Section A. Service. When a written notice or a written response is required to be given under the terms of this Agreement, such notice or response shall be made by personal service or service by first class mail. Personal service shall be deemed complete when the notice or response is handed to or receipted by the party to whom directed. First class mail shall be deemed complete and sufficient service upon mailing to the last home address of the faculty member contained in the official personnel file.
Section B. P.E.L.R.A. P.E.L.R.A. shall mean the Minnesota Public Employment Labor Relations Act of 1971, as amended.
Section C. Employer. Employer shall mean the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, also referred to as MnSCU.
Section D. Administration. Administration shall mean the Chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, university presidents, and designees.
Section E. Employee(s), Faculty and Faculty Member. Employee or Faculty Member shall mean a member of the appropriate unit as described in this Agreement. Employees or Faculty shall mean all members of the appropriate unit as described in this Agreement.
Section F. IFO. IFO shall refer to the exclusive representative.
Section G. Association. Association shall mean the local IFO chapters (Faculty Associations) at each university.
Section H. President. President shall refer to the presidents of each university.
Section I. Chancellor. Chancellor shall refer to the Chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
Section J. Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities or Board shall mean the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
Section M. Academic Year. Academic Year is defined as beginning with the start of fall semester and ending with the completion of spring semester.
Section N. Duty Day. Duty Day shall mean a day included in the university calendar or individual faculty member's appointment on which a faculty member engages in duties as described in this Agreement.
Section O. Immediate Supervisor. Immediate Supervisor shall mean a Dean or other individual, not a member of the bargaining unit, who has supervisory authority over faculty.
Section P. Program. Program shall mean units in which a major and/or minor area of curricular study is normally available.
Section Q. Recommendation. When the contract requires or provides for a recommendation on a personnel action, the recommendation must include written reasons and must be signed and dated by the person or persons who make said recommendation.
Section R. Days. Days means calendar days excluding Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays as defined by Minnesota Statutes. Where the Agreement sets a specific date, and that date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday on which the University or Chancellor’s Office is closed, the due date shall fall on the next regular business day.
Section S. Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (or MnSCU) or System. System or Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System shall mean System of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (also known as MnSCU).
Section T. Presidential Designee. Whenever allowed by this Agreement, the use of a designee by the President shall in no way abrogate the responsibility and accountability of the President for the decisions made by the designee. Within thirty days of signing this Agreement, each President will furnish the IFO and the local Association a list of his/her appropriate designees. A President may revise his/her list of designees after the Association has been provided an opportunity to meet and confer in accordance with Article 6. In the event of a new President being appointed, he/she will submit a list of designees within thirty (30) days of assuming office. No member of the bargaining unit shall be a presidential designee.
Section U. Just Cause. Just Cause as used in this Agreement means that there must be reasons for disciplinary action and that the action taken must be commensurate with the severity of the offense.
Section V. Resident Faculty. Resident faculty at Metropolitan State University shall be those faculty appointed as fixed-term, probationary or tenured faculty.
Section W. Domestic Partner. Domestic partner shall mean domestic partner as defined by the Department of Employee Relations. (See Appendix D.)
Section X. Cohort. A group of students, committed to an academic program, who take the same courses at the same time and location with the same instructor(s) throughout the program. Courses provided by alternative delivery modes, such as ITV or web-based instruction, are considered to be delivered in the same location.
Section Y. Release Time and Reassigned Time. Release time shall mean the granting of a paid exemption from duties normally required or performed. Such release time will be for one or more duty days and does not include sick leave and emergency or personal leave time. Reassigned time shall mean an alternative assignment other than classroom teaching for one or more credit hours during the academic year or summer. For those faculty whose primary assignments are non-classroom instruction, e.g., coaches, librarians and counselors, reassigned time shall mean an alternative assignment other than their principal assignment to fulfill the professional development criteria of Article 22.
Section Z. Alternative Session. Alternative session means any session outside of fall, spring and summer sessions.