are those

for which, since the list for the 2023 insurance year was established, Benefit Level Two

access has changed, or those that are intended to address specific problems caused by a

reduction in Benefit Level Two access.

C. Absent agreement on a neutral expert, the parties shall select an arbitrator from a list of

five (5) arbitrators supplied by the Bureau of Mediation Services. The parties shall flip a

coin to determine who strikes first. One-half (1/2) of the fees and expenses of the neutral

shall be paid by the Employer and one-half (1/2) by the Exclusive Representatives. The

parties shall select a neutral within five (5) working days after no agreement is reached,

and a hearing shall be held within fourteen (14) working days of the selection of the neutral.

D. The decision of the neutral shall be issued within two (2) working days after the hearing.

Subd. 4. Coordination with Workers' Compensation. When a faculty member has incurred

an on-the-job injury or an on-the-job disability and has filed a claim for workers' compensation,

medical costs connected with the injury or disability shall be paid by the faculty member's

health plan, pursuant to M.S. 176.191, Subdivision 3.

Subd. 5. Health Promotion and Health Education. Both parties to this Agreement

recognize the value and importance of health promotion and health education programs. Such

programs can assist faculty members and their dependents to maintain and enhance their

health, and to make appropriate use of the health care system. To work toward these goals:

1) Develop programs.

a) Policy. The Employer will develop and implement health promotion, health

education programs, and other programs mutually agreed upon with the Joint Labor-

Management Committee on Health Plans, subject to the availability of resources.

Each Appointing Authority will develop a health promotion and health education

program consistent with the Minnesota Management & Budget policy. Upon request

of any exclusive representative in an agency, the Appointing Authority shall jointly

meet and confer with the exclusive representative(s) and may include other interested

exclusive representatives. Agenda items shall include but are not limited to smoking

cessation, weight loss, stress management, health education/self-care, and education

on related benefits provided through the health plan administrators serving state

employees.

b) Pilot Programs. The Employer may develop voluntary pilot programs to test the

acceptability of various risk management programs, programs that seek to control

costs, programs that streamline the delivery of services, or that enhance services to

Article 19

114

members. Incentives for participation in such programs may include improvements

to the benefits outlined in the Article. Implementation of such pilot programs is

subject to the review and approval of the Joint Labor-Management Committee on

Health Plans.

2) Health plan specification. The Employer will require health plans participating in the

group insurance program to develop and implement health promotion and health education

programs for State faculty members and their dependents.

3) Faculty member participation. The Employer will assist faculty members' participation

in health promotion and health education programs. Health promotion and health

education programs that have been endorsed by the Employer (Minnesota Management &

Budget) will be considered to be non-assigned job-related training pursuant to

Administrative Procedure 21. Approval for this training is at the discretion of the

Appointing Authority and is contingent upon meeting staffing needs in the faculty

member's absence and the availability of funds. Faculty members are eligible for release

time, tuition reimbursement, or a pro-rata combination of both. Faculty members may be

reimbursed for up to one hundred percent (100%) of tuition or registration costs upon

successful completion of the program. Faculty members may be granted release time,

including the travel time, in lieu of reimbursement.

4) Post-Retirement Health Care Benefit. Faculty members who separate on or after January

1, 2008, from State service and who, at the time of separation are insurance eligible to

either a) an annuity under a State retirement program, or b) receive a retirement benefit

under M.S. 354B shall be entitled to a contribution of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00)

to the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) Health Care Savings Plan. Faculty

members who have a HCSP waiver on file shall receive a two hundred fifty dollar

($250.00) cash payment. If the faculty member separates due to death, the two hundred

fifty dollars ($250.00) is paid in cash, not to the HCSP. A faculty member who becomes

totally and permanently disabled on or after January 1, 2008, who received a State

disability benefit, and is eligible for a deferred annuity under a State retirement program is

also eligible for the two hundred fifty dollar ($250.00) contribution to the MSRS Health

Care Savings Plan. Faculty members are eligible for this benefit only once.

Subd. 6. Temporary plan changes due to a state or national emergency.

1) SEGIP and the unions recognize that certain natural disasters and other major emergencies

may disrupt or seriously threaten to disrupt the State of Minnesota at a time when

employees are especially needed to provide services. If the State or a federal government

agency declares a state of emergency or otherwise invokes emergency authority by

declaration, rules, regulations, or similar official statements, the terms of the programs

administered by SEGIP may be changed for the period of the declared emergency, and for

up to a thirty (30) day run-out period.

Article 19

115

2) These changes may include changes to programs administered by SEGIP, including but

not limited to, benefit design, enrollment and eligibility, billing, and administration as well

as waiver of out-of-network restrictions, changes to out of pocket costs, extension of time

frames for enrollment and billing, and other protocols reasonably required to provide

members with access to benefits.

3) These changes must be agreed to by both SEGIP and the Joint Labor-Management

Committee. Nothing in this provision prohibits SEGIP from making changes authorized

or required under another authority including, but not limited to a state or federal law,

regulation, order, or rule without union agreement.

Section 7. Faculty Member Life Coverage.

Subd. 1. Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage. The Employer

agrees to provide and pay for the following term life coverage and accidental death and

dismemberment coverage for all faculty members eligible for an Employer contribution, as

described in Section 3. Any premium paid by the State in excess of fifty thousand dollars

($50,000.00) coverage is subject to a tax liability in accord with Internal Revenue Service

regulations. A faculty member may decline coverage in excess of fifty thousand dollars

($50,000.00) by filing a waiver in accord with Minnesota Management and Budget procedures.

The basic life insurance policy will include an accelerated benefits agreement providing for

payment of benefits prior to death if the insured has a terminal condition.

Faculty Member’s

Annual Base Salary

Group Life

Insurance Coverage

Accidental Death

and Dismemberment

Principal Sum

$ 0 - $20,000

$30,000

$20,001 - $30,000

$40,000

$30,001 - $40,000

$50,000

$40,001 - $50,000

$60,000

$50,001 - $60,000

$70,000

Over $60,000

$75,000

Subd. 2. Extended Benefits. A faculty member who becomes totally disabled before age 70

shall be eligible for the extended benefit provisions of the life insurance policy until age 70.

Faculty members who were disabled prior to July 1, 1983 and who have continuously received

benefits shall continue to receive such benefits under the terms of the policy in effect prior to

July 1, 1983.

Subd. 3. Procurement. A life insurance Request for Proposal (RFP) may be issued during

the term of this labor agreement. This RFP may result in changes to the current life insurance

benefit. The Joint Labor Management Committee on Health Plans (JLM) will participate in

the life insurance RFP process and the JLM must agree to changes that modify the life

insurance provisions from status quo benefit levels.

Article 19

116

Section 8. Faculty Member and Family Dental Coverage.

Subd. 1. Coverage Under the State Dental Plan. The State Dental Plan will provide the

following coverage:

A. Copayments. Effective January 1, 2020, the State Dental Plan will cover allowable

charges for the following services subject to the copayments and coverage limits stated.

Higher out-of-pocket costs apply to services obtained from dental care providers not in the

State Dental Plan network. Services provided through the State Dental Plan are subject to

the State Dental Plan's managed care procedures and principles, including standards of

dental necessity and appropriate practice. The plan shall cover general cleaning two (2)

times per plan year and special cleanings (root or deep cleaning) as prescribed by the

dentist.

Service

In-Network

Out-of-Network

Diagnostic/Preventive

100%

50% after deductible

Fillings

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Endodontics

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Periodontics

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Oral Surgery

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Crowns

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Implants

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Prosthetics

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Prosthetic Repairs

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

Orthodontics

80% after deductible

50% after deductible

B. Deductible. An annual deductible of fifty dollars ($50.00) per person and one hundred

fifty dollars ($150.00) per family applies to State Dental Plan non-preventive services

received from in-network providers. An annual deductible of one hundred twenty-five

dollars ($125.00) per person applies to State Dental Plan services received from out of

network providers. The deductible must be satisfied before coverage begins.

C. Annual maximums. State Dental Plan coverage is subject to a two thousand and two

hundred dollar ($2,200.00) annual maximum benefit payable (excluding orthodontia and

preventive services) per person. "Annual" means per insurance year.

D. Orthodontia lifetime maximum. Orthodontia benefits are subject to a three thousand

dollar ($3,000.00) lifetime maximum benefit. If a faculty member elects dental benefits

on their own policy, dollars spent when the employee was a dependent of another

policyholder shall not be applied toward the new policy’s lifetime maximum.

Article 19

117

Section 9. Optional Coverage.

Subd. 1. Life Coverage.

A. Faculty member. A faculty member may purchase up to five hundred thousand dollars

($500,000.00) additional life insurance, in increments established by the Employer, subject

to satisfactory evidence of insurability. A new faculty member may purchase up to two (2)

times annual salary in optional faculty member life coverage by their initial effective date

of coverage as defined in this Article, Section 5, Subd. 3, without evidence of insurability.

A faculty member may only be covered on one state sponsored life coverage policy. A

retired faculty member who returns to state service with optional employee life coverage

in place or who has already received a paid-up benefit is not eligible for optional employee

life coverage. A faculty member who becomes eligible for insurance may purchase up to

two (2) times annual salary in optional faculty member life coverage without evidence of

insurability within thirty (30) days of the initial effective date as defined in this Article.

B. Spouse. A faculty member may purchase up to five hundred thousand dollars

($500,000.00) life insurance coverage for the faculty member’s spouse in increments

established by the Employer, subject to satisfactory evidence of insurability. An individual

may only be covered on one state sponsored life coverage policy. A retired faculty member

who returns to state service with optional spouse life coverage in place or who has already

received a paid-up benefit is not eligible for optional spouse life coverage. A new faculty

member may purchase either five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or ten thousand dollars

($10,000.00) in optional spouse life coverage by their initial effective date of coverage as

defined in this Article, Section 5, Subd. 3. without evidence of insurability. A faculty

member who becomes eligible for insurance may purchase either five thousand dollars

($5,000.00) or ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) in optional spouse coverage without

evidence of insurability within thirty (30) days of the initial effective date as defined in this

Article.

C. Children/Grandchildren. A faculty member may purchase life insurance in the amount

of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) as a package for all eligible children/grandchildren

(as defined in Section 2, Subd. 3. of this Article). An individual may only be covered on

one policy, by one employee participating in the State Employee Group Insurance

Program. For a new faculty member, child/grandchild coverage requires evidence of

insurability if application is made after the initial effective date of coverage as defined in

this Article, Section 5.Subd. 3. A faculty member who becomes eligible for insurance may

purchase child/grandchild coverage without evidence of insurability if application is made

within thirty (30) days of the initial effective date as defined in this Article.

Child/grandchild coverage commences immediately from the moment of live birth up to

age twenty-six (26).

D. Accelerated Life. The additional faculty member, spouse and child life insurance policies

will include an accelerated benefits agreement providing for payment of benefits prior to

death if the insured has a terminal condition.

Article 19

118

E. Waiver of Premium. In the event a faculty member becomes totally disabled before age

seventy (70), there shall be a waiver of premium for all life insurance coverage that the

faculty member had at the time of disability.

