California Federation of Teachers Non-Profit 1201 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 115 Organization Alameda, CA 94501 U.S. Postage Paid Oakland CA Permit No. 1765 American FederationofTeachers,AFL-CIO Community CollegeCounciloftheCaliforniaFederationTeachers “We arethe99%” Wall Streetmovement Why CFTsupports the her beforeNovember30sothatyouhaveanadvocate. is running for a seat on the CalSTRS board. Vote for L.A. Community College instructor Sharon Hendrickson board CalSTRS Sharon Hendricksonfor its recommendations. work, whichmeansit’stimeforfacultytoweighinon The “StudentSuccess”taskforceiswrappingupits setup forfailure? “Student Success:” the union’smessageacrosstomembersandpublic. will utilizeanynewcommunicationsmediumifitgets Matthew Goldsteinlikesoldfashionedjournalism,but media Old school,new Volume 43,Number1,November2011 Page 4 page 7 page 5 page 3 2 n PERSPECTIVE November 2011 Editorial Taking the lead Carl Friedlander, CFT Community College Council President

The California Federation of Teachers is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. Student success, public employee pensions, The CFT represents over 120,000 educational employees working at every level of education in California. The CFT is committed to raising the standards of the profession and to Wall Street and the for-profits securing the conditions essential to provide the best service to California’s students. President Joshua Pechthalt here are plenty of inter- that something is alleged to Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Freitas esting questions to think have worked elsewhere is no and talk about these guarantee that it will work here. “Reforms” viewed by “insiders” as being forcibly imposed Perspective is published three times during the T academic year by CFT’s Community College days in the world of community “Reforms” viewed by “insiders” Council. college faculty unions. Here is as being forcibly imposed by by “outsiders” are doomed to fail. “outsiders” are doomed to fail. my top three: The recent history of ACCJC’s the elimination of “air time”). into and unleashed. It gives us Community College Council SLO push in the California We should support a reasonable greater hope that we can begin President Carl Friedlander • What do we think of the community colleges and of No cap on pensionable salary, real to change the tax structure of Los Angeles College Guild, Local 1521 recommendations of the Child Left Behind in America’s steps to address CalSTRS’ long California by passing a progres- 3356 Barham Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90068 Student Success Task Force? Email [email protected] public K-12 schools should be term funding challenges, and sive tax initiative in November Direct inquiries regarding the Community Which deserve our support? caution enough. other changes. And right now, 2012, and thus begin to restore College Council to Carl Friedlander Which warrant our opposi- the most important thing that funding for community colleges tion? What modifications By blocking the early versions each of us can do to ensure a and other public services. Southern Vice President Jim Mahler of SB 1143 and instead creating level-headed discussion of these AFT Guild, San Diego and Grossmont- should we be urging? a Task Force which included issues on the CalSTRS board is We need to explain to Cuyamaca Community Colleges, Local 1931 3737 Camino del Rio South, Suite 410 • What shape will “pension some of our brightest and most to make sure our colleagues cast the public that Wall Street – United Labor Center Bldg. reform” take? Who will engaged faculty (identified by their votes for Sharon Hendricks through publicly traded compa- San Diego, CA 92108 drive it—the Governor, the the ASCCC leadership), the for the community college seat nies and private equity – owns system kept the “experts” from on the CalSTRS board before sleazy for-profit colleges that Northern Vice President Dean Murakami Joint Legislative Committee, running amok and the Task November 30. take advantage of almost two Los Rios College Federation of Teachers the voters through a ballot Force from going off the rails. million students to earn outra- AFT Local 2279 initiative? How can we best 1127 – 11th Street, #806 geous profits by collecting over Sacramento, CA 95814 influence the outcome? Now, faculty across the state Community Colleges and $30 billion in Pell grants and should weigh in; if this takes student loans. Secretary Kathy Holland • What do Occupy Wall St. more time than SB 1143 allot- All of us are thrilled to witness Los Angeles College Guild, Local 1521, and its progeny have to do ted, the timeframe should be and participate in the outpour- The fight against Wall Street 3356 Barham Blvd., with community colleges? extended. There are some very ing of progressive and youthful must, in part, be a fight to de- Los Angeles, CA 90068 impractical proposals in the re- energy that the Occupy Wall fend and fund public higher Editor Fred Glass port that will collapse in and of Street movement has tapped education. Layout Design Action Collective Student success task force themselves—either because fund- recommendations: faculty ing is not available or because EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Direct editorial submissions to: input, more time needed technology is not the miracu- Editor, Community College Perspective. Faculty are of many minds lous cost-saving, staff-replacing California Federation of Teachers about the specific recommenda- savior that some Task Force Mark Your 2011-2012 Calendar 1201 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 115 tions that have emerged from “outside” members imagine it to Alameda, CA 94501 the Task Force created by the be. Instead of focusing on these, Telephone 510-523-5238 State Chancellor’s Office after faculty should turn their attention Fax 510-523-5262 December 3 Community College Council, Hilton Oakland Email [email protected] being mandated by SB 1143 to those recommendations that Web www.cft.org (Liu) (see article page 5). But could actually be implemented Airport one thing is clear: faculty par- but need to be improved. To Advertise Contact the CFT Secretary-Treasurer for a ticipation is key. January 10, 2012 deadline for high school seniors to submit CFT Finally, we need to keep current rate card and advertising policies. Had SB 1143 been passed and reminding everybody that ad- scholarship applications Jeff Freitas, Secretary-Treasurer California Federation of Teachers signed in its initial form (insti- equate faculty staffing – includ- 2550 North Hollywood Way, Ste. 400 tuting a “performance based ing a significant expansion of January 21 CFT Executive Council, CFT office, Burbank Burbank, CA 91505 funding” or “PBF” mechanism the fulltime faculty ranks – is Telephone 818-843-8226 in the California community essential to improving student February 4 CFT Committees, Hilton Oakland Airport Fax 818-843-4662 colleges), our system would success. Email [email protected] likely now be at war with it- Although advertisements are screened as February 9 – 10 CFT Leadership Conference, Crowne Plaza SFO, carefully as possible, acceptance of an self. The push for PBF by advertisement does not imply CFT endorsement outside “experts” like Nancy Whither pension reform? Burlingame of the product or service. Shulock, the L.A. Chamber, Changes to public pensions Perspective is a member of the International and the Campaign for College in California are coming. We Labor Communications Association and AFT February 17 Constitutional amendments due for CFT Convention Communications Association. Opportunity would have gener- must ensure that defined ben- Perspective is printed and mailed by the all-union, ated strife and distrust. Studying efit systems are preserved, but April 13 – 15 CFT Convention, Fairmont Hotel, San Jose environmentally friendly Howard Quinn Company experience in other states and they can’t be preserved “as is” in , California, using soy-based inks. systems is valuable, but the fact or with only minor tweaks (like

