Tallahassee, Fla. (WTXL) - A falling out at Tallahassee Community College, after a proposal by new provost, Fellecia Moore-Davis, that would require professors to teach more classes.
An emergency Faculty Senate meeting was held earlier to discuss anew proposal Tuesday afternoon that would require professors teach 5 classes.
Frank Baglione, TCC Faculty Senate President, compares the proposed new workload to that of an over worked trucker. Saying as a truck driver, you know you're more alert and drive better on a full eight hours of sleep.
A Florida statute already requires professors to serve a full time teaching load, which is 15 course hours. However, there is an exemption at TCC that allows faculty members relief from teaching a fifth class as long as they make it up in other areas like advising or office hours.
So here's why some teachers are upset, the new proposal would essentially change that exemption and possibly require teachers to teach that extra class--pulling them away from office hours and advising--those things they say really help students in the long run.
"Most of our students go on to four year schools for four year degrees. Most of them to Florida State University. We are their first two years of education. So we think the current environment by the workload system is best for the student. Gives them a real taste of what college life is like", Frank Baglione.
Some faculty members are also upset with Provost Davis saying she didn't even ask for input from the Faculty Senate before coming up with the plan.
Tuesday's meeting was all about voting on a recommendation to push back the implementation of the policy so that a special task force can be brought in to determine if the change is really necessary.
Members voted unanimously in favor to do so.
We reached out to Provost Moore-Davis for her input and she agreed to talk with us at a later date.
