By Gloria Heller
Grossmont College provided a refreshing venue for the latest Part-Time Issues Workshop, co-hosted this time by both the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges and the California Part-time Faculty Association. From SMC, Lantz Simpson, Suzanne Floyd, and I attended the day-long event, on Saturday, February 24, during which FACCC and CPFA scheduled a broad-spectrum agenda with a something-for-every-taste appeal.

Part-timers from all across the Southland listened to the varied presentations-- and enjoyed lunch sponsored by Zuk and Associates, who conducted an afternoon workshop on financial planning.  Visiting dignitary Margaret Quan, Chair of the FACCC Board of Governors Part-Time Issues Committee, addressed the audience first, setting the stage for the day. She was followed by Peter Hough and Tom Barrett from STRS, explaining the Defined Benefit and Cash Balance Retirement Plans to a roomful of people who in all likelihood will never vest in STRS or are not enrolled.  According to AB 1122, passed in 1995, service credit for part-time faculty in STRS was to be calculated on a true pro rata basis beginning July 1, 1996.  STRS states that audits will be conducted on those districts not calculating part-timers' service credit correctly.  Hough, in fact, claimed that STRS will begin applying pressure on non-complying districts within one year.     Also in attendance from "up north" were Lin Fraser, the newly appointed Part-time Representative for CFT/ CCC, and Mary Ellen Goodwin, CPFA Director of Administration.  Both updated the attendees, with Mary Ellen also reporting on COCAL IV, the Conference on Contingent Academic Labor for whose Steering Committee she served  as Chair.    Mary   Ellen   also   announced   that COCAL V has begun planning Campus Equity Week for the end of October 2001; she urged people to check out CPFA's website, www.cpfa.org for more information on this unprecedented international event.

Among others reporting on their local activities, union and otherwise, were: Sandy Baringer, Marutte Hecht, and Jackie Simon (Palomar), David Milroy (Grossmont and San Diego), Therese Gray (Coastline), Lynn Woods (Glendale and Pasadena), and Lantz Simpson (SMC).  David Hawkins of FACCC gave a comprehensive legislative update as well as wishing us all goodbye; David's resignation, from his post as FACCC's Director of Government Affairs, came as a surprise to many in the audience.  Although he is being replaced by Doug Lindsey, who was Scott Wildman's aide, David will be greatly missed.
It was energizing to network with other part-timers from our spread-out state just as Spring semester was beginning here at SMC. This gathering proved again how invaluable coalition-building is and how much vitality "the new kid on the block" (CPFA) can contribute.
    
CONTEST CONTINUES

    The "WHAT-TO-NAME-US" Contest is still looking for a winner.  The best submission since the last announcement did not win because it was deemed "just too ridiculous" by the judges:  People of the Part-time Persuasion.  (And there are plenty more where that one came from.)  Please send all entries through campus mail to: Gloria Don't-Call-Me-Adjunct Heller, SMC Faculty Association.