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Cover: San Diego City College professor Jim Miller reads CFT statement of solidarity with Occupy Wall Street to crowd at rally. More CFT news: www.cft.org Fred Lonidier Photo November 2011 PERSPECTIVE n 3 MEMBER PROFILE

Peralta’s Matthew Goldstein Building the union by communicating D with members p Bacon avid hoto hoto ou might expect an English teacher to value good commu- nication. But when the Peralta Federation of Teachers put YMatthew Goldstein to work as a part time communications director a few years ago, the local wanted him to do more than issue grammatically-correct leaflets. With the support of then-President Debra Weintraub and other active members of the local, Goldstein helped to bring the union into the era of new media.

Today the union sends out a our attention.” But the e-news- twice-monthly electronic news- letter archive is evidence that the letter by email to faculty at the union continues to concentrate four campuses of the Peralta on key questions. One hot ques- Community College District. tion is the recent tendency in It issues a periodic electronic the district to hire consultants, “Board Watch” as well, helping while cutting jobs, especially for members keep track of decisions part time faculty. made at past meetings of the Board of Trustees, and prepare The latest e-newsletter noted: for coming ones. “Among the agenda items be- fore the board tonight are four Matthew Goldstein makes sure his members can contact him every way possible. “We already had a paper that together authorize ladling newsletter we put out twice a out over half a million dollars to semester,” Goldstein explains, consultants, including $84.5K to After he got his PhD, he the University of California. Several years later, degrees “which we would supplement Bob Barr for ‘professional insti- worked for Bay Area dot coms, He got another job as a gradu- in hand, Goldstein got a job with special bulletins during tutional effectiveness services’; “getting paid fantastic sums, ate student employee, and was at Laney College, one of the contract campaigns. We still do $90K to Jim Grivich for helping doing basic technical writing swept up in the strikes and Peralta campuses, as a classi- that. But now we take advan- Peralta address ACCJC concerns; for four or five startups that organizing drives of that era, fied employee in the public tage of electronic media, in- $69K to George Kozitza for promptly failed.” Outside work, which eventually forced the UC information office, doing com- cluding twitter as well as email. various Laney-management is- he contributed columns for an- administration to recognize and munity outreach. His first We’ve revamped out website, sues; and $280K to employment other “dot-com lefty mag” put bargain with the Association of union in Peralta was the Service using the CFT/AFT template lawyer Larry Frierson for advis- out by the “Wobblies.” Graduate Student Employees. Employees. He walked pre- to provide back-end support. ing the district HR office. All cincts and did phone-banking Basically, we’ve addressed the this cash comes from the general The Industrial Workers of the “We were part of the United to support the union’s political new media climate, using it fund, and might well have been World, nicknamed “Wobblies,” Auto Workers,” Goldstein recalls, campaigns. to inform members, especially used to save about 100 classes was a radical union in the era “and I met very experienced new members, about the issues and 50 part-timers’ jobs.” just prior to and after World UAW members on our picket Then he became an adjunct we face.” War One. It opposed war, and lines. They really helped us. instructor for two semesters, To help members understand sought to organize all workers We were somewhat theoreti- finally getting a permanent posi- the context, it noted that funds into “one big union.” Today cally inclined—we’d heard about tion in 2006. “I got involved in Trading places from the state had been slashed. some young people have redis- labor and capital, but what we the PFT as soon as I was hired,” In the election of local of- The number of full-time equiv- covered that labor history and needed was practical experience. Goldstein recalls, “even before I ficers last July, Goldstein and alent students (FTES) for which tradition, and use it to inspire They taught us organizing skills got tenure.” His political experi- Weintraub traded places. He it compensates the district will their “fellow workers” to orga- – sometimes just how to set up a ence proved useful in the union’s became president, while she be- fall from 19,500 in 2010-11 to nize in Starbucks coffee houses, line or hold a sign.” subsequent campaigns to replace came communications director. 18,200 in 2011-12, on top of recycling centers and movie the- two board members it felt were 2000 FTES cut last year. And aters. “These days the Wobblies more interested in making real the newsletter presented the are part of the youth culture,” Big fan of journalism estate deals for district property alternative: “Little can be done he says, “one that romanticizes Journalism stayed in than working to meet the needs “Changing the board helped to slow the destruction of public and pays homage to the 1930s.” Goldstein’s blood, though. “I’m of students and faculty. education in California without a big fan of journalism,” he says. us,” he emphasizes, “but a fair, progressive tax system,” it The IWW wasn’t Goldstein’s Just after college, before gradu- “Changing the board helped pointed out, urging Peralta full- first union experience, however. ate school, he went to work at us,” he emphasizes, “but that that doesn’t mean we’re time faculty in the meantime to After getting a master’s degree the Valley Times, a part of the doesn’t mean we’re in lock step. help save part time jobs by fore- in world and comparative lit- Contra Costa Times newspaper While trustees listen more atten- in lock step. While trustees going extra-service assignments. erature from San Francisco empire of Dean Lesher, one of tively to our concerns, especially State University, he studied the most anti-union employers as president now it’s my job to listen more attentively to post-colonial literature at UT in in California. The paper put him remind them.” Alternative media Austin, which he calls a “liberal on the sports desk, but because our concerns, especially as The PFT e-newsletters are oasis surrounded by the rest of he was the new kid, he spent just the latest in a long series Texas.” At UT he wrote posi- most of his time covering high Worries about part-timers president now it’s my job to of efforts by Goldstein to find tion papers for the Graduate school games. As a former part timer and ad- alternative media capable of Student Union, which affili- junct himself, Goldstein worries remind them.” promoting progressive issues. ated with the Communications While Lesher’s extreme con- about the way the district relies While getting his doctorate Workers of America. servatism and union-hostility so heavily on them, in an unfair from the University of Texas, bothered him, the main reason way. “The number of full time “It’s a little different being he helped put out “an under- Then he accompanied his he left the paper and went to faculty is at an all-time low here,” president,” he says, “since each ground lefty newspaper” called partner, later his wife, to San graduate school was his concern day’s emergency tends to absorb Sub-Text, he recalls. Diego, where she studied at that the job had no real prospects. Continued on page 6 4 n PERSPECTIVE November 2011 Movements CFT backs Occupy Wall Street

