In this issue:

• AFT continues to work for a safe Spring return
  
  As the Spring term quickly approaches, your AFT representatives have stepped up their advocacy work for a safe return to campus for all. Your participation remains as important as ever!
• What’s it like to work in-person this Fall: Faculty members share their perspectives on returning to F2F teaching and counseling this semester
  
  As most faculty look ahead to a full return to in-person instruction in January, we interviewed some of the few faculty who have been working on campus this semester to learn more about the experiences.
• How enrollment declines have impacted part-time faculty in our district
  SMCCCD enrollment has experienced major declines since the rise of the Covid-19 pandemic. AFT 1493 is working to see the impacts on adjuncts minimized.
• Report on negotiations on MOU regarding Spring 2022 working conditions
• Reminders to adjunct faculty members: Apply for unemployment benefits between semesters & submit medical reimbursement forms by Dec. 31
• South San Francisco coalition prepares for Free Early Care and Education for All ballot measure
• Join a conversation between faculty and Trustee John Pimentel on December 9
• Current faculty contract is finally available online
  After some technical delays, the complete faculty contract that was ratified last May is now available by clicking on the link above.

In this issue:

• Health and safety concerns remain central as some faculty return to in-person work in Fall and most others prepare to return to campus in Jan.
  Faculty members raise concerns about returning to in-person work at campus health & safety committees, but don’t receive adequate answers to many questions
• As Skyline and Cañada counselors were asked to return to in-person work this fall, they called out unsafe conditions and inconsistent policies–and, with union support–won important gains
  Over 300 faculty signed a petition in support of a safe and fair return to campus for counseling faculty and administrators adjusted the policies.
• AFT presents results of faculty evaluations of administrators and continues to call for true “360 evaluations” of administrators
  All faculty and staff should be able to anonymously evaluate their administrators.
• AFT calls for re-opening of negotiations on 2021-22 raise for district faculty
  The salary formula in the current contract provides for a very low 0.52% raise this year, but the district’s budget could clearly provide a reasonable raise.
• Meet Sarah Harmon, Cañada Spanish professor, OER supporter and long-time advocate for the rights of adjunct faculty
  This issue’s “Faculty Focus” feature.
• Personal reflections on vision impairment, teaching & accessibility in SMCCCD
  Skyline Professor Lori Slicton describes the difficulties of teaching–including working on Comprehensive Program Review–with a significant vision impairment.

In this issue:

• Early cancellations of classes & conversions of online classes to face-to-face resulted in loss of enrollments & hardships for faculty & students — How AFT fought back
  Between June 1st and July 27th, SMCCCD canceled 141 Fall 2021 course sections; AFT calls for adding classes and a more transparent and equitable process
• Academic Senate and AFT work to give faculty more input on setting class caps
  AFT reps and others advocate for improved communications and transparency
• College Health & Safety Committees play central role in plans for return to safe in-person work
  Faculty call for more consideration of discipline expertise in setting class size
• What Is CAT?  Check out our union’s Contract Action Team!
  Group has become an ongoing organizing body to actively address issues related to faculty working conditions
• Letter to the Advocate: We are still in a pandemic; District needs to take our public health more seriously
  Administrative decision-making must recognize that the virus remains in charge
• Meet Mandy Lucas, Promise Scholars Counselor at Skyline
  “Faculty Focus” highlights the important work of one our many hard-working counseling faculty across the district
• New AFT 1493 group working to challenge gender oppression in our colleges
  Goals are to expose gendered distribution of work and build systems of mutual support and safe space
• District to hire 43 new full-time faculty in 2021-22
  2021 state budget provides funds to increase districts’ percentage of full-time faculty
• 2021 AFT 1493 Scholarships awarded to Nigel Hawkins and Hannah Hersey
  Union recognizes social justice work of two 2021 graduates with $500 awards
• In memoriam: Remembering long-time Cañada College theater instructor and director Bob Curtis
  Bob directed eighty plays at Cañada alone, during the four decades and well over thirty years of his tenure

