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Present: Chip Chandler, John Kirk, Katharine Harer, George Goth, Rick Hough, Romy Thiele, Karen Olesen, Eric Brenner, Annie Nichols, John Searle, Teeka James, Dan Kaplan, Suzanne Russell, Victoria Clinton, Joaquin Rivera, Nina Floro, Yaping Li, Jenny Saarloos

The meeting began at 2:23 pm.

The minutes of Feb 26 2003 were accepted.

Katharine Harer and Joaquin Rivera gave the co-presidents' report. Katharine Harer reminded people that sabbaticals still exist. CSM is funding 7, Skyline 0 and Canada 1. They are being funded with professional development funds.

Katharine Harer reported that Connie Berringer, Skyline Academic Senate President, had met with Paula Anderson of the District to discuss the program discontinuation progress the Senate had developed. Paula Anderson had informed her that faculty would play no role in that and that it was the Board of Trustees that would decide which programs would be terminated. Ms Anderson claimed this was in the state education code but, according to Ms Berringer, when asked to show where in the code it was so stated, Ms Anderson provided only irrelevant citations. This problem is part of a wider one stemming from the District's failure to reach agreements with the Senate and the Union on the delineation of authority. On a related issue, Dan Kaplan said that the AFT should seek to have its role in shared governance clearly stated and written out.

Joaquin Rivera distributed documents from the recent CFT Convention. The mid-year cuts to the community college budget were not as severe as was first thought, although the governor is seeking a reduction of $812 million in the budget for next year, a reduction of 31% from this year. Joaquin Rivera stated that we need to keep up the pressure on the legislature and he distributed a list of talking points drawn up by Marty Hittelman. Dan Kaplan said we had forwarded to our local legislators copies of a petition in support of the community colleges signed by 6500 people.

Another rally in Sacramento in support of community colleges will be held on April 5, although Dan Kaplan thought it was mostly a local function.

We decided that we should remain in contact with the student leaders and the student advisors on each campus.

Katharine Harer reported that AB 680 would dramatically increase the tuition for those who already had BA degrees. This last time this happened, it had a devastating effect on the evening programs. A sample letter prepared by Marty Hittelman in opposition to this was distributed and all were asked to send it on.

Rich Hough asked how he could explain California's low community college tuition (when compared to other states). John Kirk said that it was because a good deal of the cost of the colleges was paid for not by tuition but by property taxes.

Joaquin Rivera said that three Board of Trustees seats are up in November. David Mandelkern, who has wanted to run in the past, has asked for our endorsement. He has been interviewed by Dan Kaplan, Katharine Harer, John Kirk and Joaquin Rivera and they were favorably impressed (he reads The Advocate). A political problem with endorsing him at this time is that the Labor Council would not appreciate it if we endorsed him prior to their looking into whom endorse, which would probably not happen for several months. After discussion it was moved, seconded (Goth/Hough) and passed unanimously that the Executive Committee would tell him that we supported him but that our COPE, the official endorsing body, would wait until the Labor Council had acted.

Joaquin Rivera reported on the parity negotiations, which are stalled. He distributed a document outlining the current positions of the District and the Union. The District wants parity to be at 73% (with office hours) and 67% (without); we are at 87% and 73%. Currently the District is at 61%. When we are at parity, any excess part time equity money can be used elsewhere. Only a few districts have settled on this and they seem to be clustering at around 85% (with office hours). We are still at loggerheads over whether or not our part timers are being paid for office hours. Joaquin Rivera said that under the current contract, if there is a reduction in equity funding, the part time pay scale would revert to the over load pay scale. We have offered to stop arguing over whether or not part timers are being paid if this language is removed from the contract. We have not heard back on this. Katharine Harer stated that, in any case, the equity funds are being reduced and more colleges are asking for them, so the amount of money involved is small. Joaquin Rivera said that we could try a class action suit, with the part timers taking on the role of third party beneficiaries. John Searle said that he thought the idea of a lawsuit was from left field and that we should focus on bread and butter issues such as keeping jobs.

There was a general discussion of the March 17 Rally which was thought to be very successful. About 15,000 people attended, 11 of them from the Executive Committee. Dan Kaplan said that, for the first time in years, he could feel real activism in the air.

Joaquin Rivera reported on the CFT Convention of last week. The local had presented a resolution in support of single payer health coverage. A much modified form passed that lacked the essential call for a state wide ballot initiative in 2004. He thought that one reason was that an initiative calling for a split roll modification of Proposition 13 would likely be on the ballot and that many wanted to put their energy behind that.

It was announced that the local had won 16 communication awards at the convention, including second place for newsletter. Teeka James, reporting on AFT Leadership Development, thought that we are not communicating enough. Dan Kaplan will contact the campus chairs to set up a meeting to see what we can do about this.

John Kirk discussed grievances. There is not much new. We are representing the faculty member whom the Board of Trustees voted to dismiss (but has not yet dismissed).

Dan Kaplan read a letter from Kate Motoyama to the Academic Senate Presidents asking their support for the Faculty Hiring Task Force report that has been developed. Dan Kaplan will distribute copies of this report to members of the Executive Committee.

Chip Chandler said that on Thursday, April 10, the Phys Ed department at Skyline is holding a Faculty Appreciation Day. Those interested in attending (free eats!) should contact that department.

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 pm.

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