Read Assembly Member Berman’s letter in pdf format here.

February 9, 2026

Chancellor Melissa Moreno
Board of Trustees
San Mateo County Community College District
3401 CSM Drive
San Mateo, CA 94402

Dear Chancellor Moreno and Board of Trustees:

I am writing to urge you to negotiate in good faith with the San Mateo County Community College District faculty union, AFT 1493, to reach a fair and equitable agreement as quickly as possible.

Faculty and student welfare are the cornerstone of a thriving educational institution. Providing faculty with fair compensation strengthens the campus community and allows them to focus more on serving students.

The San Mateo County Community College District’s (SMCCCD) revenue has seen an average annual increase of over 6% in the last 5 years. Meanwhile, faculty salaries have not achieved a proportionate improvement reflecting this revenue growth. As a result, in 2020-2025, faculty salary increases have lagged over 5% behind inflation. Furthermore, the “Fifty Percent Law” requires each District to spend at least half of its current expense of education each fiscal year for salaries and benefits of classroom instructors. I urge the District to seriously rethink its economic offer to faculty and continue taking steps to comply with the Fifty Percent Law.

Additionally, as we are seeing with the Trump Administration, academic freedom is being eroded. When professors are unable to teach research-based concepts in the classroom without fear of being reported and disciplined, and when colleges begin scrubbing websites, eradicating job titles, and eliminating offices, then the free pursuit of knowledge in every scholarly field is jeapordized [sic]. SMCCCD should look at following all the other Bay Area Community College Districts in safeguarding the integrity of teaching with academic freedom protection.

I hope that meaningful progress can be made toward a collective bargaining agreement that respects these dedicated and hardworking educators with a fair and equitable agreement that addresses livable wages, affordable healthcare, and academic freedom protection. This can only be accomplished when both sides come together at the negotiating table.

I urge the SMCCCD Board to take immediate action to reach a fair agreement that will benefit both faculty and the students at Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College.

Sincerely,