"On-Ground" Requirement

by Annie Ngo, Contract & Evaluation Liaison

In response to the pandemic in early 2020, many colleges and universities, including MiraCosta College suspended in-person classes and activities to protect the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff. MiraCosta quickly shifted to remote and online learning through technologies like Zoom and Canvas. As the pandemic persisted, faculty continued to refine their online teaching skills, and the college offered a mix of online and hybrid classes, with limited in-person activities while adhering to strict safety protocols.

The transition back to in-person classes was phased and cautious, with online, hybrid, and flexible learning models becoming more common, allowing students to choose options that best meet their needs. Memorandum of Understandings, or MOUs, were executed in and specifically for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters, which allowed hybrid classes to meet the "on-ground" requirement of section C.13.3 of the contract which states:

Classroom faculty members shall teach at least one sixteen (16) week class section, or two consecutive eight (8) week class sections, per semester “on-ground,” unless an exception is approved by the appropriate vice president.

This on-ground teaching requirement, as specified in the contract, refers to the contractual obligation of full-time faculty to deliver in-person instruction. This requirement distinguishes traditional, in-person teaching from remote or online teaching methods.

With the expiration of the MOUs, the on-ground requirement per section C.13.3 applies for the remainder of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (through June 30, 2025). If your proposed teaching load differs from this contractual requirement, please make sure to discuss with your dean and obtain the necessary approvals by the appropriate vice president.