By Maya Bendotoff, CCFT Executive Director
As the 2014-15 year winds to a close, much looms on the horizon. Here is a brief snapshot of some of the issues we’ve been working on.
Compensation
Regarding negotiations for compensation (salary and benefits) for 2015-16, there is some ongoing funding, but much more one-time funding available in the proposed budget for 2015-16 (see the Proposed 2015-16 budget overview). The college continues to have a large net ending balance. At the same time the college is planning to shrink by around 5% in 2016-17. The college will face significant increases to CalPERS and CalSTRS over the next several years (the increases for this year and next year have been funded in the state budget).
Meanwhile, full-time salaries have dropped precipitously in the past decade relative to other colleges in the state and region (see Conrad’s report in the March Faculty Voice). Faculty salaries have also dropped as a percentage of the college budget.
In our Contract, we have agreed upon the following:
The intent is that CCFT receive a fair share of increased revenues to be allocated toward the faculty total compensation package of salary and benefits, with the goal of returning to and improving the salary schedules as quickly as possible. The following will be considered in determining the availability of new revenue for total compensation and to inform a “fair share” approach . . .(see section 13.1).
It’s great to have expressed intent to increase faculty salaries, but how do we get there? This is what we’ll be looking at in the coming weeks, and possibly in the fall (see Conrad’s report in this issue for more on negotiations).
Key arenas for faculty input on the overall college budget are the Faculty Senate and the College Planning Council. CCFT has worked with Faculty Senate and CPC reps over this spring to review our budget numbers and priorities. We will continue to work closely with these groups as we move into next year.
Stay tuned for updates and be sure to share your opinions with your CCFT representatives: we will need to have as many informed faculty members engaged as possible as we move forward.
Evaluation
CCFT and the District have met throughout the year to review the procedure for faculty evaluations and propose a somewhat different model based on input from several surveys. The current idea is to launch a pilot program with the new process/forms in the HASS division in the fall of 2015. To view the proposed forms, go to: http://devcp19.ccftcabrillo.org/negotiations-updates/. For background information refer the articles by Vicki Fabbri (May, 2015) and Eric Hoffman (Feb., 2015:http://devcp19.ccftcabrillo.org/february-2015-changes-to-your-evaluation-are-coming/).
Ancillary Pilot Program for Adjuncts
Spring 2015 is the third semester of our pilot program for ancillary activities. We will “evaluate” the program this month as part of our negotiations. The program included a stipend for three adjuncts to participate on the Faculty Senate (FS) and three to participate on other agreed-to campus-wide committees. The following adjuncts will participated this semester: Timothy Frank, FS, HAWK; Meg Gudgeirsson, FS, HASS; Susan Stuart, FS, VAPA; Justina Buller, Assessment Review Committee; Karen Groppi, Facilities Planning; and Pantea Karimi, Student Equity. (For more information see http://devcp19.ccftcabrillo.org/ccftcabrillo-district-contract-2014-15-1-side-letter-2014-15-1/)
Campaign for Quality Public Education/Increased Access/Repeatability Regs
CCFT continues to participate in the CFT campaign for quality public education. For the past three years this work was supported by a Strategic Campaign Initiative (SCI) grant from CFT.
A new focus of our work this year was support for AB 540/Dream/undocumented students. This spring we hosted various workshops and a community forum (called “Together We Dream”). These events featured the work of a fabulous organization, Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC), who provided exceptional training and sharing of stories and resources about access and support for these students. If you missed the event, you can watch it at: http://youtu.be/Zm9gb0oVVv0. We are working with classified staff, faculty, and administrators across campus to advocate for resources needed to support AB 540 students.
We continue to work to change repeatability regulations that limit student access and success. The Faculty Senate got on board this year and resolved to look more deeply into this and to participate in state-level discussions for change within the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. At the spring plenary our senate leadership brought forth a resolution that calls for a small improvement by allowing students to enroll in a content-related family up to four times successfully. Our senate will continue to research the issue, and a will participate in a workshop and recommendations at the S2016 Plenary. CCFT reps led a workshop on the issue at the CFT Convention in March. We will continue to work with state and regional groups & representatives to advocate for change on this front.
Leadership
CCFT elections are currently underway. Please vote for your union reps and consider becoming involved now or in the future. A union is only as strong as its members are informed and active. Ballots are due in on May 14, 2015
Congratulations to Conrad Scott-Curtis and Barbara Schultz-Perez for making it through their first year as President and Co-Vice-President! And a huge thanks to Eric Hoffman, who has done an exceptional job serving as Grievance Officer and negotiator for the past six years! (He is trying to retire, and we need a new Grievance Officer!) Elsewhere on the executive board, special thanks to David Lau and Winnie Baer for serving as our new “Communications Directors” for the year (for fall and spring respectively); to Ann Endris for stepping into a new world to work with us on the Strategic Campaign Initiative (SCI) grant for several months; and to Sharon Took-Zozaya for her work throughout the year. Continuity of leadership on the Executive Board has been provided by John Govsky, Co-VP; Beth McKinnon, Membership Chair; Sadie Reynolds, Adjunct Chair and COPE Co-Chair; Steve Schessler, COPE Co-Chair; and Brian Legakis, Historian (F2015 only). We have also had a union Council of some thirty-five dedicated faculty members working on various issues and campaigns.