or several years the CFT has been championing progres- calling for people to show up Fred Lonidier sive tax policies to address state revenue shortfalls. We have on Wall Street and occupy it announced our intent to go to the state ballot box with a near the end of summer. Oddly F enough, that’s what happened.

proposal to boost income tax rates on the rich in November 2012 p hoto to fund public education and services. We have been gaining trac- Not an of the magnitude of Tahrir Square, tion with our membership, the public, and a growing list of coalition or in the streets of Madison, partners, who recognize that the growing gap between the very rich Wisconsin, earlier this year, al- and the rest of us has been unbalancing our society. though the lessons of both those events clearly played a role in But the attention paid to table conversations, and even setting up what quickly spread these issues due to CFT efforts politicians. from New York to cities across was nothing like what is now the United States. happening in the wake of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Modest credit Occupy Wall Street is thus After thirty years in which the A modest amount of credit can far a rather limited example of public political narrative has be given to Barack Obama, for direct action, if compared with been dominated by anti-tax, coming back around to a 2008 historical precedents like the anti-government, anti-union campaign theme he pushed brief- wave of factory occupations in messages, the game is changing. ly in late 2010 but then let lie the United States in 1937 fol- For weeks it has been difficult to dormant until a couple months lowing the seizure by automo- open a daily newspaper or turn ago: his call to boost tax rates on bile workers of the GM Fisher on the ten o’clock news or go millionaires and billionaires in Body Plant in Flint, Michigan— to your favorite news website order to fund public services. the event that led to unioniza- Jim Miller of San Diego City College, AFT Local 1931, participates in without finding a story or seeing tion of the auto industry. But Occupy San Diego. a picture about “the 1%” and But that wasn’t the game Occupy Wall Street has en- “the 99%.” For the first time changer. Of far greater conse- dured, with hundreds of people in decades, income and wealth quence was a message sent out organizing themselves to sleep, inequality is a major concern by an obscure Canadian media- eat, debate, demonstrate, and Occupy Wall Street has changed what we talk about, of the news media, of kitchen critique magazine, Adbusters, learn together outside in a quasi- public space, , in frightened bankers, stockbrokers and hedge fund managers, New York for six weeks as of and reinvigorated labor and community activists hungry California Federation of this writing. The numbers have swelled to for good news in a recession that should have created a Teachers endorses a movement thousands for demonstrations and to defend the square against progressive movement but hadn’t until now. a threatened eviction, much like “The California Federation of Teachers endorses the ‘Occupy the flexible size of CFT’s March Wall Street’ movement. Occupy Wall Street, and its local varia- for California’s Future last year are clear that teachers and other Los Angeles, Oakland, and San tions, represent the legitimate response of the 99% of us as it snaked through the cen- public employees did not crash Francisco. During the recent adversely affected by growing wealth and income inequality tral valley from Bakersfield to the economy with their salaries CFT Council of Classified in America. One percent of the population now owns close to Sacramento over 48 days. More or work rules or pensions—Wall Employees conference, a dozen Street did, with its toxic finan- members accompanied San 40% of the country’s wealth. Each year, the richest one percent importantly, Occupy Wall Street sparked similar occupa- cial derivatives and predatory Diego City College profes- of the population takes in a quarter of the nation’s income, rep- tions/demonstrations through- loan practices. They are clear sor Jim Miller to Occupy San resenting a doubling of the one percent’s share over the past out the United States. Better that as income and wealth has Diego. They presented the oc- twenty years. During this time the wealthy received massive tax than one hundred fifty ongoing accumulated in the top 1% over cupiers with a donation of sev- cuts, both in California and at the federal level, a major cause of occupations have sprung up and the past few decades, and tax eral hundred dollars collected at public budget shortfalls that hurt students, make our streets less kept going. rates have been reduced on that the conference, and Miller read same tiny slice of the popula- the CFT endorsement statement safe, and harm the health of children and seniors. In the process, Occupy Wall tion, our schools, transportation to an enthusiastic reception by Street has changed what we and public health systems, and the crowd. “Instead of investing its newfound wealth in productive enter- talk about, frightened bankers, public safety agencies have been prises in the United States, the top 1% moved it offshore or into stockbrokers and hedge fund pushed into steep decline. Occupiers have reciprocated, financial speculation, which ultimately crashed the economy. managers, and reinvigorated coming out, for instance, to The 1% also took large amounts of this money and poured it labor and community activists The has support San Francisco educators into a public relations effort to blame teachers and other public hungry for good news in a re- projected those ideas into public protesting an education “re- discussion in a big way. As CFT form” conference headlined by servants for the economic problems the 1% created. cession that should have created a progressive movement but president Josh Pechthalt ob- Jeb Bush and Rupert Murdoch served, “The women and men on October 13. “Occupy Wall Street redirects the attention of the public to hadn’t until now. who are participating in Occupy the actual causes of the economic crash and recession and to Wall Street have given voice It remains to be seen where the parties responsible. The California Federation of Teachers What do they want? to the suffering and economic the Occupy movement will go. embraces the call of Occupy Wall Street to raise taxes on the CFT endorsed Occupy Wall uncertainty felt by millions of But even if it goes no further rich, to reregulate the banks, and to enact a financial specula- Street, as have many labor or- Americans. Educators are proud than where it is, it will have tion tax. We encourage our members to participate in the OWS ganizations. That’s because the to stand in solidarity with these made an historic contribution occupiers, of varying opinions principles and this important to raising consciousness about actions in their cities. These actions will help restore public bud- on some issues, are nonethe- movement.” the real problems facing this gets for schools and other vital services, and set our state and less clear that the economy and country. our country back on a road to democracy and prosperity.” the government have not been Over the past few weeks CFT working for you and me—the members have joined in the October 14, 2011 99%—for some time now. They Occupy events in San Diego, By Fred Glass November 2011 PERSPECTIVE n 5 Policy

Recipe for failure? “Student success” task force threatens mission of community colleges

conomic collapse and three years of deteriorating state budgets brought drastic cuts to higher Date/Time Event Location education, and the Legislature commanded the California Community Colleges to do better. EFollowing decimating cuts to student services, the Legislature threatened, for 2011-12, to cut November 3-5, Academic Senate Fall San Diego, still deeper by withholding an additional $100 million from the system to be doled out to districts that 2011 Plenary Sheraton Hotel showed improvement in student success, primarily defined in terms of completion rates. It sounded crazy, but community colleges have often been asked to do more with less. November 4-6, Student Senate Fall San Jose, 2011 Assembly Doubletree Hotel This time, the system deflected of implementation would be ex- the knife of additional budget cuts cluded from the draft brought to November 9, Student Success Sacramento with the promise that its Student As this process plays out, the September meeting because 2011 Task Force Meeting Success Task Force, mandated they were too divisive. At that under SB 1143, should be given it is essential that faculty meeting, some of the recom- November 10, Association of N. Orange County the opportunity to come up with mendations faced up-or-down 2011 Community and CCD, Anaheim a student success plan. This bill, review the document votes, and several were elimi- Continuing Education Campus introduced by Senator Carol Liu nated. In the end the proposal is (D-Pasadena), threatened to fund and voice their opinions. not a consensus document. November 16, Northern California Oakland, community colleges based on the 2011 Town Hall Elihu M. Harris number of students who “suc- Implementation of the Nevertheless, a final draft Building ceeded,” rather than on the basis went public on September 30, November 17- Community College San Jose, of the number of students served. and the process entered a two- proposal in its present 19, 2011 League of California – Fairmont Hotel month vetting period in which Annual Convention Despite the focus on “success,” form will have a significant community college constituen- nowhere in SB 1143, or in the cies and interested members December 7, Student Success Sacramento work of the Task Force that fol- of the public are encouraged 2011 Task Force Meeting lowed the bill, appears a clear impact on the nature of to study the recommendations definition of “success.” And that and voice their opinions. The has been problematic all along. our community colleges. Task Force will not meet in With the exception of the town halls and legislative hearings, con- October and will, instead, as- ferences hosted/sponsored by membership associations may not Effective advocacy nearly Open access and our sist Chancellor’s Office staff be open to non-members. killed the bill, but the author in presentations at meetings worked with the System Office students’ freedom to throughout the state [see side- For an update of places and times of these meetings, to read the to resurrect it as a mandate to bar on this page]. There are documents associated with the Task Force, and to deliver online study student success in the engage in an exploration two open forums, one north comments, go to http://californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu/ community colleges. and one south, but most of the of their interests and presentations will be given at To this end, the State meetings and conferences al- Chancellor and California abilities are at stake. ready scheduled by statewide Community College Board of organizations. The proposal Task force recommendations of Governors were empowered to and a list of presentations is form the task force, and a diverse 2012. The first six months were available on the Chancellor’s special interest to ESL instructors group of twenty representatives spent hearing from student suc- Office web site: http:// was assembled. The Academic cess “experts” from around the californiacommunitycolleges. The current recommendations are critical for anyone teaching Senate was granted four faculty country. Most of these addressed cccco.edu/PolicyInAction/ basic skills or ESL, in particular, and any students within those seats that joined slots allocated a topic mandated under SB StudentSuccessTaskForce.aspx. to district chancellors and other 1143: the outcomes-based fund- populations. They paint a picture of a successful student who administrators, members of the ing that had been the motivation The last two meetings of the attends full-time, takes only the courses necessary to the com- Board of Governors, and local of the original bill. Student Success Task Force are pletion of his/her degree, certificate or transfer goal, and places trustees to represent the system. scheduled in November and as high as possible in terms of remedial education. They recom- In addition, the group included A brainstorming retreat in July December. At these meetings, mend that Title V and the Education Code be changed to reflect community and workforce rep- outlined the basic framework the group will consider feedback such a picture, and that financial aid and FTE be aligned with it. resentatives as well as several ana- of the proposal, and the August from the presentations. The rec- lysts, both supportive and critical, meeting formulated a point- ommendations may be revised, Such recommendations will drastically alter community col- who have written about commu- by-point list of its components. and the draft proposal document nity colleges in recent years. The Each component consisted of a will without doubt be edited. lege education in California. They will limit access to such an State Chancellor attended as an recommendation; a list of legisla- The final version will go to the education to new immigrants, older students, the poor and the ex-officio member, and Senator tive, regulatory, or structural ac- Community College Board of developmentally disabled. They will eliminate many credit bear- Liu also sent a representative in tions that would be required for Governors for a first reading at ing remedial and ESL programs and replace them with tutoring, her place as a Task Force mem- implementation; and a descrip- its January meeting. At its March with technology, by training faculty in other disciplines to handle ber. Various Chancellor’s Office tion of how the goal would be meeting, approval of a final re- staff attended Task Force meet- achieved. From the outset, it was port is expected for delivery to such issues within their courses, with noncredit or adult school ings in an advisory capacity. clear that while the group might the Legislature. courses, or by putting the financial burden on those students be able to settle on a set of rec- who need them to pay for them themselves. Moreover, they will ommendations, it would never limit the power of faculty and increase the power of the Chancel- “Experts” be able to end debate over how Counter austerity message lor’s Office to make such decisions. Is this your vision of success? The Task Force has been they were to be implemented. As this process plays out, it If not, make your voices heard now. meeting monthly since January is essential that faculty review in its effort to prepare a report To move the project forward, By Kristine Fertel, LRCFT, AFT Local 2279 due to the Legislature by March the group agreed that the details Continued on page 6 6 n PERSPECTIVE November 2011 Legislation

Building the Union Continued from page 3

he explains. “The district increas- out a survey in preparation for Legislative Update ingly relies on part timers, hiring the next round of bargaining. them when times are good, and Judith Michaels, CFT Legislative Director letting them go when they’re bad. “We’re not just worried about This just perpetuates exploitation, what happens to us in our own which management describes as district,” Goldstein notes. “We’re the ‘need for flexibility.’” eager to take part in larger politi- cal struggles. Our new state lead- The new communications ers are taking the union in a very strategy is basically a means to activist direction, which we think strengthen the base of the union, is very healthy. Organized labor he believes, so that it can push is being punched in the mouth, Coalitions work back. “It gives us a stronger and it’s important to respond in co·a·li·tion: 1 a) the act of coalescing: union b) a body formed by the coalescing of originally distinct membership, and establishes an aggressive, sophisticated and elements: combination. 2: a temporary alliance of distinct parties, persons, or states for joint action. clearer and closer ties between organized way.” our leaders and the rank-and- file,” he says. “Management pays The PFT already has a long attention. They even read our record of participating in larger ur locals have been A toll booth on the road to AB 155, ending a summer-long newsletters, which we know statewide efforts, including last rapidly moving on course access threat by online retailing giant because we hear from them after year’s March for California’s OWebster’s second As California constricts fund- Amazon to launch a self-serving we criticize them. It helps when Future up the central valley, and definition: temporary alliances ing for our colleges, legislators ballot referendum. Amazon they know what we’re thinking.” demonstrations in San Francisco, for joint action. We spend time propose “creative” approaches dropped 10,000 local sales af- the East Bay and Sacramento and energy building coalitions to fees, enrollment restrictions filiates as part of its blackmail The bargaining unit includes to defend education. “We’re and student success, often aimed strategy to avoid collecting and about 1000 instructors, nurses, reaching out to the No Cuts to amass the power necessary to at pushing additional students paying to the state sales taxes it librarians and counselors, of groups on our campuses,” he accomplish goals that the locals through the system more rap- legally already owed when Brown whom 750 are union members. says. “We’re putting our money of the CFT cannot attain alone. idly, whatever the cost. We promised to enforce California “We get lots of email from them where our mouth is. We have Complex issues increasingly formed a coalition to help slow sales tax law. In this coalition too,” Goldstein says. General very good folks in our union, require large numbers of people down, if not actually defeat, one we were joined by relatively membership meetings, twice who are trying to function under and many resources to win, or of the most harmful, AB 515 unusual allies like local chambers each semester, rotate from cam- desperate and staggering teaching at least gain ground, on critical by Assemblywoman Brownley. of commerce. In return for the pus to campus, and the execu- loads. So it’s not easy. But that’s battles playing out in our locals The bill proposed linking access one-year tax-collection delay, tive board meets twice a month. where we want to go.” to courses to the ability to pay Amazon will abandon its refer- All meetings are open to mem- and in the state legislature. by authorizing credit extension endum campaign. bers. Now union reps on each courses in community colleges. campus are preparing to send By David Bacon This first step toward privatiza- Governor Brown also signed California leads the way tion, amended many times since Senate Bill 202, requiring all D avid Bacon This year we joined with its introduction last February, statewide initiatives to be placed higher education institutions, passed the Assembly; when it on November general election cities, unions, student associa- moved to the Senate, the Senate ballots, concurrent with either p hoto tions, and community-based or- Education Committee recog- a presidential or gubernatorial ganizations to advance the cause nized that AB 515 signaled a election, in addition to