Bills range from part-time rights to whistle-blower protection.
The Community College Association expects to gain leverage in the Legislature this session by co-sponsoring a legislative package with two other faculty organizations.
The unusual, but not unprecedented move to join the Community College Council of the California Federation of Teachers (CCC/CFT) and the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC) in co-sponsoring legislation is designed to create a united front in gaining passage of the bills in Sacramento.
"It is a sign of progress that we are all working together. We're moving forward to strengthen the faculty voice," said Chaumonde Porterfield-Pyatt, CCA board member and chair of lobbying.
Increase faculty rights
"By co-sponsoring these bills, we hope to increase the chances of obtaining rights for part-time faculty and to encourage students to go into the teaching profession."
CCA has joined with the other two organizations to promote several key community college bills including those concerning part-time faculty rights, due process, and faculty retirement.
One co-sponsored bill, AB 647, by Assemblymember Jerome Horton (D-Inglewood), would enact whistle-blower protection for community college faculty.
"At this point, there is no protection of community college faculty. We need a law with some teeth," said Poterfield-Pyatt.
AB 607 by Assemblymember Negrete McLeod, (D-Chino) would increase the maximum age factor a STRS member with 30 or more years of service may qualify for from 2.4 to 2.6 percent.
Flurry of bills
In addition, CCA, FACCC and CFT are co-sponsoring AB 1241, a bill on teacher preparation; AB 726, and AB 1245, bills for part-time faculty; AB 649, concerning part-time faculty retirement; SB 159, mandating an automatic property tax backfill for community colleges; AB 598, a bill addressing the 75:25 ratio; and SB 1199, regarding due process rights for full- and part-time faculty.
CC and FACCC have also joined CCA to co-sponsor SB 1199, a bill concerning due process rights, while CCA is supporting a CFT bill, AB 253, an adult education bill.
Because of the state's perilous financial situation due to the exploding energy crisis, CCA also joins with the other organizations in urging its members to contact their legislators in support of these bills.
"Of course, we're hopeful that the energy crisis will be resolved, but until it is, we have to work hard to let our legislators we are out there and we are not going away," Porterfield-Pyatt said.