Community Education Center Association

The Compressed Calendar, Part 2

Nov 14, 2002

The Compressed Calendar-Its History and Implications for Noncredit Instruction at the Community Education Center.

By Mark Hayden, CEC Association President

At a noontime CEC meeting on November 7, 2002, PCC President Dr. James Kossler announced that the 16-6-16-10 compressed calendar was officially adopted by the College Board of Trustees and would go into effect beginning with the start of the fall semester on September 2, 2002.

The impact of the compressed calendar to CEC students and faculty is not yet fully known or understood. Furthermore, there few if any models of non-credit adult education programs running compressed calendars under the auspices of Community Colleges in the state to use as samples. We at CEC will be in the forefront of developing cohesive and comprehensive programs under these circumstances.

In a memorandum to all faculty and Academic Managers dated November 12, 2002, Dr.Kossler gave the following report about the issues of the compressed calendar(quote):

Compensation: In accordance with existing contract language, all faculty will be paid for the winter intersession exactly as they are paid for the summer intersession, that is, from the appropriate intersession hourly salary schedule. Fulltime faculty will be paid for their contract obligation for the fall and spring semesters in the same way that they are paid now, that is, in ten equal monthly payments.

Benefits: Employee benefits, as appropriate for fulltime and adjunct faculty will continue to be provided in accordance with existing contract language.

Seniority: All teaching assignments will continue to be made in accordance with existing contract language.

Opportunity to Teach: We will follow the existing contract language. Subject to available classes and any existing seniority provisions, all faculty are eligible to teach in either, or both, intersessions. Both fulltime and adjunct faculty are free to teach in either, or both, intersessions. Faculty may teach up to 180 hours in either, or both, of the two sessions. As a result of recent legislation which becomes effective January 1, 2003, adjunct faculty may teach in either, or both, of the intersessions without affecting the 60% law. The 60% law applies only to the fall and spring semester assignments of adjunct faculty.

Committee Obligations: The determination of whether or not a college committee will meet during the winter intersession may be made by the committee membership, just as is done now with respect to meetings during the summer intersession.

Flexible Teaching Schedule: Existing contract language allows faculty members to bank hours during the fall and spring semester. Also, the current contract indicates that fulltime faculty members fulfill their contract obligations during the fall and spring semesters.

Monthly Payment Schedule: The existing contract language indicates that ten-month faculty should receive their first check before the fifth day of October and their last check before the fifth day of July.

Sabbatical Leave: Existing contract language states that employment for summer sessions before or after one?’s sabbatical is permissible.

Additional Concerns:

Loss of hours for adjunct faculty: All classes will still meet for the same number of hours, so there should be no loss of class time for students or faculty. The addition of the winter intersession may provide additional opportunities for adjunct faculty assignments.

Increased workload for staff: Other colleges that have adopted the compressed calendar did experience some additional workload for staff during the initial conversion to the calendar. After that period, workloads generally returned to normal, although some tasks might be done differently. Preparations have already been made to assist with those areas that might experience an increased workload during the conversion. (end quote)


The impact of the calendar on the students, faculty and staff at CEC are still unclear, but planning for the fall term will soon begin. We at CEC will by default become the model of noncredit education under this system. There are ideas already coming to the surface for offering specialized courses during the winter intersession at CEC. We have to all put our shoulders to the wheel and continue to provide the outstanding educational opportunities for our students that has become a hallmark of our school.