delay- of access to higher education, significant departure from com- ing until 2014 the vote on the and send two bills of national munity colleges’ open access proposed constitutional change significance to Governor Brown. mission, and, after an extensive requiring a rainy day fund. SB hearing in that Committee, the 202 posits that, if Californians According to the University Assemblywoman decided in July must decide essential policy mat- of California, around 65,000 to leave it there until 2012 rath- ters at the polls, the larger, more undocumented students gradu- er than risk a negative outcome. representative general electorate ate every year from high school. should be asked to decide them. California statute allows these We succeeded in stopping Thus, on the very last day of ses- Goldstein meeting with Peralta Federation of Teachers executive board. students to pay in-state tuition AB 515 for now because of ac- sion, legislators sent the bill to if they have lived and attended tivity by the California Nurses the governor to chill the efforts school in California for the past Association, the NAACP, and of proponents of ballot measures three years. In the years since the California Labor Federation who try to manipulate the system Student Success Continued from page 5 Governor Gray Davis signed joining with community col- by placing liberal or conservative that bill into law, we have con- lege-based groups, who made initiatives on a given ballot. tinued legislative efforts to help legislators aware of the threat. the document and voice their allowed to dictate the future of undocumented students finan- Local unions alerted and en- These two examples illustrate opinions. Implementation of higher education in California. cially, only to see them stall, get ergized Central Labor bodies. our ability to effectively act in the proposal in its present form We must not give up the fight for caught up in the general immi- Individuals and groups fanned concert when circumstances will have a significant impact on investment in the future of our gration debate, or be vetoed by out, contacting the bill’s au- dictate. As we did to secure a the nature of our community state. Through our unions and then-governor Schwarzenegger. thor, committee members, and majority-vote budget, we will colleges. Open access and our the academic senate, faculty have their own representatives while continue to work with other students’ freedom to engage in several opportunities to make On July 25, 2011, Governor a diverse lobbying team paced groups on a realistic solution to an exploration of their interests a difference. We can raise our Brown signed AB 130 to allow Sacramento’s halls. While we California’s persistent revenue and abilities are at stake. There is voices during these two months undocumented college students succeeded in stalling AB 515, we shortfall. Successful efforts rely considerable momentum already of task force presentations, we can to access privately funded finan- will remain vigilant on this issue. on surveys and focus groups, driving these recommendations carry our own vision of the future cial aid. A companion measure, and these are not inexpensive. with many in the public, some to the Board of Governors meet- AB 131, opened Cal Grants Although it takes time and re- in the legislative leadership, ings early next year, and we can and other state funded financial Taxes and ballots sources, coalitions can provide and even a few in the com- advocate for our community col- aid to them. They are still not As the session drew to a close, the opportunity for your local to munity college system arguing leges when the Student Success eligible for federal loans, and, CFT worked with allies on bills work on state or national issues, that “California cannot afford to Task Force proposal is debated in without federal legislation, their aligned with our goals and phi- thus expanding the scope and maintain the status quo.” the Legislature. Faculty must pre- future, especially after college, losophy. A last-minute flurry impact of your work. pare for these efforts now. remains in shadow because demonstrated the importance Faculty must deliver a counter California alone cannot legalize of continuing lobbying coali- to this austerity message. Present the status of these young adults. tions. Governor Brown signed By Judith Michaels economic stagnation cannot be By Richard Hansen November 2011 PERSPECTIVE n 7 Pensions

