PT Summit in San Francisco

By Martin M. Goldstein

 

    The CPFA Part-Time Summit in San Francisco on October 8, 2005 brought union activists together from all sectors of the part-time faculty  spectrum, uniting them in the effort to change the 60% law. Over a CPFA and Keenan & Associates sponsored buffet, they hashed out tactics and strategy, shared war stories and planned meetings, capping what proved to be an very informative and vital FACCC Annual Conference, “Meeting of the Minds.”  Indeed it was.

      The Summit was preceded earlier that day be the FACCC Part-Time Committee meeting, which set the stage for the evening’s discussions. As per FACCC policy, the meeting was not conducted according to Robert’s Rules -- no votes, not motions, none of that. It was to “reach a consensus,” explained FACCC’s redoubtable  Jennifer Baker, which would be conveyed to the FACCC Board through our Board representative, Rich Hansen.

    FACCC President Dennis Smith was there, along with Deborah Dahl-Shanks, FACCC’s northern region PT Governor, who co-chaired the meeting with Kathy Holland of LA AFT, CPFA, and FACCC southern region governor. Also present were Timothy Dave of Chabot; Donna Frankel of CPFA and CCCI; David Milroy of CPFA, CCA, etc.; Rosalyn Kahn of LA and Cerritos AFT;  Mona Field of Glendale AFT and the LACCD Board of Trustees; Deborah Kaye of LA AFT; and myself representing CPFA and the SMCFA. Jonathan Lightman, Executive Director of FACCC joined us towards the end. We were definitely on the agenda.

    At the meeting all of the part-time faculty  reps pushed the CPFA 60% Law Resolution (see back page) hard, with Rich Hansen playing an acknowledged devil’s advocate  questioning  the

 

 

need for any change, and Dennis Smith listening, generally neutral. The atmosphere grew heated at times, but eventually we reached a consensus that the FACCC Part-Time Committee would recommend to the FACCC Board that they re-visit the change of the 60% law, and generally, we were for that change to 80%.

    Ultimately, everyone left the room learning something significant, which is no small feat.  FACCC learned that this CPFA-initiated effort to change the 60% law is a serious, committed, and forceful one, which is  moving forward already. And its proponents learned that all arguments against it have to be dealt with, even if we think them specious, since they could sabotage our efforts if we don’t.

    The Summit itself was set up splendidly for that evening by David Milroy in a large meeting area of the Cathedral Hill Hotel.  Along with David, Deborah Dahl-Shanks,  Kathy Holland, Donna Frankel, Rosalyn Kahn, Deborah Kaye, Mona Field, and myself from the earlier meeting, we were joined by Gus Goldstein of SFCC CFT;  Lantz Simpson of SMCFA and CCCI, along with his wife Victoria (who teaches at El Camino); Steve Wilson of CFA and COCAL from the CSU system, along with his wife; Therese Gray of CPFA and CCA;  and John Martin of CPFA and CCA.

    If things had to be run by consensus, we were not in trouble here, since this truly proved to be a like-minded group. Everyone indicated their clear and present support of any and all efforts to change the 60% law, and pledged to work to build this consensus locally though unions and senates, as well as statewide.  I noted that at Santa Monica College we had already passed the CPFA resolution unanimously in  our general assembly, and that a separate wording for the Senate has been developed, and both are on the cpfa.org website. (The SMC Academic Senate passed that Resolution overwhelmingly on October 18.)

     It was further suggested that a set of “FAQs,” Frequently Asked Questions, on this issue be prepared, and these are now also on the CPFA website. All in all, it was a chance to make sure we are doing everything we can on this issue, as well as reminisce with some old friends and make some new ones. And, absent a crystal ball, I'm going to fearlessly predict that FACCC will soon become a willing and strong ally in this effort. It's the right thing to do, and the right time to do it, and I believe they will understand that and act accordingly.