Santa Monica College Faculty Association

Representative Assembly Meeting

March 15, 2007

Business 144

11:15 – 12:35 pm

Present : Maria Alvarado, Vini Angel, Barbara Baird, Vicki Blaho, Fariba Bolandhemat, Sandi Burnett, Brandon Ceballos, Fran Chandler, Tom Chen, Becky Curtis, Gail Edinger, Tracey Ellis, Makiko Fujiwara-Skrobak, Claudia Garcia, Martin Goldstein, Toby Green, John Kennedy, Richard Lavallee, Ed Markarian, Suzanne McDonald, Colleen McGraw, Richard Mednick, April Mizuki, Mitra Moassessi, Dana Morgan, Brenda Ness, Jim Pacchioli, Nick Pernisco, Pauli Peter , Dave Phillips, Lantz Simpson, Eleanor Singleton, James Smith, Michael Strathearn, Kathy Sucher, Sumy Takesue, Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Odemaris Valdivia, Alicia Villapando, Edward Wilkinson, David Zehr.

Absent : Maria Alvarado, Vini Angel, Lee Axelrod, Rory Barnett, Sharon Bell, Espy Bolivar-Owen, Chuck Brinkman, Ken Buckner, Lydia Canalita, Troy Cardenas, Susie Chapman, Steve Contarsy, Ronn Davis, Gwen Dophna, Lawrence Driscoll, Karen Dumas, Richard Goldenson, Pierre Goueth, Michael Gougis, Patricia Halliday, William Hogan, Christian Hart, Michael Kerze, Peter Lee, Emily Lodmer, Fran Manion, Walter Meyer, Melissa Michelson, Joan Mills, Launa Nelson, Jeffrey O'Connell, Ernie Padilla, Kathryn Pope, Guadalupe Ramos, Jenny Resnick, Boris Ricks, Ruth SanPietro, Jennifer Schofield, Elisha Shapiro, Peter Sheridan, Linda Sinclair, Leon Singleton, Rita Soshnik, Susan Sterr, Gary Todd, Joy Tucker, Frank Turner, Robert Tyler, William Van Benschoten, David Wu.

Excused : Dennis Frisch, Kym McBride, John Quevedo, Michael Schwartz, Howard Stahl.

I. Approval of Minutes from February 22, 2007

M/S: Zehr/Strathearn. Passed unanimously.

II. MOTION FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

“ Information Technology Funding Resolution ”

Passed unanimously.

Information Technology Funding Resolution

WHEREAS: many of the working conditions that make up teaching and non-teaching faculty jobs at the college are heavily dependent upon the IT infrastructure provided by the College;

WHEREAS: a growing number of tasks that teaching and non-teaching faculty are asked to complete require the use of computer technology provided by the College;

WHEREAS: up to date technical training is a necessity if faculty are required to use technology to perform their job duties;

WHEREAS: the root cause of many complaints and inefficiencies is the lack of any computerized record-keeping system in the human resources area that can be inspected, verified and corrected in a timely manner by faculty;

WHEREAS: past funding levels in many different IT-oriented committees including ISC, VTEA and IBG have funded only a fraction of the highest Priority 1 requests;

WHEREAS: during 2005-2006, $120,000 committed to IT projects were redirected toward deferred plant maintenance;

WHEREAS: many teaching faculty depend upon the use of classroom technology to perform their job and no funding exists for the timely replacement of stolen or broken equipment such as multimedia carts and projectors;

WHEREAS: chronic IT understaffing and under funding contributes to a culture that undervalues the mission-critical nature of all IT functions;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Faculty Association of Santa Monica College urges DPAC to reprioritize IT funding.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees reprioritize IT funding and immediately address these shortcomings.

III. MOTION: Resolution in support of the California Faculty Association

M/S: Goldstein/Curtis. Passed unanimously.

SMC Faculty Association Resolution in support of the California Faculty Association

Whereas, the California Faculty Association (CFA) worked diligently to achieve a fair contract with the California State University (CSU);

whereas, the CSU has refused to negotiate in good faith;

whereas, the CFA faculty does not want to strike, but will;

be it resolved that the SMC Faculty Association will support CFA in the struggle to gain a fair and just contract in the CSU.

IV. MOTION: Appointment of Cosmetology Department Assembly member Sue Moisan.

Burnett/Moassessi. Passed unanimously.

V. President's Report – Lantz Simpson

• Disaster Drill date is tentatively set for Thursday, May 24 at 10:45 am for Areas 8,9,10, and 12.

• Free Big Blue Bus on 3 Santa Monica lines; show your SMC ID.

• Martin Goldstein reported on the recent AAUP Statewide Meeting.

• FA leadership continues to meet monthly with Dr. Tsang.

• Dennis is in Sacramento at COFO and Consultation this week.

• Health Benefits Workshop - The next Assembly meeting will be a Health BenefitsWorkshop at which all 5 of the current statewide proposals will be presented.

• GASB (rules for accounting for retiree health benefits) – look for articles in the next FAB.

• Dynamic Enrollment – As a follow-up to the ISIS crash on the first day of classes, we withdrew our Unfair Labor Practice; the Dept Chairs passed a resolution-- “Mitra's Logical Proposal”-- allowing students to enroll up to midnight of the first day of each class. The Senate will be looking at a resolution next week that states that Senate perceives this issue as a working condition and so the Senate will support the FA position.

MOTION: The Faculty Association endorses “Mitra's Logical Proposal”, the same one adopted by the Department Chairs, allowing students to enroll up to midnight before the first day of each class.

M/S: Kennedy/Morgan. Passed unanimously.

VI. Negotiations Report – Mitra Moassessi

MOTION: Sandi Burnett will substitute for Kym McBride on the Negotiating Council due to the fact that Kym is having a medical problem.

M/S: Curtis/Ness. Passed unanimously.

Mitra reported on the highlights from the Negotiating Council Survey that was completed March 9. The Council is meeting weekly. The Board is expected to sunshine next week. The negotiating team will consist of Mitra Moassessi, Howard Stahl, Dennis Frisch, and Kym McBride. The FA is considering constituting a Distance Education committee.

VII. Benefits Committee Report – Sandi Burnett

Sandi reported on the success of the Benefits Vendors fair on Flex Day. The Benefits Audit is not complete yet as many faculty, staff, and administrators have not yet responded to the audit, even though it is a contractual responsibility. Additionally, it is a mechanism for saving money which could be used for expanded benefits or salaries in our next contract.

VIII. For the Good of the Order