FACULTY SPEAK OUT IN SUPPORT OF ADJUNCT HEALTHCARE COVERAGE

“Why won’t you direct the District’s negotiating team to agree to provide our deserving part-time faculty the same healthcare benefit that you [Trustees] receive?” – Monica Malamud

AFT 1493 President Monica Malamud and several other faculty members addressed the Board of Trustees at their Feb. 22 meeting. Monica asked the Trustees to take a more active role in helping move faculty contract negotiations towards a settlement.  She discussed the proposals for faculty compensation in the context of the district’s strong budget and she also emphasized how the district must not further delay the approval of district-provided healthcare coverage for part-time faculty (which would be funded by the state.)

Four faculty members made public comments on the pressing need of many part-time faculty for district-provided healthcare coverage:

•   “Is it too much to ask the administration to show up for me the way I am showing up for my students and the college district? I ask you to include part time adjunct faculty in the district’s commitment to equity and inclusion by enacting policies that support the health of our college district as a whole.“ – Tamara Perkins

Skyline College and CSM adjunct film instructor Tamara Perkins’ comments on the urgent need for healthcare for part-time faculty were read by Skyline physics professor Kolo Wamba at the SMCCCD Board of Trustees meeting on 2-22-23.

 

•   “This college system runs on the efforts and dedication of its part-time faculty. Time and time again our efforts are overlooked and undervalued. Why is our health and well being considered of less value than that of full-time faculty?” – Elizabeth Ingber 

Long-time Skyline College adjunct music instructor Elizabeth Ingber spoke to the Board about the inequity of our district not providing healthcare for part-time faculty.

 

•   “Every month that negotiations remain stalled equates to thousands of dollars lost by our adjunct colleagues.” – Jessica Silver-Sharp

Jessica Silver-Sharp, Skyline College adjunct librarian and AFT 1493 part-time faculty organizer, reported on how many adjunct faculty have told her how the district’s reimbursement to part-time faculty for health premiums is very inadequate.

 

•   “Turning down this money is a disservice not only to faculty, but to your students who don’t have access to healthy teachers and to the people of California who prioritized this through their legislature.” – Barbara Baer

Barbara Baer, Palomar College faculty member and union co-president explained that her district recently agreed to provide healthcare for part-time faculty according to the state’s guidelines.

Palomar is one of at least 12 districts that have already agreed to part-time faculty healthcare funded by the state under AB 190.

The districts that have already agreed to part-time faculty healthcare funded by the state under AB 190 are: