Rio Hondo faculty builds on long history of activism

There’s never a dull moment at Rio Hondo College.

Dating back to 1980 when Rio Hondo’s faculty became the first community college faculty to go on strike, it has been one of the more active in the state. This past year was no exception.

Rio Hondo College Faculty Association President Jim Newman is flanked by Gil Puga and Martha Carreon at left, and Jennifer Fernandez, right.

“It’s been a very tumultuous period,” said  Jim Newman, president of the Rio Hondo College Faculty Association.

Over the past year, he noted, the board of trustees sanctioned its own president for inappropriate behavior while the faculty association took a vote of no confidence in the board. Newman accused the administration of not adhering to AB 1725, the shared governance  law, and is now leading the association into a  campaign to replace up to two board members.  And, oh yes, the faculty is breaking in a new  president.

Back from the brink

This fall, the Rio Hondo College Faculty Association which represents almost 500 instructors on campus is heading into difficult bargaining as well, although they are back from the brink of impasse.

But then, the faculty association is well-prepared for all of this. Largely due to the activism and awareness of chapter leaders and members, the Rio Hondo College Faculty Association has been able to use its local union dues wisely as well as to garner assistance from the statewide organization.

Although he acknowledges it’s something that must happen, Newman said he personally wishes the associa­tion didn’t have to engage in another political battle.

Nevertheless, this fall, the Rio Hondo College Faculty Association expects to use funds from its political action committee as well as call on CCA/CTA to help elect faculty-friendly candidates to the board.

With an active group of veteran faculty, the associa­tion has recently been infused with a number of new members. One of those is Gil Puga, an assistant professor of speech who graduated from the year-long CCA Academy for Building Strong Locals in May only to be elected as Rio Hondo Academic Senate President; a statewide CCA board member; and to a statewide Academic Senate committee on equity and diversity. Puga is grateful for the various opportunities, beginning with the CCA Academy.

“The academy provided a chance to network with other community college faculty leaders and to explore association issues like negotiations and developing an organizing protocol,” he said.

“I wanted to get involved with CCA because I found its leadership is incredibly competent and there is a climate of openness, and of cultivating leadership from its members,” he said.

Stepping up to the plate

Martha Carreon, who teaches humanities and who has been active on a number of  college committees, also recently stepped up  to the plate to take on the job of bargaining  support chair with the faculty association. Although she is not a new faculty – she was in the strike in 1980 — she understands the  value of involvement in the association. She  cites the various conferences and trainings  offered through CCA, CTA and the National  Education Association that she has attended,  as well as the support of CCA/CTA during  political campaigns – including the one that is  about to take place.

“I think we are making good use of  our dues money on campus. When we take  advantage of the resources of CTA, we benefit  our local chapter,” she said.

CCA chapters are not only active  locally, their members have a voice nationally  as well. Dennyse Clark and Mary Rivera both  got to see how their union functions on a  national level when they attended the National  Education Association’s Representative  Assembly in Philadelphia this July. With over 9,000 delegates, the RA is NEA’s highest decision-making body, and is also the world’s largest democratic, deliberative body. For almost a week delegates debate issues that impact American public education, elect top officers, and set policy for the 3.2 million-member Association. As a testament to the importance of the event, this year, eight presidential candidates spoke to the crowd.

“It was a fabulous experience,” Rivera said. “It felt like a political convention on TV. Being on the floor and participating was exciting. I realized that each vote made a difference.”