Santa Monica College Faculty Association
Representative Assembly Meeting
April 21, 2005 Business 144 11:15 – 12:35 p.m.
Present: Sandi Burnett, Troy Cardenas, Fran Chandler, Elizabeth Chavez, Tom Chen, Steve Contarsy, Becky Curtis, Gail Edinger, Don Emery, Kathy Flynn, Mark Foster, Dennis Frisch, Peter Geltner, Martin Goldstein, Pierre Goueth, Patricia Halliday, Carolyn Holmes, Lesley Kawaguchi, Ruth Logan, Ed Markarian, Suzanne McDonald, Colleen McGraw, Mitra Moassessi, Jim Pacchioli, Pauli Peter, Juan Quevedo, Jacqueline Scott, Elisha Shapiro, Lantz Simpson, Eleanor Singleton, Howard Stahl, Michael Strathearn, Kathy Sucher, Sumy Takesue, David Zehr, Linda Zwang-Weissman
Absent: Maria Alvarado, Fletcher Beasley, Fariba Bolandhemet, Tim Cramer, Jim Croxton, Gwen Dophna, Tracey Ellis, Anneliese Gerl, Julie Greenfield, Craig Hammond, Cecile Hanrahan, , Josh Kanin, Emily Lodmer, Ben Martin, Ken Mason, Kym McBride, Richard McColl, Melissa Michelson, Brenda Ness, Krystyna Oakes, Eric Oifer, David Phillips, Genee Pytlewsky, , Toni Randall, Judith Remmes, Brian Rodas, Ruth SanPietro, Michael Schwartz, Peter Sheridan, James Smith, Michael Soldatenko, Rita Soshnik, Steve Soucy, Marci Spiegler, Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Joy Tucker, Sal Veas,
Excused: Vini Angel, Alan Buckley
Guests: Espy Bolivar-Owen
I. President’s Report
-Lantz announced that there is mutual agreement on DPAC; the first official meeting will be April 27th.
-FA leadership had a visit with the accreditation team which is writing SMC’s progress report.
-The P1 report from the Chancellor’s Office believes that SMC is only 1000 FTES short, instead of the 2500 short that SMC’s administration had calculated.
-A special PAC meeting for PAC members will take place April 21 to elect a new person-at-large. (PAC members are SMC Faculty who have contributed $35 or more during the past year.)
-The CPFA conference is this weekend. Lantz and several faculty members will attend.
-Lantz, Mitra, Ken and Dennis attended the CCCI (a statewide network of independent faculty associations) conference in Sacramento. The Governor’s proposal to reform STRS is not permanently off the table. There is a sense of emergency among employee groups and a coalition is being formed of employee PACs. It costs $10,000 for a PAC to join the effort – Lantz is exploring ways that SMCFA or SMCFA-PAC can join.
-Dennis Frisch reported that FACCC Elections are going on now. The deadline to vote is April 30th. Faculty can vote online.
MOTION from the Executive Committee: The Representative Assembly endorses the following candidates in the current FACCC Election:
Dennis Frisch for Treasurer
No recommendation for Secretary
Therese Gray for Part-time Governor
Greg Sheldon to represent Region F (Northern Region)
Mona Field, Michael Mills, Alicia Wong for Governor-At-Large
Passed Unanimously
Lantz proposed that the Job Action Task Force be revived with the following goals:
1. address the stalled contract negotiations
2. address the aggressive signature-gathering petition campaign for Schwarzenegger’s initiatives
3. consider possible actions during Commencement in June
MOTION: The Representative Assembly will revive the Job Action Task Force.
M/S: Frisch/Chandler Passed unanimously.
Job Action Task Force
Lantz appointed Ken Mason as Chair
Meets today in MC 57 at 4pm
Fliers encouraging people NOT to sign petitions that will put the Governor’s initiatives on the state ballot were distributed.
II. Negotiations Update – Mitra Moassessi
There is table agreement on team-teaching and retirement. There is nearly table agreement on distance education, and computer use. Article 18 has been separated into two parts. There is ongoing discussion of the definition of parity and Department Chair reassigned time. The following issues are unresolved: salary, reassigned time, sabbaticals, part-time retirement, sick leave for all faculty, associate faculty, and part-time office hours.
III. Benefits Committee Report – Sandi Burnett
Sandi reported on the committee’s meetings. The committee has interviewed several consultants and brokers, but none has been hired. They have also considered joining LACCC’s insurance pool. Representatives should report to their departments about the website and encourage faculty to take the survey.
IV. 2005-06 Elections, Nominations from the Floor – Dennis Frisch
Election Timetable: Nominating ballots will be in mailboxes on Monday, April 25 – May 9. Election wil be held May 17 – May 31. Election results will be announced at the Representative Assembly meeting in June.
Nominations from the floor were:
Treasurer – Tracey Ellis
Vice President – Ken Mason (he declined)
Vice President – Dennis Frisch
President – Lantz Simpson
Nominations for officers and representatives will continue via campus mail until May 9th.
MOTION: The Representative Assembly appoints Fran Chandler to fill the post of Elections Committee chair to fill the vacancy created by the nomination of Dennis Frisch to run for Vice President.
M/S Scott/Zehr. Passed unanimously.
V. By Laws Revisions – First Reading
Proposed Changes will be distributed at the meeting.
Changes to the current bylaws are proposed with the goal of invigorating the Representative Assembly by defining specific responsibilities, better defining the duties of the Chief Negotiator and the Vice President, establishing a clearer role for the newsletter editor, expanding the Negotiating Council, transforming the Social Committee into the Membership Education Committee, creating an Editorial Board, naming the chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee the Political Director, integrating the website committee chair into the Editorial Board, clarifying the language about Association Employees, and enumerating the duties of the Executive Secretary.
MOTION from the Executive Committee: The Representative Assembly accepts the first reading of the Bylaws.
Passed Unanimously.
Under 3, 4, and 19, Chandler proposed the insertion of the language, “At the direction of the President,” into Appendix A. This will be considered.
VI. For the Good of the Order