F. Paid Up Life Policy. At age sixty-five (65) or the date of retirement, a faculty member

who has carried optional faculty member life insurance for the five (5) consecutive years

immediately preceding the date of the faculty member’s retirement or age sixty-five (65),

whichever is later, shall receive a post-retirement paid-up life insurance policy in an

amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the smallest amount of optional faculty member

life insurance in force during that five (5) year period. The faculty member’s post-

retirement death benefit shall be effective as of the date of the faculty member’s retirement

or the faculty member age sixty-five (65), whichever is later. Faculty members who retire

prior to age sixty-five (65) must be immediately eligible to receive a state retirement

annuity and must continue their optional faculty member life insurance to age sixty-five

(65) in order to remain eligible for the faculty member post-retirement death benefit.

A faculty member who has carried optional spouse life insurance for the five (5)

consecutive years immediately preceding the date of the faculty member’s retirement or

spouse age sixty-five (65), whichever is later, shall receive a post-retirement paid-up life

insurance policy in an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the smallest amount of

optional spouse life insurance in force during that five (5) year period. The spouse post-

retirement death benefit shall be effective as of the date of the faculty member’s retirement

or spouse age sixty-five (65), whichever is later. The faculty member must continue the

full amount of optional spouse life insurance to the date of the faculty member’s retirement

or spouse age sixty-five (65), whichever is later, in order to remain eligible for the spouse

post-retirement death benefit.

Each policy remains separate and distinct, and amounts may not be combined for the

purpose of increasing the amount of a single policy.

G. Procurement. A life insurance Request for Proposal (RFP) may be issued during the term

of this labor agreement. This RFP may result in changes to the current life insurance

benefit. The Joint Labor Management Committee on Health Plans (JLM) will participate

in the life insurance RFP process and the JLM must agree to changes that modify the

optional life insurance provisions from status quo benefit levels.

Subd. 2. Disability Coverage.

A. Short-term Disability Coverage. A faculty member may purchase short-term disability

coverage that provides benefits of from three hundred dollars ($300.00) to five thousand

dollars ($5,000.00) per month, up to two-thirds (2/3) of a faculty member's salary, for up

to one hundred eighty (180) days during total disability due to a non-occupational accident

or a non-occupational sickness. Benefits are paid from the first day of a disabling injury

or from the eighth day of a disabling sickness. For a new faculty member coverage applied

for the initial effective date of coverage as defined in Section 5, Subd. 3. of this Article

does not require evidence of insurability. For a faculty member who becomes eligible for

Article 19

119

insurance, coverage applied for within thirty (30) days of the initial effective date does not

require evidence of insurability. A faculty member who is insurance eligible and moves

from a temporary position to an unlimited position will be allowed to enroll in short-term

disability coverage within thirty (30) days of the event without providing evidence of

insurability. A short-term disability open enrollment will be offered every five (5) years.

B. Long-Term Disability Coverage. New faculty members may enroll in long-term

disability insurance by their initial effective date of coverage. Faculty members who

become eligible for insurance may enroll in long-term disability insurance within thirty

(30) days of their initial effective date as defined in this Article, Section 5, Subd 3. A

faculty member who is insurance eligible and moves from a temporary position to an

unlimited position will be allowed to enroll in long-term disability coverage within thirty

(30) days of the event without providing evidence of insurability. The terms are the same

as for faculty members who wish to add/increase coverage during the annual open

enrollment. During open enrollment only, a faculty member may purchase long-term

disability coverage that provides benefits of from three hundred dollars ($300.00) to seven

thousand dollars ($7,000.00) per month, based on the faculty member's salary,

commencing on the 181st calendar day of total disability, and not subject to evidence of

insurability but with a limited term pre-existing condition exclusion. Faculty members

should be aware that other wage replacement benefits, as described in the certificate of

coverage (i.e., Social Security Disability, Minnesota State Retirement Disability, etc.), may

result in a reduction of the monthly benefit levels purchased. In any event, the minimum

is the greater of three hundred dollars ($300.00) or fifteen (15) percent of the amount

purchased. The minimum benefit will not be reduced by any other wage replacement

benefit. In the event that the faculty member becomes totally disabled before age seventy

(70), the premiums on this benefit shall be waived. When an eligible faculty member has

elected to take the state’s long term disability, the faculty member shall pay the entire

premium via payroll deduction.

C. Procurement. A disability insurance Request for Proposal (RFP) may be issued during the

term of this labor agreement. This RFP may result in changes to the current disability

coverage benefit. The Joint Labor Management Committee on Health Plans (JLM) will

participate in the disability coverage RFP process and the JLM must agree to changes that

modify the disability coverage provisions from status quo benefit levels.

D. Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage. A faculty member may purchase

accidental death and dismemberment coverage that provides principal sum benefits in

amounts ranging from five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) to two hundred thousand dollars

($200,000.00). Payment is made only for accidental bodily injury or death and may vary,

depending upon the extent of dismemberment. A faculty member may also purchase from

five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) in coverage

for the faculty member’s spouse, but not in excess of the amount carried by the faculty

member.

Article 19 and Article 20

120

E. Vision Coverage. Under the life of this agreement, an optional and fully employee-paid

vision benefit will be available pursuant to contract parameters with the State’s vision

vendor.

F. Continuation of Optional Coverage During Unpaid Leave or Layoff. A faculty

member who takes an unpaid leave of absence or who is laid off may discontinue premium

payments on optional policies during the period of leave or layoff. If the faculty member

returns within one (1) year, the faculty member shall be permitted to pick up all optional

coverage held prior to the leave or layoff. For purposes of reinstating such optional

coverage, the following limitations shall be applicable.

For the first twenty-four (24) months of long-term disability coverage after such a period

of leave or layoff during which long-term disability coverage was discontinued, any such

disability coverage shall exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. For disability

purposes, a pre-existing condition is defined as any disability that is caused by, or results

from, any injury, sickness or pregnancy that occurred, was diagnosed, or for which medical

care was received during the period of leave or layoff. In addition, any pre-existing

condition limitations that would have been in effect under the policy but for the

discontinuance of coverage shall continue to apply as provided in the policy.

The limitations set forth above do not apply to leaves that qualify under the Family Medical

Leave Act (FMLA).

ARTICLE 20

APPOINTMENTS AND CREDENTIAL FIELDS

Section 1. Appointments. All appointments shall be made by the college via a letter of

appointment which includes the type of appointment, the length of appointment (if not an unlimited

position), the faculty member's address, State of Minnesota employee identification number, and

the wages. The college shall provide the MSCF with a copy of this letter of appointment. In the

case of adjunct and temporary part-time faculty, a letter of appointment will be used which includes

information regarding the managerial right to cancel some or all of the temporary appointment in

order to fulfill the contractual obligations to unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time faculty.

Subd. 1. Types of Appointments. Appointments will be one (1) of the following types:

unlimited full-time, unlimited part-time, fixed-term full-time, fixed-term part-time, temporary

part-time, and adjunct.

Subd. 2. Posting of Vacancies. The college president or designee shall simultaneously

distribute both full-time and part-time vacancy notices to all campus/sites for posting on the

official bulletin board prior to any external advertisements or postings. Copies shall also be

sent to the MSCF designee. No position shall be filled until at least ten (10) days have elapsed

after posting the notification.

Article 20

121

Section 2. Unlimited Full-time. An unlimited full-time faculty member is defined as a faculty

member with a full-time assignment for an academic year that carries the assumption that such

employment will continue on a full-time basis in subsequent years. To qualify for unlimited

full-time status, the faculty member must meet minimum qualifications for the credential field and

successfully complete probationary status. All unlimited full-time positions must be posted with

an approved credential field. When a credential field does not exist, the Co-chairs of the Joint

Committee on Credential Fields shall be notified prior to the creation of the temporary minimum

qualifications.

No faculty member shall serve more than one (1) probationary period in the MSCF bargaining unit

except when the faculty member has separated for more than five (5) years. An unlimited full-

time faculty member who is rehired into an unlimited position after being separated for more than

five (5) years may be required to serve a one (1) year probationary period upon rehire. Time spent

on layoff or recall shall not count as being separated.

Subd. 1. Probationary Status. A faculty member must complete three (3) years (six (6)

semesters) of probationary status before becoming an unlimited full-time faculty member. A

probationary appointment means that the individual holding such status is being evaluated for

purposes of determining whether or not unlimited status will be granted. A probationary

faculty member who successfully completes the probationary appointment period shall become

an unlimited full-time faculty member.

Subd. 2. Non-Renewal. Probationary faculty members who are non-renewed shall be notified

of the non-renewal by written notice, as defined in Article 2, no later than one (1) month prior

to the end of the sixth (6

) probationary semester. Probationary faculty members who receive

a non-renewal, complete their sixth (6

) semester, and are rehired into an unlimited position

have fulfilled their probationary period. Faculty members rehired after five (5) years may have

a one (1) year probationary period imposed pursuant to Section 2. above.

There shall be no employment rights for layoff or recall for probationary faculty members.

The non-renewal of a probationary faculty member is not subject to the grievance procedures,

outlined in Article 27.

Subd. 3. Unlimited Special. If it is to the mutual advantage of the faculty member and the

college, an unlimited full-time faculty member's load may be reduced to a load between fifty

percent (50%) and eighty percent (80%) of a full-time load for a semester, two (2) semesters

or one (1) or more academic years. For purposes of this provision, a full-time load shall be

defined in accordance with the workload provisions of this Contract. Such reduction must

have the agreement of the faculty member and the college president. Written notification of

the agreement must be submitted to the system office and the MSCF. The agreement relative

to the reduction and the conditions under which the faculty member may or must return to

full-time status shall be stated in writing at the time of the agreed reduction. Such unlimited

special faculty member shall have each year of service count as a full year for purposes of

seniority, step movement, and sabbatical leave. Other fringe benefits shall accrue to such

faculty member in accordance with the Contract provisions in effect at the time. Faculty

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122

members who are eligible under M.S. 354.66, 354A.094 or 354B.31 Part-time Teacher

programs may elect to participate if participation is at no additional cost to the Employer. A

work assignment load reduction under this provision shall not be construed as a leave of

absence under Article 15.

Section 3. Unlimited Part-time. An unlimited part-time faculty member is defined as a faculty

member with a part-time assignment between forty percent (40%) and eighty percent (80%) for an

academic year that carries the assumption that such employment will continue on a part-time basis

in subsequent years. To qualify for unlimited part-time status, the faculty member must meet

minimum qualifications for the credential field and successfully complete the probationary period.

All unlimited part-time positions must be posted with an approved credential field.

No faculty member shall serve more than one (1) probationary period in the MSCF bargaining unit

except when the faculty member has separated for more than five (5) years. An unlimited part-

time faculty member who is rehired into an unlimited position after being separated for more than

five (5) years may be required to serve a one (1) year probationary period upon rehire. Time spent

on layoff or recall shall not count as being separated.

