May 2010
Calmer Water In a Sea of Trouble
It hasn’t been very often lately that I have had the opportunity to pass along some good news. Well today I can. Now don’t run off and buy a new house, or maybe you should if you can afford it, because this is a little dab of good news. The figures we are getting from the state regarding incoming revenue for the state are encouraging. For example; .. . continue...
April 2010
Newton Shines at Rust Award
For those of you who don’t know the history of the Ben Rust Award it is the highest award given by the California Federation of Teachers, CFT. It is named after an early 1950’s union leader who was instrumental in organizing California teachers in Oakland during the formative years of the “California State Federation of Teachers.” .. . continue...
March 2010
The Lack of Merit in the Merit Pay Debate
A famous quote from history warns us to “beware those who come to you with simple solutions to complex problems.” The argument that merit pay will make better teachers and improve education provides us with the latest example of this quotation.. . continue...
February 2010
Grassroots Global Education
Global education is becoming one of the most important aspects of 21st century life. As educators become more knowledgeable about global education and understanding of different cultures and educational systems, they will be able to work with professionals with whom they previously had no connection. Global education opens up opportunities to better understand cross-cultural efforts to effect positive global educational change. . continue...
December 2009
Dolores Huerta Community and Labor Institute
Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America AFL-CIO, was honored at a reception attended by over 75 people on Monday, Nov. 30, by San Jose City College, which renamed its labor studies program in her honor. Leading this reception were adjunct faculty member, Labor Studies Coordinator, Jimmy Kelly, Labor Studies Student Dee Dee Kost and president . continue...
November 2009
So This is What the Bottom of the Barrel Looks Like!
Imagine working 2 jobs for over 14 hours a day, returning home at 1 am for a brief respite and dinner, and then retiring to sleep, but only for 4-5 hours because you need to be at your next job by 8 am. This has been the life of Antemio Preciado, a custodian at San José City College for the past 19 years. continue...
October 2009
Good Will Hunting SJECCD Style: Custodians' Stories Shatter Negative Stereotypes
Imagine working 2 jobs for over 14 hours a day, returning home at 1 am for a brief respite and dinner, and then retiring to sleep, but only for 4-5 hours because you need to be at your next job by 8 am. This has been the life of Antemio Preciado, a custodian at San José City College for the past 19 years. continue...
September 2009
Are We Really the Ones We Have Been Waiting For? Or Was Hamilton Right?
We have all heard the rousing words of politicians and orators espousing the power and the wisdom of the human heart and in particular the wisdom of the American people. The assumption is that as time passes we are making progress. We are, after all, Americans and we are the best thing since sliced bread. From Gandhi to Obama we hear these inspiring and motivational words meant to awaken in all of us the inner spirit of “doing the right thing”. But has it? Or, was Alexander Hamilton right when he said, of these same American people, “the masses are asses? continue...
May 2009
Letter to All Faculty
Bad Budget Tough Decisions
Colleagues and Friends, I have been reading, as most of you have, the many emails expressing heart felt concern and upset over the pending layoffs of some of our fellow employees in this district. I also was in attendance at the Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday evening continue...
April 2009
A Modest Idea with a Major Impact
A modest idea, in a majestic setting, and supported by the best of our community
The modest idea: to provide role models to our children that will show them the pathway to success through a college education
continue...
March 2009
The Great Equalizer
We live in a world today that seems in retrograde, where the disparity between the rich and the poor is greater than ever before. Where the average CEO makes 430 times more than the average worker he or she employs, where the middle class is disappearing along with employment continue...
February 2009
The Light in the Tunnel Is Not Always a Train
There are many references to “the light” in our lexicon of metaphors. Maybe the most disturbing is the reference to the “light at the end of the tunnel” being a train. continue...
December 2008
Don't Jump Yet!
Colleagues,The last time I wrote to you I was advising patience until we knew more real data regarding the actual budget numbers and how much we may have to cut our services. We know now that this special session yielded no solution to our state’s current budgetary crisis. continue...
November 2008
What is the Outcome of SLOs?
For many the idea of mandated Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) is a direct threat to the basic premise of academic freedom and choice. To others the use of SLOs seems a reasonable expectation and even a necessary ingredient of a successful classroom curriculum. But what is the truth? continue...
October 2008
Presidential Potpourri
Potpourri is defined as a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant material, used to provide a gentle natural scent. It is usually placed in a decorative bowl, or tied in small bags made from sheer fabric. While I am not talking about a plant product, I think you will agree the topics included in this article continue...
September 2008
Déjà Vu All Over Again
Well here we are again, another September
welcome back article and the big statewide news is that we are in another
budgetary struggle statewide. Last year at this time we were fighting hard for
the passage of Proposition 92; a fundamental change in the way community
colleges are funded. It was a valiant attempt to improve the budgetary process
for
April/May 2008
MERGE!!! Are You Nuts?
In one of the most extraordinary Community College Council meetings I have ever attended the “committee of the whole” had an intellectual discussion that was worthy of our status as educators. An intellectual discussion about the propriety of merging the CCC (Community College Council) of the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) continue...
March 2008
Celebrating Human Rights
On February 29, 2008
significant
and important year. continue...
February 2008
We Return, Fighting
Welcome back brothers and sisters, colleagues, friends and fellow travelers. As you know by now we achieved another great contract between the FA, AFT 6157 and the District and thank you all for the resounding show of support with a unanimous 100% vote of support on the new contract. You also know now of the defeat of Proposition 92, the Community College Initiative. So we have great collective bargaining news and not so good statewide funding news. Let me start with the bad news. continue...
November 2007
The Promise of a College Education
Rarely does an opportunity come along that allows a society to answer a cultural imperative: providing the chance for all to go to college. We are now seeing that opportunity and it directly impacts our society as well as Community college faculty, staff and students positively. continue...
October 2007
Our Future is in Our Hands
By now most of you are becoming aware of the Community College Initiative and its importance to the future of community college funding and therefore directly its importance to you and me. As Jonathan Lightman, the Executive Director of FACCC said at a recent Bay Area Faculty meeting in Oakland the original percentage of community college enrollment that factored into the Proposition 98 continue...
September 2007
Is It September Already?
Welcome back all! These are exciting times with many important changes taking place. Your union representatives have been busy this summer and we have great news. continue...
September 2007
Union Goal: 100% Adjunct Parity
Amazing Agreement Reached: On the Road to Pro Rata Pay for Adjunct Faculty
After years of negotiations, lobbying the Board and lots of creative proposals and counterproposals, the Union and District finally agreed at the bargaining table to establish a pro rata salary schedule for our adjunct faculty and full time faculty working overload. continue...
September 2007
Innovative Contract Language: Nursing
Promotes Recruitment and Retention
Barbara Hanfling and Mark Newton worked with nursing faculty to prepare new contract language to address the growing issue of recruitment and retention of nursing faculty at EVC. As of fall 2006 there were 96 unfilled full time tenure track nursing faculty positions in California. continue...
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