In this issue:

• Faculty ratify new 3-year contract!
  97% vote Yes! Review contract highlights and questions & answers about the new contract
• Faculty survey reports:
  – Report on Summer-Fall 2021 MOU Survey
  Class size reductions, tech support and work-from-home stipends are priorities as mostly remote instruction continues
  – Report on Survey on Faculty Vaccinations
  More than 90% have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine
• Gender Oppression Listening Space
  Everyone is invited to attend session to share experiences and build solidarity: Friday, May 14, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Faculty Focus: Rod Daus-Magbual
  Skyline Filipino Studies professor and Daly City City Council member is working for social justice in the classroom and community
• Ensuring faculty’s right to speak to the press
  Skyline President revises message on media policy after AFT points out faculty’s right to speak to press without the approval of PIO
• Support for Adjuncts
  Individual orientations for new faculty available. Reminders: file for unemployment and health insurance reimbursement. Help with Flex Day pay issues.
• AFT 1493ers in action
  AFT 1493’s CAT team gathers to celebrate contract settlement and AFT 1493 contingent marches in San Francisco’s May Day parade
• Social justice organizing in our communities: SURJ San Mateo
  Each issue we are highlighting Social Justice Organizing in our Communities and we encourage faculty to publicize these community groups to their students: Showing Up for Racial Justice, San Mateo: People with privilege organizing against systemic racism
• In Memoriam: Rich Yurman
  Remembering retired Skyline Professor of English, Creative Writing & Algebra, 1937-2021
• Action Alert: Tell California’s elected leaders: Invest in community colleges

In this issue:

• Contract negotiations are down to one final issue
  AFT’s proposal will move adjuncts 3 percentage points closer to the 85% parity goal. Under the District’s proposal, adjuncts would still be in the high 60s (68% or 69% parity) on the new, step-and-column schedule.  As contract negotiations near a settlement, here is a review of what we’ve won so far
• SMCCD faculty express discontent over adjunct inequities in spirited letter-writing campaign
  In just four days, SMCCD faculty members flooded the SMCCD Board and Chancellor’s inboxes with 180 letters focused on the need to establish Part Time Parity NOW.
  Read some of the letters here.
• SMCCD Enrollment, Faculty & Revenue Trends Over Last Decade
  Over the last decade or so, our district enrollment has declined significantly as have our number of part-time faculty. The number of full-time faculty has increased by about a dozen over the same period. Meanwhile our district’s annual revenues have increased dramatically, from $113.8 million in 2009-10 to $208.2 million in 2019-20
• Viewpoint: Adjunct equity means much more than just pay parity
  Holiday pay, job security, affordable health benefits are also still needed
• Support the fight against major cuts at City College of San Francisco
  CCSF recently sent layoff notices to 163 full -time faculty and 400-600 part-time faculty jobs are also at risk.
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  A new book, Free City, reviewed in this issue, documents the history of the struggle against cuts at CCSF.
• We Are Not Your Model Minority: Faculty, staff, and students co-organize a sharing space on anti-Asian violence: Attend the open forum, “Healing from Hate,” Thursday, March 25, from 4-5pm.
• It’s time for the California Tax on Extreme Wealth!
  CFT-sponsored California bill would implement a 1% tax on wealth in excess of $50 million per household
• Call on CalSTRS to divest from fossil fuels
  $6 billion of faculty retirement money is invested in fossil fuel companies and environmental destruction
• Social Justice Organizing in our Communities
  Each issue we are highlighting Social Justice Organizing in our Communities and we encourage faculty to publicize these community groups to their students:
  – Daly City for Black Lives: Advocating for community engagement in South City budget
  – Young people in Coalition Z are organizing for racial justice in San Mateo
• Next Adjunct Safe Space meeting: April 28