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April 2004, Volume 18, Issue 4 - Looting the Part-time Equity Funds |
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By Mitra Moassessi
Back in November of 2003 after months of delay, the District finally agreed to distribute the part-time equity funds for 2003-2004 as an additional 9.67% across the board increase on all part-time teaching salary schedules. The Faculty Association was under the false impression that once an agreement has been reached it would be honored and implemented in a reasonable amount of time.
After many inquiries on this issue during the last five months, the FA was finally informed by the District that the agreement will not be implemented and as a result the FA filed yet another grievance over the distribution of the equity fund.
Looting equity funds seems to be a pattern. Last year portions of the equity fund were diverted away from part-timers and used to pay for a portion of payroll expenses.
The language in the Budget Act specifies that the equity fund is for the purpose of increasing compensation for part-time faculty and our contract clearly states that the “District allocate the total money received from the state for part-time faculty compensation improvement as a percentage amount to be applied equally to part-time faculty salary schedules”.
By not using the total amount of the equity fund for part-time faculty compensation, the District is not in compliance with the state budget regulations and is in clear violation of our contract, so why is it that the District insists on not implementing its agreement with the FA?
Each year the District is required to send an expenditure report of the funds allocated for part-time faculty compensation to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office. Is the District planning to file a false report?
Is the District planning to break its record for the number of grievances that is filed against it? Or is the lack of accountability on the District and the state level the only logical answer?
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