Subd. 1. Level of Minimum Guarantee. The minimum percentage guaranteed of an

unlimited part-time position shall be established when the position is posted or be the level of

employment during the previous academic year when a temporary part-time faculty member

is granted unlimited part-time status. Assignments above the minimum guarantee may be

made. Unlimited part-time faculty members will be offered up to eighty percent (80%) when

assignments are available. Fringe benefits will be based on the minimum guaranteed

appointment or actual academic year workload, whichever is greater and will be annualized.

An unlimited part-time faculty member holding appointments at more than one state college

who has conflicting work schedules must select which college's assignment s/he will meet and

must resign the appointment from the other college if alternative arrangements which are

acceptable to the college administration cannot be implemented. Unlimited part-time faculty

who decline assignments as part of the minimum guaranteed percentage appointment or who

refuse unlimited full-time positions that are offered at their college shall lose their unlimited

part-time status.

Subd. 2. Probationary Status. A faculty member must complete six (6) semesters of

probationary status before becoming an unlimited part-time faculty member. A probationary

appointment means that the individual holding such status is being evaluated for purposes of

determining whether or not unlimited status will be granted. A probationary faculty member

who successfully completes the probationary appointment shall become an unlimited part-time

faculty member.

Subd. 3. Non-Renewal. Probationary faculty members who are non-renewed shall be notified

of the non-renewal by written notice, as defined in Article 2, no later than one (1) month prior

to the end of the sixth (6

) probationary semester. Probationary faculty members who receive

Article 20

123

a non-renewal, complete their sixth (6

) semester, and are rehired into an unlimited position

have fulfilled their probationary period. Faculty members rehired after five (5) years may have

a one (1) year probationary period imposed pursuant to Section 3. above.

There shall be no employment rights for layoff or recall for probationary faculty members.

The non-renewal of a probationary faculty is not subject to the grievance procedures, outlined

in Article 27.

Subd. 4. Conversion from Unlimited and Probationary Part-time to Unlimited and

Probationary Full-time. Upon mutual agreement between the MSCF and the college

president, a current unlimited part-time faculty member may be granted an unlimited full-time

position at his/her college that includes his/her current unlimited part-time assignment. Faculty

members serving their probationary period may also convert as long as the minimum

qualifications for the credential field(s) are fully met at the time of conversion. At the time of

conversion the remaining probationary period from the probationary unlimited part-time

appointment will transfer to the probationary unlimited full-time appointment.

Subd. 5. Automatic Rollover from Unlimited Part-time to Unlimited Full-time. Unlimited

part-time faculty whose actual assignments exceed eighty percent (80%) for two (2)

consecutive academic years shall be converted to unlimited full-time status at their college if

there are no eligible unlimited full-time faculty members on layoff who claim the position.

Assignments for replacement of other faculty on sabbatical leave or assignments paid from

soft money will not qualify as actual assignments for purposes of automatic conversion to

unlimited full-time. Such assignments shall be identified at the time the assignments are made.

Section 4. Fixed Term.

Subd. 1. Definitions. A fixed-term faculty appointment is an appointment at a single college for

a limited period of time, subject to the definitions in Subdivisions 1.A and 1.B of this section,

below, and the parameters in Subdivision 3 of this section, below. There are two (2) types of fixed-

term appointments: fixed-term full-time and fixed-term part-time. The two (2) types of fixed-

term appointments are defined in Subdivisions 1.A and 1.B, below. A fixed-term appointment

terminates at the end of the appointment period, except as provided in Subdivision 3. A fixed-

term appointment carries no implication that the college will offer future employment to the faculty

member beyond the appointment period.

A. Fixed-Term Full-Time Faculty Appointment. A fixed-term full-time faculty appointment

is a full-time appointment at a single college for a duration of not less than one (1) academic

year and not more than three (3) academic years.

B. Fixed-Term Part-Time Faculty Appointment. A fixed-term part-time faculty appointment

is a part-time appointment at a single college with a minimum workload guarantee between

forty percent (40%) and ninety-five percent (95%) of the full-time work assignment load per

academic year for a duration of not less than one (1) academic year and not more than three

(3) academic years.

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124

Subd. 2. Minimum Qualifications. A faculty member hired into a fixed-term full-time or fixed-

term part-time appointment must meet the minimum qualifications for the credential field of the

position. Transfers of unlimited full-time faculty to fixed-term full-time positions are also subject

to the provisions in Article 22, Section 9, Subd. 2.

Subd. 3. Posting and Duration. Except as provided in this subdivision, a fixed-term position

will be posted prior to being filled. A college’s posting of a fixed-term position will indicate the

number of academic years constituting the duration of the fixed-term appointment. A fixed-term

position must be posted in a system-established credential field. If the fixed-term position is part-

time, the posting will include the minimum annual guaranteed percentage of a full-time work-

assignment load.

A. Duration of Fixed-Term Full-Time Faculty Appointments. The duration of a fixed-term

full-time appointment will not be less than one (1) academic year and will not be more than

three (3) academic years. Subsequent to the start of a fixed-term full-time appointment whose

posted duration was fewer than three (3) academic years, the appointing college may extend

the length of the appointment up to the maximum total duration of three (3) academic years

without re-posting the position, provided no faculty who have received notice of layoff or laid-

off faculty are on the unlimited full-time layoff or recall list in the same credential field. The

college will memorialize extensions in writing to the faculty member holding the fixed-term

appointment, with a copy to the MSCF.

B. Duration of Fixed-Term Part-Time Faculty Appointments. The duration of a fixed-term

part-time appointment will not be less than one (1) academic year or more than three (3)

academic years. Subsequent to the start of a fixed-term part-time appointment, a college may

extend the length of the appointment up to the maximum total duration of three (3) academic

years without re-posting the position, provided no faculty who have received notice of layoff

or laid off faculty are on the unlimited full-time layoff or recall list in the same credential field.

The college will memorialize extensions in writing to the faculty member holding the fixed-

term appointment, with a copy to the MSCF.

C. Termination of Fixed-Term Appointments. Unless a college has a bona fide, good, and

sufficient reason(s) to end a fixed-term appointment early or the incumbent faculty member

voluntarily separates, a fixed-term faculty appointment will terminate at the end of the

appointment period indicated in the posting/letter of appointment, or, if the appointment has

been extended, in the college’s letter of extension. For purposes of this paragraph, bona fide,

good, and sufficient reasons to end a fixed-term appointment early include, but are not limited

to, declining enrollment, loss of grant funding, closure of a college program related to the

fixed-term position, disciplinary dismissal for cause, termination of the fixed-term position to

fulfill the contractual obligations to unlimited faculty, or the termination of a fixed-term

position in conformance with Article 22, Section 1, Subd. 3 or Article 22, Section 4, Subd. 2

prior to implementing layoff of an unlimited faculty member.

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125

D. Claiming of Fixed-Term Appointments by Unlimited Faculty on Layoff or Who Have

Received Notice of Layoff. Unlimited faculty on layoff or who have received notice of layoff

may not bump a faculty member holding an active fixed-term appointment. However, an

unlimited faculty member on layoff or who has received notice of layoff may claim a posted

fixed-term appointment in conformance with Article 22, Section 8, Option A, Subd. 4.

Subd. 4. Conversion and Subsequent Unlimited/Probationary Status of Fixed-Term Full-

Time Position.

A. The college may, with the faculty member’s written agreement, convert a fixed-term full-time

position into an unlimited full-time position at any point during the fixed-term full-time

appointment period without posting a new position, provided: the incumbent fixed-term full-

time faculty member will be appointed to the unlimited position; there are no unlimited full-

time faculty on notice of layoff or laid off in the same credential field; and the faculty member

meets the system-established minimum qualifications for the credential field. The faculty

member’s seniority will be determined consistent with Article 21, Seniority.

B. If a faculty member:

1. has held a single non-grant funded, fixed-term full-time appointment for at least two (2)

full consecutive academic years at a college, and

2. while actively holding the same non-grant funded, fixed-term full-time appointment,

3. requests that the faculty member’s appointment status be converted from fixed-term full-

time to unlimited full-time, the college may grant such status conversion if agreed to by

the college president, provided there are no unlimited full-time faculty on notice of layoff

or laid off in the same credential field; and the faculty member meets the system-

established minimum qualifications for the credential field. The faculty member’s

seniority will be determined consistent with Article 21, Seniority.

C. Notwithstanding the probationary-status provisions of Section 2 and Section 3 of this Article,

if a faculty member has completed at least one (1) semester in a single fixed-term full-time

appointment at a college and either:

1. the college converts the fixed-term full-time position into an unlimited full-time position

in accordance with Subd. 4.A, above, or

2. the faculty member is subsequently rehired, after no more than a two (2) academic-year

separation from the fixed-term full-time position, into an unlimited full-time or unlimited

part-time position at the same college in the same credential field as the fixed-term full-

time position,

The faculty member’s probationary period in the unlimited position will be reduced by the number

of semesters of completed service in the fixed-term full-time appointment.

Article 20

126

Section 5. Temporary Part-time. A temporary part-time faculty member is defined as a faculty

member with a Part-time assignment of five (5) or more credits in a semester or more than three

(3) credits in a summer session. Such employment terminates at the end of the stated appointment

period except as provided in Article 25 of this Contract. Temporary part-time faculty members

will be hired in accordance with Minnesota State policies and procedures.

Subd. 1. Full-time Assignment of Temporary Part-Time Faculty. A temporary part-time

faculty member shall not be assigned a full load (30 or 32 credits as appropriate) at the same

college unless s/he meets the minimum qualifications for the credential field(s). If a temporary

part-time faculty member is assigned a full load, the faculty member shall be converted to

temporary full-time in accordance with the following:

A. The conversion shall be made without the position being posted.

B. The conversion shall occur when the faculty member begins working either the 30

or 32

credit.

C. The conversion shall not be retroactive for the purposes of insurance eligibility or

sabbatical leave eligibility.

Subd. 2. Changing Converted Temporary Full-time to Unlimited Full-time. If a

temporary part-time faculty member is converted to temporary full-time for six consecutive

years at the same college, the faculty member shall be changed to unlimited full-time effective

the next fall semester.

Section 6. Adjunct Faculty Member. An adjunct faculty member is defined as a faculty member

with a part-time assignment of fewer than five (5) credits for a semester or three (3) or fewer credits

in a summer session. Such employment terminates at the end of the stated appointment period

except as provided in Article 25 of this Contract.

Section 7. Hiring Practices. The Employer will ensure that the system employs no less than

seventy percent (70%) of the total FTE MSCF bargaining unit ten (10) faculty as unlimited full-

time faculty headcount FTE plus unlimited part-time faculty minimum guarantee FTE, and that

each state college employs no less than sixty percent (60%) of the total FTE MSCF bargaining

unit ten (10) faculty as unlimited full-time faculty headcount FTE plus unlimited part-time faculty

minimum guarantee FTE as calculated below.

