The Hourly Committee of the Santa Monica Faculty Association WELCOMES all part-time faculty—and that includes librarians and counselors—to the Fall 2000 semester. I highlighted the "welcome" because it is all too easy for us part-timers to have a sense of isolation on a campus. When there is no office to call our own, nowhere to "perch," the academic community may seem somewhat less than inclusive. When faculty feel connected, there is an increased sense of college unity, which in turn contributes to campus morale.

Let this welcome letter, then, serve as an introduction to what can be one of your primary (and, possibly, one of the most satisfy ing) connections to Santa Monica College—the Hourly Committee. I am also introducing Ben Martin (Communications Department) who will be Co-Chairing the Committee with me (English Department). We intend to create that sense of community for part-timers that might otherwise be lacking in their academic lives. Both of us can be reached through email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Look for the new Faculty Association pamphlet in your campus mailbox!