Santa Monica College Faculty Association

Representative Assembly Meeting

November 15, 2007

Members present : Maria Alvarado, Chuck Brinkman, Sandra Burnett, Rebecca Curtis, Gail Edinger, Tracey Ellis, Ron Fitzgerald, Dennis Frisch, Martin Goldstein, Toby Green, Veronica Herrera, Ben Jimenez, John Kennedy, Richard Lavallee, Ed Markarian, Kym McBride, Suzanne McDonald, Colleen McGraw, Melissa Michelson, Mitra Moassessi, Fereshteh Mobasheri, Tom Peters, Dave Phillips, Franklyn Phillips, John Quevedo, Elisha Shapiro, Tara Shima, Lantz Simpson, Eleanor Singleton, Howard Stahl, Michael Strathearn, Kathy Sucher, Joy Tucker, Sal Veas.

Absent: Diana Aghabegian, Vini Angel, Jill Assadi, Rory Barnett, Vicki Blaho, Espy Bolivar-Owen, Gwen Dophna, Jolia Einstein, Don Emery, Donald Gantner, Richard Goldenson, Michael Gougis, Patricia Halliday, William Hogan, Peter Lee, Richard Mednick, April Mizuki, Sue Moisin, Dana Morgan, Brenda Ness, Jeffrey O'Connell, Jim Pacchioli, Nick Pernisco, Pauli Peters, Guadalupe Ramos, Jenny Resnick, Elaine Roque, Jennifer Schofield, Mario Semere, Sumy Takesue, Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Nina Theiss, Esau Tovar, Frank Turner, Alicia Villapando, Edward Wilkinson.

Excused: Tom Chen, Fran Chandler, Jeff Gordon, Susan Sterr, Gary Todd, Lawrence Driscoll, Odemaris Valdivia, David Zehr.

Guests : Jackie Scott, Steve Contarsy, James Smith.

I. President's Report: STRS Problem -- Regarding the part-time STRS problem with 200 part-time faculty moved into STRS DB from LARISA without permission, the FA has filed a claim with the district. At the last Board meeting Becky Curtis, David Burak and Lantz Simpson spoke to inform the Board on this on-going problem. Now the District reports that HR will begin to solve the problems. The District has 45 days to respond to the claim, and address the problems with the STRS mix-up; if it is not addressed, then we can go to court.

8 week over-load problem -- The problems with full time faculty who teach 8-week classes as overloads and part-time faculty who teach 8-week non-load factor 1 classes have not been resolved. The FA met with Vice-Presidents Randy Lawson and Jeff Shimizu and requested a list of all faculty who for the past four years have been affected. Jeff Shimizu reports that he will send the lists. Those affected include nursing and cosmetology instructors. The FA will also check flex day pay, as this has had a direct effect on the problem. The District reports that they are working on it and hopefully it will be resolved.

DPAC met yesterday, and the FA expressed concern over the effectiveness of shared governance meetings. DPAC discussed problematic issues such as the college president reporting back in writing on recommendations by DPAC; the president has not been responding in writing. It was requested that the president respond in writing and that the response (that he accepts or rejects the recommendations) will be recorded in the minutes. Randy Lawson will give a verbal report to DPAC, but it will be recorded in the minutes. It was also suggested that sub-committees should meet at a time when faculty can attend.

DPAC GASB 45 Task Force – The task force co-chairs are Richard Tahvildaran and Lantz Simpson. Members included chairs of the collegewide Benefits Committee Sandra Burnett and Marcy Wade, and also Howard Stahl and Peggy Rhodes. The Task force was originally charged with deciding if the college should pre-fund GASB 45; then if pre-funded, how; and that the GASB task force hold workshops to educate the campus on GASB. The task force was supposed to come up with a final recommendation in February 2008. However, Richard Tahvildaran reportedly spoke to Dr. Tsang and Trustee Aminoff, who told him that the decision had already been made to fund GASB. The trustees then found $1.4 million in funding from a JPA fund. The Board has also set aside $2 million out of the general fund for GASB. Lantz Simpson, Sandra Burnett, and Howard Stahl all resigned from the DPAC GASB task force because of what was considered a clear example of the lack of shared governance on this college. The District made its decision to fund GASB 45, before DPAC had a chance to present any recommendations. Lantz suggested his decision to resign was to uphold the integrity of DPAC. Eric Oifer will now take Howard Stahl's place on the task force. It was also suggested that it is Dr. Tsang's job to educate the campus on GASB.