Hendricks for CalSTRS Board Los Angeles faculty member will fight for you

Photo co u rte s y Sharon H endric k Carl Friedlander, President of the CFT Community College Council, states that “Sharon FAQs for CalSTRS Board Election Hendricks will be a thoughtful, forceful, and persuasive voice on the CalSTRS Board. She under- Who is eligible to vote? stands both the fiscal and political challenges our retirement system Eligible voters in the election are persons who were members faces and she will engage in the of the Defined Benefit Program and/or participants of theC ash kind of regular, two-way com- Balance Benefit Program employed by a community college munication with faculty that the current situation demands.” district during the 2010-11 school year, between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. Sharon has been working to ensure the retirement security How long do we have to vote and when is the last day I of community college faculty can send my ballot in? at the state level, serving on the “I will fight for a secure retirement for all part-time and full-time CFT and FACCC Retirement You will be able to vote between October 1st and November 30th. community college faculty.” Committees as well as at the local level, speaking to local Voted ballots must be postmarked or received by CalSTRS on or chapters and unions’ faculty before November 30th to be counted. haron Hendricks is the while also witnessing great groups regarding CalSTRS is- CFT-endorsed candidate economic instability. These sues and the attacks on teachers Is mailing the ballot back to CalSTRS the only way for the Community Col- are challenging times for our and public pensions. If you have to vote? S country, our state and our role questions for Sharon or want lege representative on the Cali- as educators in the public sec- information about her campaign, When you receive your paper ballot in the mail, you will give fornia State Teachers Retirement tor. Politicians are using the please feel free to contact her. three options for how to vote in this election. You can mail System (CalSTRS) Board. attacks on our pensions as a tool to undermine unions and your paper ballot in, phone in your vote, or vote on-line. Website: Ballots for the election were weaken the middle class. As the http://www.sharon4strs.com/ Instruction on these various voting options will be enclosed in mailed to all eligible community elected Community College your mailing. college faculty homes around representative to the CalSTRS Email: [email protected]. October 1, and balloting is open Board, I will fight for a secure What do I do if I lost or didn’t receive my ballot? until November 30. retirement for all part-time Facebook: and full-time community col- http://www.facebook.com/ For questions and generation information regarding this sharon4calstrs Hendricks lays out what’s at lege faculty. I will also keep election, contact the Election Coordinator, Tom Barrett, at stake succinctly: “We are fac- you informed and solicit your Twitter: ing unprecedented attacks on ideas about challenges facing http://twitter.com/#!/ [email protected] or 800-228-5453. teachers and public pensions CalSTRS and its members.” sharon4strs

Governor’s pension proposal bears watching

n October 27, Governor Jerry Brown announced his long awaited public employee pension reform proposal. Most of it relates to the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS), but portions are Oaimed at CalSTRS. He intends to take his proposal to the Legislature. Here are a few details: The plan proposes that nor- Security benefit, replaces 75% and the maximum age factor is mal, ongoing costs of benefits of employee salary after 35 years usually reached at age 63. be borne equally between em- service. The defined benefit por- ployee and employer. Currently tion would be 2/3 of the 75%, The plan would require a a CalSTRS member contributes and the defined contribution three-year average final com- 8%, and the full cost of the the balance. The defined benefit pensation, instead of the cur- benefit is 17.7%. The current portion would equal 1.43% of rent highest twelve consecutive member contribution would be pay per year of service. Currently months after 25 years service. It increased by slightly less than 1% the benefit at age 60 is 2% of would also limit post-retirement to even it out. final salary per year of service. employment to 960 hours or Governor’s proposal requires response, go to www.calstrs. 120 days per year. substantial modification. The com. You may also want to It proposes new public em- The plan proposes to increase Perspective will keep you informed look at the “Protect Retirement ployees receive a benefit com- the full retirement age for new The plan does not address the as the proposal moves forward. Security” website, created by bining a defined benefit and members to 67, aligning with underfunding issues faced by the coalition of public employee defined contribution plan that Social Security. Currently, the CalSTRS. While we recognize For more information, in- unions that CFT belongs to, together, along with any Social normal retirement age is age 60, that change is necessary, the cluding the CalSTRS official www.letstalkpensions.com. 8 PERSPECTIVE November 2011

