Correction: this story has been changed to correct a misattributed quote.
A few professors are raising concerns over difficulties they have faced in trying to use one of their three contractual days off to miss graduation.
According to Vice President of Academic Affairs Lee Douglas a handful of professors requested to have graduation day off, but he could not state the number of requests he processed off the top of his head.
Previous contracts did not have any language that stipulated how professors could use their days off, but a new agreement negotiated in part by Superintendent-President Mike Munoz requires a new approval process in order to take the day off for graduation.
Munoz confirmed that the new regulations around discretionary days and graduation were requested by him.
“Our campus community should be here to support each other,” Munoz said.
The new agreement requires that professors seek approval from the vice president of their department to use a discretionary day specifically on graduation, a move that has complicated what was once a straightforward process.
Under the contract, each full-time professor is allotted three discretionary days per calendar year, which they could use how they see fit.
This flexibility allowed professors to take time off for personal reasons, professional development or other needs with administrative oversight only by their dean.
However, the updated contract stipulates that full-time faculty members now need to obtain approval from the vice president specifically if they want to use a discretionary day for graduation.
The issue began when professors began to ask questions about the language used in the new contract.
Professor Karyn Daniels expressed her concern over email, stating “It seems suspicious that it is the only day that requires VP approval, as if they may not approve it,” at which point she received a reply by Jeff Sabol– a member of the full time faculty union’s executive board– stating “I would caution about spreading misinformation,” about the conditions of this new approval process.
When asked about the lack of clarity between the contract and confusion english professor J-Son Ong, member of the faculty bargaining committe said, “It was clear in the contract, you have to ask (professors) where the confusion comes from.”
This change has not only introduced an additional layer of bureaucracy but has also led to several denials, leaving some professors unable to take their desired time off on a paid working day.
Part-time professors are not required to attend graduation, so the new policy primarily affects full-time faculty. The requirement for vice president approval is seen by many as a restrictive measure that undermines their autonomy and disrupts established routines.
Nick Carbonaro, a full-time professor of Business Administration expressed his concerns over the new requirements.
“I really blame the union and how the contract was negotiated a year ago, it was clear that the wording regarding using discretionary days for graduation was confusing,” Carbonaro said.
When asked about receiving a denied request for graduation Carbonaro said, “I put in my request to use a discretionary day for graduation, I was denied. My son has a water polo tournament and I manage socials, getting deck passes and collecting information on the players. I have to be there.”
The LBCC Faculty Association acknowledged the confusion and frustration among its members. LBCCFA Vice President Vanessa Crispin-Peralta addressed the concerns that standards were not clear after the contract was ratified.
“The standards were not clear, the expectation that prior approval would be required was clear but it was not yet clear who would be allowed to use them and who would not,” Crispin-Peralta said.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Lee Douglas, alongside Student Affair Vice President Nohel Correl, has been responsible for approving and denying professors’ discretionary days.
Douglas explained that he has denied requests from professors for a variety of reasons, but has tried to encourage those who did not get approved to seek out other types of leave such as using a sick day in order to get the day off.
As these discussions continue, full-time professors are left navigating the new approval process, hoping for a resolution that restores some of their former autonomy and ensures fair treatment across the board.
“That this level of approval is in place is unfortunate and something we are looking into,” LBCCFA President Suzanne Englehardt said.
Englehardt explained that she could see where the confusion lay, but the language in the contract was clear from the beginning.
For now, discretionary day policy remains a continuous issue, reflecting broader debates about administrative control and faculty rights within educational institutions.