President’s Update March 2024

By Mary Gross, FA President

On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Assembly, I humbly thank you for the confidence you have entrusted in us to continue to serve as your leadership for the next two-year period. We have a strong Faculty Assembly Council that represents many diverse interests and perspectives of the faculty at large. This is particularly important as we look to negotiate a successor agreement to our Contract, aka, our Collective Bargaining Agreement next year.

As a Council, we have prioritized educating ourselves and all faculty of the nearly two-hundred-page document. So much is contained within these pages including our Workload expectations; support for Senate, Assembly, and Committee leadership reassigned time; our salary schedules, grievance procedure; evaluation processes; and more. But how often do we as individuals look at the Contract that truly guides our working life? Probably not nearly enough or only when an issue arises.

Over the past year and a half, we have regularly done “Contract Spotlights” at our Zoom Council meetings that allows us opportunity to discuss and dive deeper on many elements. We also recognize that there are many features in our contract we want to preserve and protect. As with any negotiation of a successor agreement, the District as well will have areas they wish to protect and/or modify that may or may not align with the faculty’s agenda. As a Council, we have begun to discuss how we will move forward with a more strategic approach to the negotiations next year, and of course your input is critical in the process.

So please plan to join us for our next education event on APRIL 12 from 12:30-2:30 that will afford attendees an opportunity to see the scope of the Contract for a more comprehensive understanding of possible “reopeners”; start to determine which Articles and Sections of the contract are most critical to prioritize and/or preserve and protect; and think strategically about our priorities as well as the District’s and how that might inform our approach for upcoming negotiations.  

Per usual, we will provide a delicious lunch; opportunity for comradery; and a fun, engaging, and interactive event for all. A formal invitation will be coming your way shortly, but if you have thoughts in mind about the upcoming negotiation or proposal ideas, please make this a priority to attend.

Hope to see you there!

Mary Gross

FA President