Resolution in Support of Contra Costa Faculty

WHEREAS      The Contra Costa Community College District has been a well-respected district, noted for the quality of its faculty and programs; and

WHEREAS      That reputation is now in danger due to poor decision-making that has resulted in excessive management costs and declining expenditures for full time faculty; and

WHEREAS      While other districts funded in the same way as Contra Costa and faced with the same challenges are able to give their employees modest pay increases this year, Contra Costa seems intent on imposing a drastic reduction in salaries; and

WHEREAS      The Contra Costa Community College Board refuses to alter its requirement for a 7% salary reduction despite having received additional state funds in equalization and COLA, and having identified extra reserves which provide the district with more than a 5% fund balance; and

BE IT RESOLVED: That The Santa Monica College Faculty Association urges the Contra Costa Community College Board not to continue the drastic and damaging policies that have led to this terrible situation but to turn in a new, constructive direction by working to reach agreements with its employee groups; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That The Santa Monica College Faculty Association deplores any additional actions that would further exacerbate a bad situation and destroy the cooperative working relationships essential to operating colleges effectively; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Santa Monica College Faculty Association urges the Contra Costa Community College Governing Board to explore every possible alternative to the imposition of drastic salary cuts and to work with its faculty to plan responsibly for the financial difficulties and challenges of future years; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That The Santa Monica College Faculty Association exhorts the Contra Costa Community College Board to reach agreements with its employee unions and to reverse the anti-faculty, anti-student, and anti-employee policies of recent years and to do no further harm to the good will and collegial relationships essential to quality education.