Subd. 1. Calculation of UFT Positions Needed. The basis for calculating the number of

unlimited full-time faculty positions required at each college will be as follows:

A. No later than February 15 of each year, the Employer shall provide the MSCF with a report

of total MSCF bargaining unit employment at all technical colleges, community colleges

and comprehensive community colleges for the current year. This report will include all

credit assignments, including overload during the academic year, activity credits, and fifty

Article 20

127

percent (50%) of the concurrent enrollment, provided by full-time and part-time faculty

regardless of bargaining unit eligibility. It shall include all persons who are paid wages by

the college or system regardless of funding source.

B. Summer assignments, extra days and customized training (credit and non-credit) provided

by customized training faculty members as defined in Article 28, awards for excellence

and miscellaneous wages as defined in Article 13, Sections 5 and 9, respectively, shall not

be included in this calculation.

C. The work that is done by adjunct and temporary part-time (including temporary part-time

faculty converted to temporary full-time per Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) faculty

members who are hired as replacements for sabbatical leaves and for MSCF release time

shall be subtracted from the total at each college.

D. The hiring practices requirement of seventy percent (70%) state-wide and sixty percent

(60%) at each college shall be established by multiplying the total MSCF employment as

described above times 0.70 and 0.60 and rounded to the nearest whole number. If the

rounding down causes the percentage to go below seventy percent (70%) and sixty percent

(60%), the number will be rounded up.

Subd. 2. Verification of Rosters. The unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time faculty

rosters as of February 15 shall include all instructors, counselors and librarians. No later than

March 15 of each year, the system office and the MSCF shall jointly produce an analysis of

the unlimited full-time headcount FTE plus unlimited part-time minimum guarantee FTE of

MSCF faculty employed at each technical college, community college and consolidated

community college for the current academic year. The analysis will examine each college.

Customized Training faculty members as defined in Article 28 shall not be included in this

analysis.

A. Faculty who have been terminated for cause or have been non-renewed as of February

15 shall be subtracted from the total. Any faculty member who has taken a cumulative

total amount of leave(s) to serve as a Minnesota State administrator(s) in excess of sixty

(60) months shall also be subtracted from the total.

The difference between the number of unlimited full-time headcount FTE plus part-

time unlimited minimum guarantee FTE faculty currently employed at each college as

of February 15 and respective of deletions indicated above and the number needed to

insure seventy percent (70%) and sixty percent (60%) as established in Subd. 1,

paragraphs A and B above shall be the minimum number posted and hired. The posting

of the required number of unlimited full-time positions needed to be in compliance with

the hiring practices above shall occur no later than March 31, to allow for filling at the

start of the next academic year. It is the intent of this section to provide compliance by

the beginning of the next academic year. The system office and the MSCF will meet

no later than May 1 to assure that the number of positions posted will bring the colleges

into compliance.

Article 20

128

Class size increases may not be used to alter the ratio of unlimited full-time faculty to

temporary part-time faculty.

Colleges with a higher percentage of unlimited full-time headcount FTE plus unlimited part-

time minimum guarantee FTE faculty than the sixty percent (60%) referenced above may not

use the percentage of faculty as a reason to issue layoff notices.

When special circumstances exist and agreement is reached between the MSCF and the

Chancellor, terms of this subdivision may be waived or altered.

Subd. 3. Pilot: Inclusion of Fixed-Term FTE Toward Hiring Practices. For Fiscal Years

2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, fifty percent (50%) of fixed-term full-time faculty total

guaranteed FTE and fifty percent (50%) of fixed-term part-time faculty total guaranteed FTE

will count towards the seventy percent (70%) and sixty percent (60%) hiring-practices

thresholds described in Section 7, Subds. 1 and 2, above.

Section 8. Faculty Credential Fields.

Subd. 1. Credential Field Upon Initial Hire. The credential field of instructors, counselors,

or librarians hired into an unlimited position shall be the field for which the faculty member

was hired as approved by the college president. This credential field must correspond to the

majority of the assignments held. Upon initial hiring a written notice of the credential field

shall be sent to the faculty member and MSCF and a written notice of any change in credential

field shall be sent to the faculty member and MSCF. A student activity assignment shall not

be considered a credential field. The faculty member shall file official copies of required

transcripts to comply with the credentialing process in accordance with Board Policy 3.32.

Faculty Qualifications and System Procedure 3.32.1 College Faculty Credentialing. The

evaluation of those credentials shall be provided to the faculty member and to the MSCF.

An additional credential field(s) shall be added, by the college president, under the following

provisions:

A. [RESERVED]

B. Adding a Credential Field(s) Subsequent to Unlimited Status. Adding an additional

credential field occurs when all of the following requirements are satisfied:

1. An unlimited full-time or unlimited part-time faculty member has completed

assignments of at least four (4) credits per semester in the requested credential field for

at least two (2) semesters (for a minimum of eight (8) credits total);

2. The two (2) semesters must fall within a two (2) consecutive academic year span;

3. The college president verifies that the assignment will continue; and

4. The faculty member meets system-established minimum qualifications for the

credential field.

C. [RESERVED]

Article 20 and Article 21

129

D. Layoff Prohibition. A faculty member shall not be granted an initial or subsequent

credential field at a college if another faculty member is on notice of layoff or on layoff in

that credential field at the college.

Subd. 2. Joint Committee on Credential Fields. A joint committee composed equally of

faculty members appointed by the MSCF and administrators appointed by the Chancellor shall

continue to make recommendations on credential fields and minimum hiring qualifications to

the Chancellor. When the joint committee and the system office have reached agreement on a

credential field and the minimum qualifications, the Employer will maintain the current

qualifications and provide a copy to the MSCF. The Employer will also maintain a current

listing of faculty who hold each credential field and will provide a copy to the MSCF. The

current listing of credential fields and the minimum qualifications are available on the

Employer’s website and at the college’s human resources office.

Section 9. Changes in Credential Field(s). If the system office modifies the faculty member’s

credential field(s) in such a way that the faculty member must retrain, the Employer will bear all

costs including release time for the retraining.

ARTICLE 21

SENIORITY

All faculty members including probationary who are listed on the unlimited full-time and unlimited

part-time seniority rosters published in November 2001 shall continue their seniority as previously

established. Faculty hired after November 2001 shall have their seniority determined in

accordance with Section 1 below.

For purposes of seniority, all Minnesota state colleges shall be considered to have the same starting

date for comparable semesters. The semester starting date shall be the earliest date published each

year for each semester at a Minnesota state college as the first work date for the faculty. When a

faculty member’s first employment date is prior to the starting date, the extra days worked shall

be reflected on the seniority roster and may be used if necessary in the tie breaking process. When

a faculty member’s first employment date is later than the common date, the actual starting date

will be the starting date.

Section 1. Seniority Defined. Seniority of a faculty member shall be determined by figuring the

total FTE length of continuous probationary and unlimited full-time or unlimited part-time service

in the faculty member’s credential field(s) since the faculty member’s starting date in the credential

field. The starting date of a faculty member’s seniority shall be the beginning of the term when a

faculty member started probationary/unlimited full-time or probationary/unlimited part-time

service. Seniority shall accrue in each credential field held by the faculty member.

The procedures for the establishment, posting and appeal of the seniority lists are described below:

Article 21

130

Section 2. Site Defined. A “site” is defined as an off campus location where one or more

unlimited full-time faculty members are assigned as their primary work site. For purposes of

definition within this section the current sites are Native American reservations, correctional

facilities, and current locations mutually agreed upon for community-based programs. The

establishment of any future site shall be determined by mutual agreement between Minnesota State

and MSCF. A college may include multiple campuses and/or sites.

Subd. 1. Small business management, farm business management, computer small business,

lamb and wool management, specialty crops management, and other like programs” faculty

will have site-based seniority only. Faculty members who transfer to an existing or new site

will retain seniority rights to their original site or campus.

Subd. 2. Corrections facility faculty will have site-based seniority only. Corrections facility

faculty who had position rights at a campus/college prior to July 1, 1995, will retain all other

rights provided in this agreement. Faculty members who transfer to a corrections facility will

retain seniority rights to their original site or campus.

Subd. 3. Native American reservations faculty will have site-based seniority only. Native

American reservations faculty who had position rights at a campus/college prior to July 1,

1995, will retain all other rights provided in this agreement. Faculty members who transfer to

a Native American reservation site will retain seniority rights to their original site or campus.

Section 3. Calculation of Temporary Service. When a temporary faculty member who has been

employed continuously (at least one (1) semester per academic year) becomes probationary,

unlimited full-time or unlimited part-time his/her seniority shall be calculated by including his/her

service prior to the change in status on a pro-rata (FTE) basis at the college.

Section 4. Unlimited Part-time Seniority Roster. All faculty members granted unlimited part-

time status shall have their seniority status maintained on a separate roster from unlimited full-

time faculty.

Section 5. Posting and Recalculation. The seniority roster shall be posted by November 1 of

each academic year. Faculty members may request seniority recalculations within thirty (30)

calendar days after distribution of the seniority roster. The system office and MSCF shall maintain

a statewide seniority system.

Section 6. Tie Breakers. A tie may occur whenever two (2) or more faculty members are hired

at the same time in the same credential field(s), when faculty members return from an unpaid leave

of absence that does not merit the accrual of seniority, and when faculty members are hired with

previous temporary service.

Ties in college/campus/site seniority shall be broken at the time of employment. Ties in statewide

seniority shall be broken at the time of claiming or at the time of determining sabbatical leave

eligibility. When two (2) or more faculty members have the same seniority, their relative position

shall be determined by using the following criteria in the order listed:

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131

A. The faculty member with the greater total employment in the Minnesota state college,

including temporary employment, shall have the greater seniority.

B. The faculty member with the higher number of graduate credits in the credential field shall

have the greater seniority.

C. The faculty member with the earlier date on which the issuing agency approved the license,

as evidenced by the issuing agency’s signature and date on the license application form,

shall have the greater seniority.

D. If after consideration of A, B, and C above, a tie still exists, the tie shall be broken by lot.

Section 7. Break in Seniority. Seniority shall be broken by resignation, retirement, failure to

return from an authorized leave of absence, or failure to return from a layoff. An unlimited full-

time or unlimited part-time faculty member who is placed in a temporary part-time status shall not

be considered to have had a break in service during the period of temporary part-time status.

Section 8. Seniority in New Credential Fields. If subsequent to a faculty member’s start of

unlimited service in the faculty member’s initial credential field, another credential field is/was

approved for such faculty member, the seniority in this credential field shall start at the beginning

of the semester when such credential field was approved.

Once a credential field is approved and established for a faculty member, the faculty member

continues to accumulate seniority in that credential field for as long as the faculty member remains

as an unlimited faculty member in the system.

If a faculty member has more than one (1) credential field, and the original credential field is

deleted from the Minnesota State Board Policy or Minnesota State procedures, then the faculty

member will be granted seniority in the second credential retroactive to the original seniority date.

Section 9. Seniority at Same or a New College Via Claiming.

Subd. 1. A faculty member on layoff who claims a vacancy at the same college where the

layoff occurred or another college in a new credential field shall retain system seniority in the

original credential field(s). Such faculty member shall have his/her system seniority in the

original credential field(s) noted on the college seniority roster. S/he shall begin accruing

seniority in the new credential field starting from the beginning of the semester in which s/he

claims.