Local Action R o b yn Wax m an, San Francisco says Alisa Messer, president of “This was unprecedented,” faculty salary comparisons to the faculty union. Programs are says local president Monica other districts. Board Report AFT 2121 responds to being cut significantly, more Malamud. “We usually ratify #11-8-2A stated, ‘To be con- shifting budget plan than 3% in credit and as much as what we agree to, and our ne- sistent with the District’s sal- 8% in non-credit. gotiators did the best they could. ary range reviews of AFT and p hoto A recent message to the But after telling instructors for CSEA, staff determined that faculty of the San Francisco The local has sprung into ac- two years that there would be new classified and academic Community College District tion, to ensure that part-time no salary changes, at least for us, supervisory salary ranges should from its union: “We are angry faculty—until now, largely pro- the board vote was a shock. The rank within the top three or four about this inability to manage tected from cuts through a joint contract rejection was a very im- of the comparison districts.’ This the deteriorating fiscal situation commitment between union and portant expression of anger.” statement rests on an erroneous by the administration, especially district—do not lose assignments assumption that AFT members’ after we received assurances by due to this inability to follow During the state’s ongoing salaries are already within the the District that it had found a the budget plan. Overload as- fiscal crisis, negotiations have top three or four of the com- Linda Sneed wants part-time way through the current year in signments and retirees’ courses been hard in nearly every com- parison districts, but in fact the faculty to be included at every dealing with the extreme chal- will be cut first, and the district munity college district, and San salaries of a majority of our fac- level of decision-making lenges of the State’s cuts.” has committed to continuing to Mateo has been no exception. ulty are below the top three or protect part-timers’ base assign- Nevertheless, the union felt it four districts.” As a CFT vice president, The administration of the ments, says Messer. had achieved what was possible Sneed will have the opportunity SFCCD, after much discus- under difficult conditions. The Apparently the district had to help shape the strategies CFT sion, thought it had found a tentative agreement, reached this conducted a survey of supervisor employs state-wide to defend way to handle enormous cuts past summer, included strength- salaries in the area the previous the strength and integrity of in the state apportionment to San Mateo ened part-time seniority rights, spring. California’s public education CCSF resulting in a $13 mil- improvements in the professional system and to secure public lion plus deficit. Now, only two Bosses get raises, faculty development fund, and a more In explaining the union exec- and legislative support for our months into the fall semester, none; union turns down realistic one-year time period for utive board’s reversal, Malamud schools and colleges. She say, that budget plan is unraveling. contract post-retirement contracts. said, “the Executive Committee “It is now my responsibility Administrative failures to imple- came to this decision in order to and my privilege to help imple- ment the budget have already If you ask the faculty, a tin On August 19 the union execu- uphold the principle that all dis- ment the resolutions passed by thrown the District off course ear would be among the more tive committee voted to submit trict employees should be treated the delegates at our annual CFT to the tune of $5 million. The polite descriptions they’d give the agreement to faculty, with a with fairness and equity.” Convention and to help establish administration has failed to off- for the decision by the Board recommendation that they ac- the CFT’s annual budget.” set expansions of programs and of Trustees at San Mateo cept it. On August 24, however, Joaquin Rivera, chief nego- courses in some areas with con- Community College to raise the trustees voted 4-1 to provide tiator for the union, calls the Sneed, who has taught English tractions in other lower enrolled salaries for management em- management with raises. The only subsequent vote by members to and writing in Los Rios since areas; and efforts to save money ployees, including the district’s vote against came from Board reject the agreement a backlash. 2003, plans to watch out for part- through attrition among classi- marketing director and control- President Richard Holober, “Yes, these are difficult times,” time faculty in particular, but fied employee ranks are not ma- ler. The problem? The district a former staff member for the he notes, “but if they can find also community college faculty terializing to the extent needed, had just spent months in me- California Labor Federation. the money to increase salaries for in general. She is “very much says the Chancellor, in large part diation during contract nego- one group, they should find it for looking forward to bringing the because of new/replacement tiations, telling the union that all groups. Now they’re going to realities, priorities, and great ideas classified hires. there was no money for raises Erroneous assumption have to look harder for it.” of our part-time faculty to the for faculty. On September 7, the union attention of the CFT President, Attempts are now underway executive committee rescinded The union has asked the Secretary-Treasurer, and fellow to close this overspending gap As a result, a tentative agree- its recommendation, and voted district to immediately resume Vice Presidents. We deserve and bring the budget back on ment reached between the to submit the tentative agree- negotiations, and to bring in working conditions, financial course, “but they will have a district and the San Mateo ment to the membership the mediator. No meeting is set compensation, and benefits com- more extreme impact on faculty Community College Federation without one. Malamud told yet, although Rivera expects the parable to those of our full-time and students than would oth- of Teachers was turned down by members, “The Board relied district to sit down again by the colleagues; we deserve job secu- erwise have been necessary,” a resounding 213 to 50. on faulty assumptions regarding end of October. rity; we deserve to be included at every level of decision-making “The board has been too close where faculty have a voice.”

p hoto to administrators,” he explains, “and has only listened to them. Sneed has been impressed by Board members never questioned CFT’s politics: “I see our union,

Fred G l a ss Fred anything in the district report on working on behalf of progressive the supervisor salary comparison, tax reform at the state level, as or even asked to see any of the visionary and proactive. To sur- data. It turned out that the com- vive, let along thrive, public ed- parison just wasn’t accurate.” ucation requires fair tax policies and our actions on its behalf. I’m really pleased and encouraged by our union’s commitment to Los Rios policies that fit public academic labor into a broader social and Part-time instructor economic landscape.” appointed to CFT Executive Council Sneed invites you to share your ideas with her so that they In September Los Rios can be part of the conversation at Community College District CFT Executive Council meet- faculty member Linda Sneed ings. Contact Linda Sneed at became one of two part-time [email protected] or call her at community college faculty 812-325-2595. California Faculty Association member Sheila Tully, left, and San Francisco Community College (along with Sam Russo) on Federation of Teachers president Alisa Messer, right, join with members at a the California Federation of UESF-led rally against Rupert Murdoch and Jeb Bush (see page 4 article). Teachers Executive Council. By Linda Sneed