II. Special appointments to the Faculty Association : Dennis Frisch made a motion to appoint Franklyn Phillips and Feresteh Mobasheri as Assembly reps. Sandra Burnett seconded the motion. Passed unanimously.

III. Approval of Minutes — A motion from the executive committee to approve the minutes of the November 1, 2007, Assembly meeting as presented, passed unanimously. 

IV. Government Relations Report – Dennis Frisch

The CCC BOG approved a spending plan for career technological funding and so the college should see this money coming in in a month or two. Vocational programs should also watch for funding increases. Also, approval for basic skills funding by the governor, should allow for $367,000 for basic skills at SMC.

The State Budget is looking very bad, so be prepared for panic time in January when the governor's first budget proposal will be announced. The governor says there will be 10% cuts in everything including education.

Proposition 92 will put the community college on the same constitutional funding footing as the UC and CSUs, and makes us more independent with the system funding itself. For faculty and students it will stabilize funding, and by 2009-10 the college should see an increase in funding. Student reduction in fees makes it more difficult for the legislature to use the students to raise money in difficult times. Prop 92 also expands student and faculty representation on the BOG.

Rally your colleagues and neighbors : So, talk up Prop 92 with friends and family. FACCC suggests we need $3-5 million to run an effective campaign. Polling shows 63-67% of the electorate supports the initiative. But don't let that delude you. We have got to get the message out. TV campaigning starts in January and February for maximum impact. FACCC asks all full time faculty to contribute $100 and part-time faculty $30. For more information go to: FACCC.org.

Part-time parity and Proposition 92: immediately there will be no effect, but the responsibility rests with the BOG. But there will be more money available for part-timer funding, and the BOG will have more power to advocate for parity. Pro-parity forces need to put pressure on these organizations now to set aside a piece of the pot for parity.

V. Approval of 2007-08 Faculty Association Budget – Tracey Ellis

The 2007-08 budget if similar to last year's. We have an increase in income with an increase in faculty. There is an increase in FACCC dues as there is an increase in the number of faculty we have. There are increases in re-assigned time, as the District previously has not charged us for intersessions, and now the say they will charge. There was new computer equipment purchased for the Executive Secretary.

Motion: The Motion from the Executive Committee to approve the FA budget as presented, passed unanimously.

VI. Motion from the Executive Committee on authorizing Faculty Association leadership discretionary authority on attending shared governance meetings.

The Faculty Association leadership shall use their discretion regarding withdrawing from shared governance meetings. Passed unanimously. One abstention.

VII. Motion from the Executive Committee to reconstitute the Job Action Task Force.

The Faculty Association shall recreate the Job Action Task Force to plan future job action in light of stalled negotiations. Passed unanimously. One abstention.

VIII. Motion from the Executive Committee to appoint Martin Goldstein and Jeff Gordon as co-chairs of the Job Action Task Force.

Martin Goldstein and Jeff Gordon shall be appointed co-leaders of the Job Action Task Force. Passed unanimously. One abstention. .

IX. For the Good of the Order . Discussion was held on Board and Faculty relations. Should the FA continue to support Trustees who have not aided in the settlement of the contract? Discussion was also held on the Academic Senate information item on the proposal to revoke part-time faculty voting rights in the Academic Senate constitutional amendment process.

Respectfully Submitted,

Becky Curtis

Recording Secretary