Subd. 2. A faculty member on layoff who claims a vacancy at the same college where the

layoff occurred or another college in a credential field that the faculty member already holds

shall retain system seniority and shall establish college seniority at the respective college equal

to the seniority held at the previous college.

Section 10. Seniority at a New College Via Voluntary Transfer. A faculty member who

voluntarily transfers to a position in another college shall retain system wide seniority in the

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132

original credential field(s) for purposes of claiming positions in the future, salary schedule

placement, and sabbatical eligibility/tie breakers. S/he shall begin accruing seniority at the new

college starting from the beginning of the semester in which s/he transfers barring an agreement

per Article 22, Section 9 between the parties to the contrary.

Section 11. Seniority and Faculty Leave to Serve as a Minnesota State Administrator.

Subd. 1. In accordance with the Article 15, Section 4, Subd. 4 provisions concerning faculty

leave to serve as a Minnesota State administrator, when the cumulative total amount of leave(s)

that a faculty member has taken to serve as a Minnesota State administrator(s) exceeds sixty

(60) months, the faculty member on such leave will be removed from the seniority roster.

Subd. 2. In the event that an administrator removed from the seniority roster per Section 11,

Subd. 1, above, is rehired into the MSCF bargaining unit, seniority will be reinstated for the

person for all the time the person actually served as a faculty member and for time up to a

cumulative total of sixty (60) months that the person was on leave to serve as an administrator

pursuant to Article 15, Section 4, Subd. 4(b). The person will not receive seniority credit for

time beyond sixty (60) months spent on leave to serve as a Minnesota State administrator.

Subd. 3. For purposes of this Section, where the word “month” is used, working a day or more

in a month shall count as one (1) month.

ARTICLE 22

LAYOFF AND FACULTY TRANSFERS

Section 1. Layoffs. Layoffs of unlimited faculty members may occur only when necessary for

bona fide, good, and sufficient reasons.

Subd. 1. Reasons. The administration shall provide both the MSCF and the faculty member

affected a written summary of the circumstances giving cause to the layoff and of the

alternatives to layoff which have been considered. If layoffs are to occur, the administration

shall meet with the MSCF to discuss the layoffs at a Shared Governance Council meeting.

Such meeting shall be scheduled prior to November 15.

Subd. 2. Layoff Notice Timelines. If a layoff is contemplated by the administration, the

faculty member on the unlimited full-time seniority roster who is to be laid off shall be notified

of the impending layoff no later than November 1 to be effective on the last day of the next

spring semester. Unlimited part-time faculty members shall be notified in writing of

impending layoff by November 1 of an impending layoff to be effective at the end of the spring

semester, and no later than April 1 of an impending layoff to be effective at the end of the

following fall semester. The layoff is subject to the shared governance language contained in

Article 8.

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Subd. 3. Order. Layoffs shall be based on inverse seniority within the credential field. A

faculty member shall not be laid off if a less senior faculty member in the college holds a

position for which the first faculty member is qualified and has greater seniority at the college.

No layoffs shall be made if the college continues to employ part-time faculty members who

are providing bargaining unit work in the faculty member’s credential field(s).

A. Post Retirement Annuitant members in the credential field shall be terminated before a

probationary faculty member is terminated.

B. Temporary part-time (including temporary part-time faculty converted to temporary full-

time per Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) and/or adjunct faculty members in the credential

field shall be terminated before a fixed-term faculty member is terminated.

C. Fixed-term faculty members in the credential field shall be terminated before any

probationary faculty member is terminated.

D. Probationary faculty members in the credential field shall be terminated before any

unlimited faculty member is laid off.

E. Unlimited part-time faculty shall be laid off based on inverse seniority within the credential

field prior to any unlimited full-time faculty member.

Subd. 4. Equalization of Budget Cuts. In the case of a substantial reduction in funds

available to the board for state colleges, every effort shall be made to equalize the effect of the

reduction on all staff at the technical, community and consolidated colleges.

Subd. 5. College Closing. In the event a college is closed by the Board of Trustees and/or

the Minnesota State Legislature, the parties agree to meet and negotiate on the impact of such

closure on the terms and conditions of employment for affected faculty.

Subd. 6. Recency Requirements. The recency requirements in this Article can be

accomplished by a faculty member updating his/her knowledge/skills through participation in

activities with sufficient rigor and substance. The recency requirement can also be

accomplished through work assignment. In order to exercise the claiming recall or bypass

rights outlined in this Article, the assignment or updating must have occurred within four (4)

years of the claiming, recall or bypass decision.

If a faculty member requests an assignment in his/her other credential field(s) for the purpose

of maintaining recency, the assignment will not be denied in an arbitrary or capricious manner.

Section 2. Reinstatement of Position. If a faculty member has claimed a position within the

state college system as provided for in this Article or if a faculty member is on the current recall

list, and the faculty member's original position is reinstated, said faculty member shall have the

first right to reclaim such position.

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Section 3. Consultation. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities shall provide, upon

request, consultation on retraining and transfer for faculty members who have received layoff

notices.

Section 4. Layoff Procedure for Colleges with Multiple-Campuses or Sites. The following

provisions are operative on a college-wide basis.

Subd. 1. Identification of Positions to be Eliminated.

A. College administration shall identify the position(s) that are being eliminated.

B. College administration shall also identify senior faculty who must be reassigned because

their position(s) is being eliminated.

C. Prior to or simultaneously with the official notification to affected faculty of layoff, the

college shall forward this information to the MSCF.

Subd. 2. Issuance of Layoff Notices and/or Termination Notices and Identification of

Positions to be Eliminated.

A. Layoff notices shall be given to the least senior faculty member(s) in the area of

assignment/licensure from which positions are being eliminated.

B. Termination notices shall be issued in the following order:

1. Temporary part-time faculty (including temporary part-time faculty converted to

temporary full-time per Article 20, Section 5, Subd. 1) and/or adjunct faculty

2. Fixed-term faculty

3. Probationary faculty

C. Layoff notices shall be issued in the following order:

1. Unlimited part-time faculty.

2. Least senior unlimited full-time faculty.

D. The position(s) occupied by those least senior faculty who have received notice of layoff

and/or termination notices shall be declared vacant in an (FTE) amount needed to

accommodate the reassignment of more senior faculty whose positions are being

eliminated, consistent with Subds. 3 and 4 of this section below.

Subd. 3. Reassignment of Senior Faculty.

A. The most senior faculty member whose position is being eliminated shall be offered his/her

choice of reassignment to the vacated position(s) as specified in Subd. 2 of this section.

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B. The college will make the offer of reassignment within ten (10) days of the date the layoff

notice was received by the faculty member.

C. If the faculty member declines this offer of reassignment, then s/he shall accept the layoff,

unless the layoff is rescinded prior to the effective date of layoff.

Subd. 4. Reassignment of Senior Faculty due to Multiple Layoffs. If it is necessary to

eliminate the positions of (and reassign) more than one senior faculty member, the affected

faculty members shall choose the vacated position to which they will be reassigned according

to the following order:

A. The most senior faculty member shall have first choice of the vacated positions described

in Subd. 2 of this section.

B. The second most senior faculty member shall have the second choice and so forth.

Subd. 5. Deadlines for Faculty Identifying Choices. Faculty members must indicate their

choice within twenty (20) days of receiving the offer of reassignment.

Subd. 6. Reassignment, Transfer and Claiming.

A. Reassignment consistent with Subds. 3 and 4 of this section constitutes a voluntary transfer.

B. Reassignment Subds. 3 and 4 of this section is not a waiver of the right to recall or

reinstatement.

Section 5. Multiple Credential Fields.

Subd. 1. Multiple Assigned Fields. A faculty member who has more than one (1) assigned

field and has met the recency requirement by updating his/her knowledge/skills or held an

assignment(s) in that additional field within the last four (4) academic years, may be by-passed

for the purpose of layoff, when s/he has adequate seniority in another assigned field(s) and

sufficient workload is available in such field(s) to retain full-time employment. When this

occurs, the faculty member may not be assigned to teach in the assigned field where the layoff

occurred until such time that the laid-off faculty member has claimed another full-time

unlimited position, had his/her layoff rescinded, resigned, or had his/her four (4) year claiming

rights expire, whichever comes first. When the more senior faculty member has provided

notification of intent to claim part-time vacancies pursuant to this article, s/he shall be offered

all available assignments for which s/he is qualified prior to the assignment of the less senior

faculty member who was bypassed. If the more senior laid-off faculty member rejects an offer

to claim such assignments, the bypassed faculty member may be reassigned in that field(s).

The by-passed faculty member shall not be eligible for re-training as provided in this article.

In the event it is later determined by the administration that a layoff is needed in the bypassed

faculty member's other assigned fields(s) and that faculty member is given the layoff notice,

any grievance appeal of such layoff shall be limited to the current circumstances in that

assigned field.

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Subd. 2. Multiple Licenses. Faculty members who are licensed in more than one (1) program

area and has met the recency requirement by updating his/her knowledge/skills or held an

assignment(s) in that additional field within the last four (4) academic years, will be bypassed

for layoff if she/he has greater seniority than another faculty member at the college in any of

her/his additional license area(s) according to the following:

A. The most senior faculty member(s) whose position is being eliminated will be offered

reassignment to the position of the least senior faculty member in all licensure areas held

by the faculty member(s) whose position is being eliminated.

B. The college will make the offer of reassignment within ten (10) days of the date the layoff

notice was received by the faculty member.

C. Faculty members must indicate their choice within twenty (20) days of receiving the offer

of reassignment.

D. If the more senior faculty member declines this offer of reassignment, then s/he shall accept

layoff, unless the layoff is rescinded prior to the effective date of layoff.

Section 6. Retention Review. A faculty member, who claims a vacancy in a credential field in

which s/he has not previously taught, may serve a retention review period of up to two (2) full,

consecutive semesters prior to obtaining unlimited status in the new credential field. The college

president may waive all or a portion of the retention review period. If the college determines that

a faculty member will not be retained in the new credential field, the member and the MSCF

Chapter grievance representative will be notified in writing by the college. The notice will set

forth the rationale for the decision. Such decision may not be arbitrary or capricious. If the faculty

member is not retained as a result of the retention review, the faculty member shall be returned to

the layoff list and shall retain all rights to claim in the original credential field. The total period of

recall and/or claiming rights and retention review shall not exceed four (4) years. Nothing in this

section affects the parties’ rights under Articles 25 and 27.

Section 7. Notification of Posted Vacancies. The system office shall distribute vacancy notices

via the Minnesota State Employment Opportunities to the colleges for posting on the official

bulletin board simultaneous with any external advertisements or postings. A copy shall also be

sent to the MSCF President or designee. All unlimited full-time, fixed-term full-time, fixed-term

part-time, and unlimited part-time MSCF positions shall be posted unless otherwise agreed to by

the Employer and the MSCF. No position shall be filled until at least fifteen (15) calendar days

have elapsed after posting date of the Minnesota State Employment Opportunities, unless the

system office and the MSCF have mutually agreed to an exception.

