By Mitra Moassessi

    The State Legislature has long recognized that full-time faculty play an integral role in the health of community colleges.  Unfortunately, our college ranks among the lowest in terms of percentage of hours of credit instruction taught by full-time faculty.  Corrective action should be taken in order to remedy the situation and place SMC among the top community colleges.

    In 1988, Assembly Bill 1725 was passed by the California Legislature and signed by Governor George Deukmejian.  AB 1725 added Education Code Section 87482.6, which states: “(a)……..the Legislature wishes to recognize and make efforts to address longstanding policy of the board of governors that at least 75 percent of the hours of credit instruction in the California Community Colleges, as a system, should be taught by full-time instructors……..”   

    Subsequently, the Board of Governors adopted Title 5 regulations designed to reach the 75% full-time faculty standard.  California Code of Regulations (CCR) title 5, section 51025, provides a formula for adjusting the full-time faculty obligation number for districts that are below 75% standard.  This regulation requires community colleges that are below the 75% standard to increase their base number of full-time faculty in proportion to the amount of growth funds received for credit FTES (Full Time Equivalent Students).  The regulation applies only when the Board of Governors determines that adequate funds have been provided to support implementation of adjustments to full-time faculty hiring obligations.   

    Unfortunately, the formula for calculating full-time faculty obligation number contained an ambiguity that was not corrected until July of 2007.  Title 5, section 51025 (g) reads: “For districts that experience a reduction in base credit FTES, the Chancellor shall make a proportionate reduction to their base number of full-time faculty.”  Title 5 did not address how the formula should work when a district restores its reduction in FTES.

    A Memorandum from the Chancellor’s office dated January 25, 2007 reads: “the intent of this memo is to clarify that when a district restores FTES after a decline in FTES, and that FTES restoration generates a restoration of base funding, the Chancellor shall make a proportionate increase to that district’s full-time faculty obligation (FTO) using the same methodology that is used to implement 51025(g) for a decline in FTES.  This process shall be effective with the calculation to be made in July, 2007……”

    SMC experienced a drastic decline in FTES during 2003-04 academic year, declining from 22,843 Resident FTES in 2002-03 to 15,727 Resident FTES in 2003-04, a reduction of more than 7000 FTES.  This reduction resulted in a permanent reduction in our full-time faculty obligation number. The table below contains data from fall 2002 to the current year.  



    It is significant to know that in fall of 1988, when AB 1725 passed, the percent of FTEF (Full-time Equivalent Faculty) attributed to full-time faculty for Santa Monica College was 59.0%.  

    For fall of 2008, 20 years after the passage of AB 1725, with 46.19% as percent of FTEF attributed to full-time faculty, our district is ranked sixth from the bottom out of 72 California Community College districts.  



    AB 1725 also includes the following language: “If the community colleges are to respond creatively to the challenges of the coming decades, they must have a strong and stable core of full-time faculty with long-term commitments to their colleges……”

    As we face difficult fiscal times at both State and Federal level, we must not lose our long term vision; we must plan for a healthy future.  Increasing the number of full-time faculty is a crucial part of that healthy future.