Common use of COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING Clause in Contracts

COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING. A. The Board, elected by the citizens of the Villages, is a public body established under, and with duties, powers, responsibilities, and rights provided by, the laws of the State of Illinois and the applicable rules and regulations of administrative agencies issued under such laws. B. The Superintendent of the District is the chief executive officer of the Board and as such administers and directs the operation of the District in accordance with the policies, decisions of record, and contracts of the Board, including this Agreement. C. In order to maintain open communications and provide opportunities for the Faculty Senate to advise and consult with the Board and the Superintendent of the District on issues of mutual concern: 1. The Board President or designee agrees to meet with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee or its designees not less than once each semester during each school year, to discuss items of mutual concern. 2. The Board agrees that the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendents will meet on at least a monthly basis with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee or its designees. 3. The Board agrees that a designated representative of the Faculty Senate shall be considered a source of information during Board meetings. 4. Except for matters which the Board is lawfully entitled to consider in closed session or in a Board self-evaluation, the Board agrees that when it is likely to be considering matters significantly affecting the working conditions of faculty members, or a final vote thereon is likely to be taken: a. A reasonable effort shall be made by the Superintendent, prior to adoption, to advise the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate of the likelihood of such consideration by the Board and to provide a reasonable opportunity to review and discuss such matters with the Superintendent in advance of the Board meeting; b. The Superintendent shall use reasonable efforts to advise the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate as early as reasonably practicable prior to any such final vote; and c. Prior to any such final vote thereon, the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate or their designee shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to present a statement to the Board and to make recommendations with respect to such matters. 5. The Board and the Faculty Senate agree during the term of this Agreement, to maintain the following Joint Committees, consisting of equal number of faculty and administration representatives, to develop recommendations on recurrent issues of mutual concern to the Board and the Faculty: PERA Joint Committee, RIF Joint Committee, and Panel of Qualified Evaluators for Unsatisfactory Appeal Process, Advisory Committee, and Supervisory Committee, Professional Development Committee, and Stipend Committee. In addition, faculty member representatives will have ongoing representation on the following standing district committees that develop recommendations on recurrent matters affecting the entire district: Calendar Committee, Insurance Committee, Culture of the Building Committee, and Employee Recognition Committee. Within a month after the beginning of the school year, or at any other mutually agreed upon time, the Administration and Faculty Senate Executive Committee will meet to discuss if there are any pertinent issues or topics not addressed by the existing joint faculty-administration committees and district standing committees. They may decide to establish Joint Study Groups consisting of representatives of faculty and administration to investigate such topics and to provide recommendations to the Board and the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. Subject to the foregoing, the Board agrees that the Superintendent will, during the term of this Agreement, maintain Joint Study Groups in regard to issues of mutual concern to the Board and the Faculty, and will transmit the report or recommendations of each such Joint Study Group to the Board and the Faculty Senate. The report and recommendations of each Joint Study Group will be advisory in nature only, and the Board will be under no obligation whatsoever to accept or to implement any report or recommendation of any Joint Study Group. Nothing in this Article shall be construed to limit in any way the right of the Board or the Superintendent to establish whatever other task forces, ad hoc committees, advisory groups, or advisory councils not involving faculty members as the Board, Superintendent, or Principal deems advisable. 6. The Superintendent will, in a timely manner, furnish to the Faculty Senate all regularly and routinely prepared public information concerning the financial condition of the District including the annual financial statement and the adopted budget. In addition, the Board, the Superintendent, the Principal, and the Faculty Senate will, in a timely manner grant reasonable requests from each other for any readily available and pertinent non- confidential information which may be relevant to negotiations. Nothing herein shall require the Board, the Superintendent, the Principal and the Faculty Senate, or any other faculty member of the District to research and assemble information.

COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING. A. The Board, elected by the citizens of the Villages, is a public body established under, and with duties, powers, responsibilities, and rights provided by, the laws of the State of Illinois and the applicable rules and regulations of administrative agencies issued under such laws. B. The Superintendent of the District is the chief executive officer of the Board and as such administers and directs the operation of the District in accordance with the policies, decisions of record, and contracts of the Board, including this Agreement. C. In order to maintain open communications and provide opportunities for the Faculty Senate to advise and consult with the Board and the Superintendent of the District on issues of mutual concern: 1. The Board President or designee agrees to meet with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee or its designees not less than once each semester during each school year, to discuss items of mutual concern. 2. The Board agrees that the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendents Principal will meet on at least a monthly basis with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee or its designees. 3. The Board agrees that a designated representative of the Faculty Senate shall be considered a source of information during Board meetings. 4. Except for matters which the Board is lawfully entitled to consider in closed session or in a Board self-evaluation, the Board agrees that when it is likely to be considering matters significantly affecting the working conditions of faculty members, or a final vote thereon is likely to be taken: a. A reasonable effort shall be made by the Superintendent, prior to adoption, to advise the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate of the likelihood of such consideration by the Board and to provide a reasonable opportunity to review and discuss such matters with the Superintendent in advance of the Board meeting; b. The Superintendent shall use reasonable efforts to advise the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate as early as reasonably practicable prior to any such final vote; and c. Prior to any such final vote thereon, the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate or their his/her designee shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to present a statement to the Board and to make recommendations with respect to such matters. 5. The Board and the Faculty Senate agree during the term of this Agreementthat in order to provide quality education, to maintain the following Joint Committees, consisting of equal number of faculty and administration representatives, to develop recommendations on recurrent issues of mutual concern to the Board and or the Faculty: PERA Joint Committee, RIF Joint Committee, and Panel of Qualified Evaluators for Unsatisfactory Appeal Process, Advisory Committee, and Supervisory Committee, Professional Development Committee, and Stipend Committee. In addition, faculty member representatives will have ongoing representation on the following standing district committees that develop recommendations on recurrent matters affecting the entire district: Calendar Committee, Insurance Committee, Culture of the Building Committee, and Employee Recognition Committee. Within a month after the beginning of the school year, or at any other mutually agreed upon time, the Administration and Faculty Senate Executive Committee will meet to discuss if there are any pertinent issues or topics not addressed by the existing joint faculty-administration committees and district standing committees. They Superintendent may decide to establish Joint Study Groups consisting of representatives of faculty and administration Administration and/or Board representatives and such other people as the Board, the Superintendent, or the Principal may select (hereinafter referred to investigate as a “Joint Study Group”), as the Board, the Superintendent, or the Principal deems advisable. The Board, the Superintendent, or the Principal shall have the unilateral right to alter the structure, members, purpose or any other aspect of any such topics and to provide Joint Study Group. If the Superintendent or Principal transmits the report or recommendations of any Joint Study Group to the Board and Board, copies will be provided to the Faculty Senate Executive Committeefor its review. The Faculty Senate may also submit its own reports to the Board. Subject to the foregoing, the Board agrees that the Superintendent will, during the term of this Agreement, maintain Joint Study Groups in regard to issues of mutual concern to the Board and the Faculty, and will transmit the report or recommendations of each such Joint Study Group to the Board and the Faculty Senate. The report and recommendations of each Joint Study Group will be advisory in nature only, and the Board will be under no obligation whatsoever to accept or to implement any report or recommendation of any Joint Study Group. Nothing in this Article shall be construed to limit in any way the right of the Board or the Superintendent to establish whatever other task forces, ad hoc committees, advisory groups, or advisory councils not involving faculty members as the Board, Superintendent, or Principal deems advisable. 6. The Superintendent will, in a timely manner, furnish to the Faculty Senate all regularly and routinely prepared public information concerning the financial condition of the District including the annual financial statement and the adopted budget. In addition, the Board, the Superintendent, the Principal, and the Faculty Senate will, in a timely manner grant reasonable requests from each other for any readily available and pertinent non- confidential information which may be relevant to negotiations. Nothing herein shall require the Board, the Superintendent, the Principal and the Faculty Senate, or any other faculty member of the District to research and assemble information.