Hello, Part-Timers!
It’s hard to believe, but we are already into the fifth week of classes for the fall term! I hope we are all falling into a comfortable routine. As I re-read my last article, I’m sad that the opening statements still pertain.
The pandemic has been especially hard on Part-Time faculty, many of whom have lost assignments or have had to take on extra burdens due to the Stay Safe at Home practices.
Furthermore, confusion still persists over delivery methods of instruction, health benefit coverage, and the never-ending quagmire of applying for unemployment benefits.
In the past two years, most of us have lost assignments due to lower enrollment (and to Bot enrollments!). Furthermore, many part-time faculty are facing anxieties over instructional modality for the spring term. Some campuses are mandating a complete return to campus, while others are directing their administrations to achieve a certain percentage of face-to-face classes.
The Glendale Guild is working with the district to offer a CHOICE!The Glendale Guild is working with the district to offer a CHOICE! Please work with your chair to find the best modality to deliver your classes in the spring. Remember, DE certification is not currently required for synchronous online (remote) instruction. DE certification is only required for asynchronous 100% online instruction for spring.
At the recent State Council for CFT, the biggest topic was the issue of health insurance and benefits for Part-Time faculty. The pandemic has highlighted numerous social failings in our health system, most pointedly for Part-Time faculty. We at Glendale are fortunate, the Guild worked hard to make available health insurance for our Part-Time faculty. But we need to achieve more, like expanding coverage to our families!
If you have lost assignments, and many of us have lost assignments at more than one district, remember that you may apply for Unemployment Benefits because you have a reduction in pay. Please see the previous Chaparral for detailed instructions.
At the same time, for those of us who work at different districts, the legislation (AB375) to allow us to work up to 85% load at a single district is now sitting on the desk of Governor Newsom! If you haven’t done so, please take a moment to urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 375, which would formally increase the workload cap available to part-time faculty from 67% up to 85% of a full-time faculty workload in California’s community colleges. Governor Newsom has until October 8 to veto the bill. If he does nothing, the bill will go into effect beginning January 1, 2022.
Remember, this change in load does not impact how many full-time positions will be offered at any campus. Full-time positions are determined by the Faculty Obligation Number (FON). This change in load will not affect how assignments are made, we still have the reemployment rights list. See CBA Article VI, Section 21.
Please note, the Instructor Support Shell in Canvas will no longer be maintained. Instead, please go directly to the GCC website for Adjunct Faculty Information. John Fuhrmann is still our Adjunct Faculty Coordinator and he is working hard to make sure this site stays up-to-date!
Adjunct Lounge
Speaking of whom, John Fuhrmann, together with John Lynch, will begin a monthly Adjunct Lounge on the first Friday of each month. Our first Adjunct Lounge will be this coming Friday, October 1 from 3-5 pm. Look for the links in your email and please join us!
Guild Membership Meetings
Last, but not least, I’d like to remind everyone of our regular Guild Membership meetings on the third Tuesday of each month from 12:20 to 1:30 pm. Be sure to join us in October for some exciting news for Part-Time faculty!
Okay, enough said.
As usual if you have any gripes or issues, please reach out to me!
In unity,
Juli
CFT Part-Time Faculty Committee
2nd Vice President
Glendale College Guild AFT#2276
1500 North Verdugo Road Glendale, CA 91208
jwolfgra@glendale.edu
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