Section 8. Layoff Benefits.

Eligibility. Eligibility for benefits provided by this section requires the unlimited faculty member

to be employed by a Minnesota State College at the time of layoff notice.

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The MSCF field representative will facilitate the discussions between the individual faculty

member and the administration during the process of selecting either Option A or Option B

outlined below. The faculty member must make an irrevocable choice and inform the college of

that choice no later than December 1

of the calendar year preceding the effective date of layoff.

Option A

Subd. 1. Retraining. Unlimited full-time faculty may retrain only for Minnesota State system

established credential fields.

Subd. 2. Reassignment for Retraining. Any unlimited full-time faculty member who

receives a notice of layoff by the Employer shall be granted the equivalent of twenty-one (21)

semester credits for full paid reassignment time for the purpose of retraining to be completed

during spring semester, the summer following notice of layoff, or any combination thereof as

scheduled by the faculty member and approved by the Employer. The faculty member shall

submit a retraining plan to the administration no later than December 1. The initial retraining

plan will need to identify only the area of retraining, the number of reassigned credits needed,

the timing of the reassigned time, and the number of graduate credits that will be taken. Prior

to scheduling retraining activities, the faculty member shall consult with the administration to

resolve any scheduling conflicts. If the plan includes credit course work the faculty member

shall provide the administration with a copy of the fee statement. During the semesters of

reassignment for retraining the faculty member is subject to assignment at the college to the

percentage that the enrolled credits are fewer than nine (9) credits.

The faculty member on summer reassignment for retraining shall be compensated as follows:

Summer Retraining Credits Completed Reassignment Credits Paid

Three (3) or more Six (6)

Two (2) Two (2)

One (1) One (1)

Compensation for faculty members on summer assignments for retraining shall be at the pro-

rata rate for the summer session. Laid-off faculty members who do not complete any retraining

credits during the summer following notice of layoff shall not be entitled to any summer

reassignment for retraining compensation. This compensation is overload pay but is not

subject to the forty percent (40%) limitation contained in Article 13 of this Contract.

Subd. 3. Tuition Support. During the layoff notification period, as well as through the four

(4) year claiming period, a laid off unlimited full-time faculty member shall be provided with

twenty-four (24) graduate semester credits of full tuition support at any Minnesota State

institution (faculty member only). Regardless of the number of credits of tuition support

utilized, the tuition support shall end at the beginning of the semester in which the faculty

member begins work in a claimed unlimited full-time position.

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Subd. 4. Claiming Vacant Positions. Faculty members who have met the recency

requirement by updating his/her knowledge/skills or held an assignment(s) in that additional

field within the last four (4) academic years and who are covered by this section may claim

and reserve positions as specified below.

A. Claiming Period for Unlimited Full-time Faculty. For a period of four (4) years a laid

off unlimited full-time faculty member may claim posted bargaining unit vacancy in any

of the Minnesota technical, community or consolidated colleges for which s/he meets the

system established minimum qualifications for the credential field of the vacancy. If more

than one (1) laid off faculty member claims a particular vacancy, the faculty member with

the greatest state college system seniority shall receive the job.

B. Claiming Period for Unlimited Part-time Faculty. For a period of two (2) years, a laid

off unlimited part-time faculty member may claim the following at the college from which

the faculty member is laid off: adjunct assignment(s) , temporary part-time assignment(s),

or a posted fixed-term part-time assignment. The faculty member must meet the system

established minimum qualifications for the assigned field or license of the vacancy and

also must meet the recency requirement by having updated the faculty member’s

knowledge/skills or held an assignment(s) in that additional field within the last four (4)

academic years. If more than one (1) laid off faculty member claims a particular vacancy,

the faculty member with the greatest state college system seniority shall receive the job.

C. Process for Claiming Vacancies.

1. Notice of Full-time Vacancies. The system office shall notify all unlimited full-time

faculty members on notice of layoff or on layoff of all full-time vacancies within the

system as soon as positions are open.

Once a faculty member on layoff has claimed and been awarded a vacancy within the

system, the claimed position may not be withdrawn.

2. Claiming Posted Vacancies. Unlimited full-time faculty members wishing to claim

or reserve a vacant position must notify the system office with a copy to the human

resources designee at the college of the posted vacancy of their intent to do so in writing

during the fifteen (15) day posting period. In order to claim vacant positions, faculty

members must hold either the credential field of the vacancy or meet the system

established minimum qualifications for the credential field of the vacancy.

Faculty members may not claim activity assignments. At the discretion of the

administration, faculty members can be reassigned or laid off from activity assignments

without cancellation of the assignment. A student activity assignment shall not be

considered a credential field, or designated assignment.

3. Order of Claiming Posted Vacancies. Current faculty members who have met the

recency requirement by updating his/her knowledge/skills or held an assignment(s) in

that additional field within the last four (4) academic years, may claim vacant unlimited

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full-time, fixed-term full-time, unlimited part-time, or fixed-term part-time positions

for which they are qualified in the following order:

a. Unlimited full-time faculty members who have been notified of layoff and hold the

credential field or meet system established minimum qualifications for the

credential field;

b. Unlimited full-time faculty members in the order of seniority who are employed in

a credential field at a college in which a faculty member is on notice of layoff.

c. Unlimited full-time faculty members who have been notified of layoff or are laid

off and within the claiming period indicated in Section 8, Subd. 4. A. above and

who reserve the position via Subd. 7. below by declaring such and by preparing an

approved/amended retraining plan to meet system established minimum

qualifications for the position.

D. Claiming Adjunct and Temporary Part-Time Work Assignments. Unlimited faculty

members at stand-alone community colleges, who are on layoff, and unlimited Former-

MCCFA status faculty members at consolidated colleges and/or technical colleges who are

on layoff, shall have claiming rights to adjunct and temporary part-time work assignments,

as follows:

1. Order of Claiming Adjunct and Temporary Part-time Work Assignments.

Current faculty members who are on layoff and have met the recency requirement by

updating his/her knowledge/skills or held an assignment(s) in that additional field

within the last four (4) academic years, may claim part-time work for which they are

qualified in the following order:

a. Unlimited full-time faculty members who are on layoff and hold the credential field

or meet the system established minimum qualifications for the credential field.

b. Unlimited part-time faculty members who are on layoff and hold the credential field

or meet the system established minimum qualifications for the credential field may

claim adjunct and temporary part-time work at the college from which they are laid

off, in seniority order.

2. Notification to College Human Resource Designees. No later than the effective date

of layoff, the laid-off unlimited full-time faculty member shall file, with the human

resources designee(s) at all colleges where the faculty member would accept part-time

work for which the faculty member is qualified, a statement defining the minimum

part-time work within that college the faculty member would accept. This statement

shall remain in effect until such time as the faculty member submits documentation to

the college human resources designee(s) at each college where the faculty member

would accept part-time work that the system office has confirmed minimum

qualifications for additional assigned field(s) and/or the faculty member announces a

change in the statement above.

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a. Subsequent to the effective date of layoff, the faculty member shall submit

documentation required to meet minimum qualifications for claiming an additional

assigned field(s), along with a letter identifying this as a request for approval of

minimum qualifications for part-time claiming. The system office shall have

twenty (20) calendar days after the receipt of the final documentation to complete

the evaluation for minimum qualifications. Upon receipt of the written

confirmation from the system office that the minimum qualifications have been

met, the faculty member shall submit a revised statement to the respective college

human resources designee(s) at each college where part-time work would be

accepted. Such revised statements will not be considered for the next term unless

received by the college human resources designee at least ten (10) calendar days

prior to the first day of that term. This ten (10) calendar day requirement may be

waived at the sole discretion of the system office.

Those laid-off faculty members who have filed such statements shall be notified of

all acceptable part-time vacancies for which they are qualified (either by holding

the credential field(s) or receiving system office confirmation of having met system

established minimum qualifications for additional credential fields). The faculty

member may reject any part-time offer with no penalty. If the faculty member

claims the part-time position, the faculty member shall not forfeit any unlimited

faculty member rights, shall be considered to be on the layoff list, and shall be

entitled to all rights of laid off faculty members.

b. Colleges shall notify faculty of claimable assignments forty (40) business days

before classes begin, whenever possible. Faculty who are notified of claimable

assignments at least forty (40) business days before classes begin shall notify the

college whether they are accepting the assignment or not, within fifteen (15)

business days of the offer being made.

c. Faculty may claim up to twenty one (21) credits of work per semester. If a claimed

assignment is subsequently canceled, the faculty may claim additional assignments

up to a total of twenty one (21) credits.

d. If a faculty member claims an assignment and additional work subsequently

becomes available at his/her home campus, the faculty member may exchange the

claimed assignments for the work assignments available at his/her home campus.

e. If the college is unable to provide forty (40) business days’ notice of claimable

assignments, the faculty member shall have until ten (10) days before classes begin

to accept offers of work in areas of claiming rights.

f. The college human resources directors shall make every reasonable effort to make

such offers in writing as soon as possible. The faculty member who accepts part-

time work at one college will continue to have the right to accept offers from other

colleges up until ten (10) days before classes begin. If a new section or a new

course is added to the schedule within the ten (10) calendar days, then the faculty

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member on layoff must be contacted with the offer. The faculty member shall have

the right to accept the offer, if possible, along with other offers already accepted up

to twenty one (21) credits, but may not accept a new offer and cancel out of the

previously accepted work, except to exchange assignments for work at their home

campus, as specified above.

E. Claiming Part-time Work Assignments for Former UTCE Faculty at Consolidated

Colleges and Former UTCE Non-General Education Faculty at Stand-alone

Technical Colleges.

1. Eligibility. To claim part-time work assignments in accordance with the language

below, the unlimited full-time faculty member must be employed at the time of layoff

notice either in a non-general education credential field at a stand-alone technical

college or at a consolidated college in a credential field the Bureau of Mediation

Services order issued on January 14, 1999 placed in the former UTCE unit. (See

Appendix A). An unlimited full-time faculty member who is issued a notice of layoff

shall be provided the following part-time claiming benefits in lieu of those provided in

Subd. 4.D above depending on meeting eligibility requirements. Except as noted in

this subdivision, faculty members in former UTCE credential fields shall receive the

same layoff benefits as all other faculty.

The faculty member shall hold claiming rights to part-time work only on his/her campus.

To exercise these claiming rights, the faculty member must either hold the credential field

for the work or meet system established minimum qualifications for the appropriate

credential field and meet the recency requirement by updating his/her knowledge/skills or

held an assignment(s) in that additional field within the last four (4) academic years.

Subd. 5. Sick Leave Liquidation Pay. Laid-off unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time

faculty members shall receive sick leave liquidation pay at the rate established at the time of

layoff in accordance with Article 16. Unlimited full-time faculty may elect to receive payment

at any time during the four (4) year claiming period. Unlimited part-time faculty will receive

payment at the time of layoff.

Subd. 6. Group Insurance. Laid-off unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time faculty

members shall receive Employer paid health, dental and basic life insurance for one (1) year.

