Santa Monica College Faculty Association
Representative Assembly Meeting
February 24, 2005
Present: Vini Angel, Sandi Burnett, Troy Cardenas, Fran Chandler, Elizabeth Chavez, Tom Chen, Gwen Dophna, Gail Edinger, Kathy Flynn, Peter Geltner, Martin Goldstein, Pierre Goueth, Julie Greenfield, Carolyn Holmes, Lesley Kawaguchi, Emily Lodmer, Ruth Logan, Ed Markarian, Suzanne McDonald, Colleen McGraw, Mitra Moassessi, Brenda Ness, Krystyna Oakes, Eric Oifer, Jim Pacchioli, Pauli Peter, David Phillips, Brian Rodas, Michael Schwartz, Elisha Shapiro, Lantz Simpson, Eleanor Singleton, James Smith, Michael Strathearn, Kathy Sucher, Sumy Takesue, Linda Zwang-Weissman.
Absent: Maria Alvarado, Fletcher Beasley, Fariba Bolandhemet, Alan Buckley, Juanita Burris, Steve Contarsy, Tim Cramer, Jim Croxton, Tracey Ellis, Don Emery, Mark Foster, Anneliese Gerl, Patricia Halliday, Craig Hammond, Cecile Hanrahan, Richard McColl, Melissa Michelson, Genee Pytlewsky, Juan Quevedo, Toni Randall, Judith Remmes, Ruth SanPietro, Jacqueline Scott, Peter Sheridan, Michael Soldatenko, Rita Soshnik, Steve Soucy, Marci Spiegler, Howard Stahl, Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Esau Tovar, Joy Tucker, Sal Veas, David Zehr.
Guests: Rebecca Curtis, David Finkel, Espy Bolivar-Owen.
Excused: Dennis Frisch, Josh Kanin, Ben Martin, Ken Mason, Kym McBride,
I. President’s Report – Lantz Simpson
--The Governor is proposing eliminating the STRS Defined Benefit program in 2007 and replacing it instead with a Defined Contribution Plan. Public employees will fight this; it may be on the ballot in November. SMCFA may need to gear up to write letters, etc.
--An SMCFA Retreat (for Executive Committee and Negotiating Council) was held in early February. Several recommendations for changes to the bylaws will be considered by the Executive Committee. Bylaws change recommendations are forthcoming, hopefully by Spring Break.
--College Budget. At the most recent Board meeting, the college budget revealed only about $200,000 in reserves. The College is 1,000 FTEs short this semester. The hourly budget has been increased by about $2 million. The college could face serious shortfalls unless a ‘special deal’ can be reached with the Chancellor’s Office. Newly-elected Trustee Rader asked many informed questions about the budget.
--District Planning & Advisory Council (DPAC) has been constituted by the Board of Trustees. There seems to be consensus on the DPAC following structure:
There are seven constituencies: Associated Students, Academic Senate, Classified Senate, Classified Manager, Academic Administration, Faculty Senate, CSEA. In cases in which consensus can not be reached, each constituency will get one vote (students would get two) for a total of eight votes. The Chair will be designated by the President of the College. The Vice-Chair will be elected by DPAC. There will be four planning committees: Facilities, Technology, Human Resources and Budget. Each constituency will name 2 people to each committee. Chairs of these committees will be appointed by the President. Co-Chairs will be elected.
There are 3 Academic Senate Joint Committees: Curriculum, Student Affairs, and Program Review. The Chairs and Vice-Chairs of these committees will sit on DPAC as well.
Total number of members of DPAC is 21 (7 constituencies + 8 DPAC Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs + 6 ASJC Chairs and Vice-Chairs).
--In response to the FA budget question from the last Assembly meeting, the line item “Education and Outreach” was towards materials for the “86 the Trustees” campaign at the Library opening last year.
--Part-Time Committee Co-Chair Andrew Walzer received a full-time job at LACCC, and so has resigned from his position as Co-Chair.
MOTION: President Simpson recommended that Becky Curtis become one of the Co-Chairs of the Part-Time Committee.
M/S: Chandler/Goldstein. Approved unanimously.
--Becky Curtis announced that she will be hosting an adjunct faculty event on March 11th from 3:30 -6:30 at her home in the Palisades.
II. Resolution from the Executive Committee
MOTION: The Executive Committee recommends to the Representative Assembly that Sandi Burnett receive 20% reassigned time for her work this semester as co-chair of the Benefits Committee.
Approved Unanimously.
III. Approval of Benefits Committee MOU
M/S: Goldstein/Cardenas. Approved unanimously.
IV. Negotiations Update – Mitra Moassessi
The following MOUs have been reached: Benefits/Calendar/Banking.
A facilitator, Ken Cloke, has been engaged to help negotiations.
SMCFA is close to agreement on Intellectual Property; we are not close to agreement on Salary, Associate Faculty, or Computer Use.
V. CCCI and FACCC Report -- will be given at the next Assembly Meeting, as Dennis Frisch was unable to attend today’s Assembly meeting.
VI. For the Good of the Order
FACCC Board of Governors elections are coming up soon. A spot is open on the Board, and the FA is looking for someone to run.