The coverage level will be the same, either single or family, as was in effect at the time of

layoff. When the faculty member claims temporary work that would provide the full Employer

contribution that year while on layoff, the employee may bank this benefit for a period of two

years. If the faculty member successfully claims temporary work that provides the full

Employer contribution for two years, then the banking will not be permitted. If the faculty

member claims temporary work that carries insurance eligibility but less than the full Employer

contribution this benefit shall be used on a pro-rata basis to bring the contribution to the full

Employer contribution. The faculty member will continue drawing this benefit until it is

exhausted, or two (2) years elapses, whichever comes first.

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Subd. 7. Reserving Full-time Vacancy Process. An unlimited full-time faculty member who

wishes to reserve a position must enter into a mutual agreement with the college president on

an approved retraining plan. This plan must be designed to meet minimum qualifications for

a vacancy at the college. Minimum qualifications are those contained in the policy for

credential fields. Reservations may be made at any time during the notice period or during the

four (4) year claiming period. The reservation is null and void if the retraining plan is not

successfully completed within one (1) year. The Employer may fill the vacancy on a temporary

basis until the beginning of the semester immediately following the completion of the

retraining plan.

Subd. 8. Portability of Article 16, Section 4. Retirement Benefits. Faculty who meet the

eligibility requirements of Article 16, Section 4, Subd. 1, and who are subsequently laid off

and have claimed a vacancy or who subsequently voluntarily transfer to another Minnesota

State college may have the right to continue the grandparented retirement benefits of the

sending or receiving college in accordance with the “portability of retirement benefits from

college-to-college” MOU dated January 26, 2005. (See Appendix F.)

Option B

Subd. 1. Lump Sum Payment. An unlimited full-time faculty member selecting this option

shall receive a lump sum payment of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00).

A faculty member who selects this option shall, at the time of actual lay off, sever all employee

rights including recall, claiming, and reservation rights.

Subd. 2. Sick Leave Liquidation Pay. The faculty member shall receive sick leave

liquidation pay at the rate established at the time of layoff in accordance with Article 16.

Subd. 3. Contribution to Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP). The faculty member shall

receive into their HCSP account an amount equivalent to the employer-paid portion of one (1)

year of health, dental, and basic life insurance at the coverage level, either single or family, as

of the effective date of layoff. This dollar amount shall be made in a single payment in the

payroll period following the effective date of layoff.

Section 9. Faculty Transfers.

Subd. 1. Applying for a Permanent Transfer. A permanent transfer shall only be by mutual

consent of the system office, the faculty member, and the MSCF. An unlimited full-time or

unlimited part-time faculty member who has not received a layoff notice and does not qualify

to claim a vacancy and who is an applicant to fill an unlimited full-time vacancy shall be invited

for an interview and shall be considered for filling the vacancy, if s/he meets the system

established minimum qualifications for the credential field of the vacancy at the time of the

application. Unlimited faculty who apply for vacant positions shall do so by letter to the system

office and the college human resources designee within the posting period. The system office

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shall notify the college where the vacancy is posted of those unlimited faculty who must be

provided with an interview. Notification to faculty who are not successful applicants shall be

sent prior to the announcement of the name of the successful applicant.

Subd. 2. Transfer to a Fixed-Term Full-Time Position. When the college administration

decides to post a fixed-term full-time position, an unlimited full-time faculty member may

apply for a temporary transfer to such position. Unlimited full-time faculty members who

desire to transfer to a posted fixed-term full-time vacancy shall do so in writing to the system

office with a copy to the human resources designee at the college of the posted vacancy, within

the timelines of the posting. The faculty member must hold the credential field of the posted

vacancy and must meet the system established minimum qualifications at the time of the

application. The faculty member must also have been employed by the Minnesota state

colleges for at least four (4) years. The college president of the receiving institution may

require that the transferring faculty member has held an assignment in the credential field of

the posted vacancy within the previous five (5) years. If the length of the temporary transfer

(s) will exceed a total of three (3) academic years (years need not be consecutive), the faculty

member must have the consent of the college president of the sending institution. The college

president shall not deny consent prior to the consultation with the faculty member and the

MSCF.

All eligible unlimited full-time faculty members who apply for such a temporary transfer shall

be considered for the vacancy. The eligible faculty member with the greatest system seniority

shall be granted the temporary transfer unless the administration can provide specific valid

reasons to prevent the transfer. Other candidates will only be considered for the posted vacancy

if no eligible, unlimited full-time candidate applies. Upon termination of the fixed-term full-

time position, the faculty member shall be returned to previous position. The faculty member

shall retain and accrue seniority at the college from which the temporary transfer took place.

Subd. 3. Portability of Article 16, Section 4. Retirement Benefits. Faculty who meet the

eligibility requirements of Article 16, Section 4, Subd. 1, and who are subsequently laid off

and have claimed a vacancy or who subsequently voluntarily transfer to another Minnesota

State college may have the right to continue the grandparented retirement benefits of the

sending or receiving college in accordance with the “portability of retirement benefits from

college-to-college” MOU dated January 26, 2005. (See Appendix F.)

Section 10. Involuntary Faculty Transfer. There shall be no involuntary transfers.

Section 11. Exchange Status. An exchange status of up to two (2) years shall be granted to a

faculty member, upon application by the faculty member and approval by college presidents, for

the purpose of participating in an exchange program. This status may be granted to faculty

members who have arranged to exchange positions within the Minnesota state colleges and to a

faculty member who has arranged to exchange positions with a faculty member in a system other

than the Minnesota State colleges.

The Employer shall continue its exchange faculty member under the system's salary schedule and

all rights and privileges of that faculty member shall continue in effect during the exchange period.

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Faculty members who exchange positions between colleges shall be carried on the payroll of the

original college. The faculty member(s) shall be included in the hiring practices calculation at

his/her original college.

ARTICLE 23

MISCELLANEOUS RIGHTS OF FACULTY MEMBERS

Section 1. Teaching Materials. All teaching materials to be purchased by students shall be

selected by the faculty member. However, teaching materials authored by a faculty member of the

state’s education systems including the University of Minnesota may be used as a required course

material only upon receipt of written approval from the dean to whom the faculty member, making

such requests, reports. This requirement applies only to materials that would result in a profit for

the faculty member.

Section 2. Citizenship. Faculty members shall be entitled to full rights of citizenship and no

outside religious or political activities of any faculty member, or the lack thereof, shall be the

grounds for any discipline or discrimination with respect to the professional employment of such

faculty member.

Section 3. Academic Freedom. The Employer shall maintain and encourage full freedom, within

the law, of inquiry, teaching and research. Each faculty member shall have the right to teach in an

atmosphere of free intellectual inquiry and shall not be subjected to restraints or harassment that

would impair teaching.

In the exercise of academic freedom, the faculty member may, without limitation, discuss his/her

own subject in the classroom. The faculty member may not, however, claim as a right the privilege

of persistently discussing in the classroom any matter that has no relation to the course subject.

There is an obligation to respect the dignity of others, to acknowledge their right to express

differing opinions to foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction.

A faculty member must follow course outlines as developed by and with colleagues in the

department(s). The faculty member shall have the right to freely discuss the faculty member’s

subject in teaching, to choose teaching methods consistent with available resources, to evaluate

student performance, to select library and other educational materials consistent with available

resources, and to research and publish. The faculty member is entitled to freedom in research and

in the publication of the results, subject to adequate performance of other academic duties.

When a faculty member speaks, writes or endorses products or candidates as a citizen, s/he is

obligated to make certain that such endorsements or statements imply no endorsement by the

college.

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Section 4. Patents and Intellectual Property Rights.

Subd. 1. Faculty Ownership. A faculty member shall be entitled to complete ownership and

control of any patentable discoveries or inventions, or of intellectual property and copyrighted

material, except where the faculty member’s normal workload was reduced for purposes of the

development project, where the college has provided substantial support for or involvement in

the project, or where the inventions or discoveries are produced as a result of agreements or

contracts between the college and external sponsors. Intellectual property produced during a

sabbatical leave shall be considered scholarly work.

Subd. 2. Shared Ownership. Ownership of intellectual property, or copyrighted material, or

of patentable discoveries or inventions, shall be shared by the faculty member and the college

in an equitable ratio if the intellectual property, or the discoveries or invention, are produced

under one (1) or more of the following circumstances:

A. With substantial college support and involvement;

B. With release time granted with the expectation that patentable information or products will

result;

C. Under an assigned duty and/or work-for-hire arrangement with an external sponsor.

Whenever possible, an equitable ratio of ownership shall be established in advance and

incorporated into an agreement between the college and the faculty member. Fees involved in

established above.

Subd. 3. Faculty Logs. A faculty member engaged in research which may lead to patentable

or non-patentable inventions or discoveries, or intellectual property, shall maintain a log which

includes dates and hours worked on the project, activities engaged in, and college facilities and

resources involved.

Subd. 4. Course Outlines and Syllabi. Common course outlines that are departmentally

developed and approved by the Academic Affairs and Standards Council shall belong to the

college. A course syllabus is a scholarly work and as such is the sole property of the faculty

member. Upon request, the faculty member shall provide a copy of the syllabus to the

administration. The Academic Affairs and Standards Council will develop procedures for

student access to syllabi.

Section 5. Faculty Member Work Rules. Each faculty member shall be given a copy of the

Employer work rules and regulations. Each new or changed rule or regulation shall be distributed

to faculty members upon adoption. Faculty members shall not be held accountable for such rules

and regulations until distribution to the faculty members has been made.

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Section 6. Confidentiality. Faculty members will not be required to disclose confidential

information obtained by them regarding students, except to the extent that federal or state law

requires disclosure of the information.

Section 7. Personnel Actions. The parties mutually agree to respect the confidentiality of

personnel actions involving faculty members, except to the extent that federal or state law requires

disclosure of personnel data.

Section 8. Paraprofessional Direction. When paraprofessionals in instructional, media, and

student service programs are under direction of a faculty member, the responsibilities of the

paraprofessional will be assigned by the faculty member. When the faculty member is not on duty,

a paraprofessional shall report to the employee outside of the bargaining unit to whom the faculty

member reports. Faculty members shall have the option to participate in the interview and

selection of paraprofessionals to be added to the staff and assigned to them. Faculty input for the

evaluation of paraprofessionals under their direction shall be advisory to the administration.

Section 9. Faculty Member Protection and Assistance.

Subd. 1. Assault. Faculty members shall report, as soon as practicable, cases of assault

suffered by them in connection with their employment to the appropriate administrator or the

college president, who shall comply with any reasonable request from the faculty member for

information in the possession of the administration relating to the incident or the person(s)

involved, and shall act in appropriate ways as liaison between faculty member, the police and

the courts to protect the faculty member from further aggravation regarding the matter.

Subd. 2. Legal Counsel. If civil proceedings are brought against a faculty member for acts

committed while acting within the scope of employment, legal counsel shall be furnished in

accordance with Minnesota Statutes.

ARTICLE 24

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 1. College Closing. If a college closes because the Governor declares an emergency or

the college president or designee declares an emergency pursuant to Minnesota State policy,

faculty members will not be required to make up the time lost during such closing, and such faculty

members shall not lose salary or benefits as a result of such closing.

If college classes are canceled because the college president or designee declares an emergency

pursuant to Minnesota State policy, faculty members may make appropriate curricular adjustments

as approved by administration (e.g. scheduling make up classes or meetings), or make duty

adjustments as approved by management (e.g. office hours or other compensatory activities) or

take personal leave. When the personal leave option is selected, the faculty member will submit

the proper leave request as soon as possible.

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If the Minnesota State Board of Trustees desires to change Board Policy 4.4 (Weather / Short Term

Emergency Closings), the terms of this provision shall be discussed at the State level of Meet and

Confer prior to being amended to reflect such changes.

Section 2. Classes at Other Institutions. Insofar as practicable, faculty member’s schedules are

to be arranged whenever requested to allow faculty members to attend classes at other institutions

of higher education up to six (6) credits per semester.

Section 3. Tuition Waiver at Minnesota State Colleges.

Subd. 1. General Provisions for Faculty Members’ Own Use of Tuition-Waiver Benefit.

A. Enrollment for Credit. For purposes of their own tuition-waiver use, faculty members

holding unlimited full-time, unlimited part-time, fixed-term full-time, fixed-term part-time,

and temporary part-time (including converted temporary full-time) appointments shall be

entitled to enroll, on a space-available basis (as defined in Subd. 5.H, below) in courses at

any Minnesota State Colleges and Universities institution without payment of tuition,

subject to the applicable conditions in this section. Such enrollment shall be limited to the

number of tuition-waived credits that the faculty member is eligible to use, as described in

this section, and in no instance shall exceed twenty-four (24) credits per annual tuition-

waiver usage period, as defined in Subd. 5.I, below. In no instance shall unused tuition-

waiver credits be carried over from one (1) annual tuition-waiver usage period to another.

B. Auditing Courses. Current faculty members shall be entitled to use tuition-waiver to audit

courses according to the same terms that would apply were the faculty member enrolling

in the course for credit, except that the faculty member may use the tuition-waiver benefit

for auditing only those classes held at Minnesota State colleges. Faculty members who

have retired since June 30, 1995, shall be entitled to audit courses on a space available basis

at any Minnesota State college without paying tuition.

Subd. 2. Faculty in Unlimited Full-Time, Unlimited Part-Time, and Fixed-Term Full-

Time Positions.

A. Faculty Members’ Own Use. Faculty in unlimited full-time and unlimited part-time

positions, regardless of whether the individual faculty member has completed the faculty

member’s probationary period, and fixed-term full-time positions may themselves enroll,

with tuition-waiver benefits, in up to twenty-four (24) credits at any Minnesota State

Colleges and Universities institution, per annual tuition-waiver usage period, as defined in

Subd. 5.I, below.

B. Spouse and Dependent Use. When a faculty member in an unlimited full-time, unlimited

part-time, or fixed-term full-time position does not use the full tuition-waiver benefit for

the faculty member’s own personal use, the faculty member’s spouse and/or dependent(s)

shall be eligible to use without payment of tuition any unused portion of the faculty

member’s total benefit up to a maximum of sixteen (16) credits per annual tuition-waiver

usage period, as defined in Subd. 5.I below, at any Minnesota State college.

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Subd. 3. Faculty in Temporary Part-Time and Fixed-Term Part-Time Positions.

A. Aggregation of Credits to Meet Temporary Part-Time Status. Credits taught by faculty

members who hold contemporaneous appointments at different Minnesota State colleges

that, respectively, would fall within the credit thresholds for adjunct appointments were

their respective credit-loads not combined, shall be combined for purposes of tuition-

waiver, on a per-semester (i.e., fall semester/spring semester) basis, for meeting the credit

threshold for temporary part-time status in Article 20, Section 5. Such faculty members, if

requested, must report their contemporaneous multiple appointments to the Human

Resources office(s) processing their tuition-waiver request(s). The faculty member shall

be responsible for verifying that the faculty member’s total workload credits approved for

the semester meet the credit-threshold for temporary part-time status. Upon request, the

respective appointing colleges shall provide appropriate documentation of workload

credits that the college has approved for the faculty member that semester.

B. Faculty Member’s Own Use. The amount of tuition-waiver benefits that temporary part-

time faculty members and fixed-term part-time faculty members personally are eligible to

use shall equal the number of credits the employing college(s) approves the faculty member

to work on a per-semester (i.e., fall semester/spring semester) basis. If a faculty member

holds contemporaneous appointments in a semester (e.g., temporary part-time at College

A while the same semester holding a fixed-term part-time appointment at College B), the

faculty member’s assigned credits that semester will be combined for purposes of this

paragraph. Such faculty members, if requested, must report their contemporaneous

multiple appointments to the Human Resources office(s) processing their tuition-waiver

request(s). The maximum benefit earned in any single semester shall not exceed twelve

(12) credits. However, the period in which any earned tuition-waiver benefits may be used

by the faculty member is the annual tuition-waiver usage period, as defined in Subd. 5.I,

below, provided that tuition-waiver benefits may not be used in an amount exceeding the

number of benefit-credits thus far earned by the faculty member in that academic year.

C. Spouse and Dependent Use. The amount of tuition-waiver benefits that a fixed-term part-

time or temporary part-time faculty member’s spouse and/or dependent(s) are eligible to

use shall be based on the number of credits the employing college(s) approves the faculty

member to work on a per-semester (i.e., fall semester/spring semester) basis and shall be

subject to the threshold for eligibility and the usage limits in Subd. 3.C(i), below. However,

the period in which these benefits may be used is the annual tuition-waiver usage period,

as defined in Subd. 5.I, below, provided that tuition-waiver benefits may not be used in an

amount exceeding the number of benefit credits thus far earned by the faculty member in

that academic year. Any use of tuition-waiver benefits by a temporary part-time or fixed-

term part-time faculty member’s spouse and/or dependent(s) shall count against the faculty

member’s total available benefit earned under Subd. 3.B, above.

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i. Eligibility Threshold and Benefit Limit.

a) Fixed-Term Part-Time and Fall Semester Temporary Part-Time

Appointments. In order for a temporary part-time or fixed-term part-time faculty

member to be eligible to use tuition-waiver benefits for the faculty member’s

spouse and/or dependent(s) in the fall semester of an annual tuition-waiver usage

period, as defined in Subd. 5.I, below, the faculty member must be approved by the

employing college(s) to work twelve (12) or more credits or credit-equivalents in

the fall semester of the same tuition-waiver usage period. The faculty member’s

approved workload credits for the semester may be combined as described in Subd.

3.C.i.c, below, to meet this tuition-waiver eligibility threshold. Once the faculty

member has met the eligibility threshold for fall semester, the faculty member’s

spouse and/or dependent(s) shall be able to use up to eight (8) credits of tuition

waiver at any Minnesota State college. These tuition-waiver credits may be used

at any time during the annual tuition-waiver usage period.

b) Fixed-term Part-Time and Spring Semester Temporary Part-Time

Appointments. In order for a temporary part-time faculty member with a spring

semester appointment or a fixed-term part-time faculty member to be eligible for

tuition-waiver benefits for the faculty member’s spouse and/or dependent(s) in the

spring-semester and/or summer session of that annual tuition-waiver usage period,

as defined in Subd. 5.I, below, the faculty member must be approved by the

employing college(s) to work twelve (12) or more credits or credit-equivalents in

the spring semester of the same tuition-waiver usage period. The faculty member’s

approved workload credits for the semester may be combined as described in Subd.

3.C.i.c, below, to meet this tuition-waiver eligibility threshold.

Once the faculty member has met the eligibility threshold for spring semester, the

faculty member’s spouse and/or dependent(s) shall be able to use up to eight (8)

credits of tuition waiver at any Minnesota State college. These tuition-waiver

credits may be used during the remainder (i.e., spring semester and summer session)

of the annual tuition-waiver usage period.

c) Aggregation of Credits to Meet Tuition-Waiver Eligibility Threshold. Credits

taught by temporary part-time faculty members who hold contemporaneous part-

time faculty appointments at different Minnesota State colleges shall be combined,

on a per-semester (i.e., fall semester/spring semester) basis, for meeting the twelve

(12) credit minimum threshold to establish eligibility to use tuition waiver for the

faculty member’s spouse and/or dependent(s). Such faculty members, if requested,

must report their contemporaneous multiple appointments to the Human Resources

office(s) processing the tuition-waiver request(s). The faculty member shall be

responsible for verifying that the faculty member’s total workload credits approved

for the semester meet the twelve (12) credit minimum threshold for eligibility.

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Upon request, the respective appointing college(s) shall provide appropriate

documentation of workload credits that the college has approved for the faculty

member that semester for use in verifying that the faculty member has met the

twelve (12) credit eligibility threshold.

d) No Carryover. In no instance shall unused tuition-waiver credits be carried over

from one (1) annual tuition-waiver usage period to another.

Subd. 4. Faculty on Layoff or Notice of Layoff. Faculty members on notice of layoff, their

spouse and dependents shall remain eligible for the tuition waiver benefit through the effective

date of layoff. After the effective date of layoff the faculty member, their spouse and

dependent(s) shall cease eligibility for the tuition waiver benefit. However, the faculty member

shall have access to those tuition support benefits outlined in Article 22, Section 8, Option A,

Subd. 3.

Subd. 5. Specific Applications. The following interpretation and application of tuition

waiver shall apply.

A. Enrollment When Course Credits Exceed Tuition-Waiver Benefits Available. A

faculty member with earned tuition-waiver benefits available to use (and/or the faculty

member’s spouse and/or dependent(s)) may enroll in courses whose credits exceed the

number of tuition-waiver credits available for the faculty member (and/or the faculty

member’s spouse and/or dependent(s)) to use. However, any credits in excess of the

available benefit shall not be waived.

B. Spouses. Two (2) eligible unlimited full-time, unlimited part-time or fixed-term full-time

faculty members who are spouses of each other shall have twenty-four (24) credits of

tuition waiver per semester (forty-eight (48) per year) or thirty-two (32) per year for their

dependents that they can apply however they decide between themselves.

C. Dependents. Dependents shall be defined in accordance with the Insurance Article,

Article 19, Section 2, Subdivision 3.B (a) and (b).

D. Fixed Station Labs. An eligible faculty member, spouse, or dependent may register for a

fixed station lab and cannot be “bumped out.” However, the eligible faculty member,

spouse or dependent is not guaranteed a station if the maximum number of lab stations are

taken by tuition paying students. A faculty member, spouse, or dependent shall be allowed

to use the lab at other scheduled open times the same as other students, or other

arrangements may be made with the instructor.

E. Drop/Add. An eligible faculty member, spouse, and/or dependent in a fixed station lab

course or any other course for which tuition is being waived may drop such lab or course

within the normal time limits of the drop/add policy of the college and transfer the

appropriate tuition waiver credits to another course(s) or lab(s), in accordance with the