Opinion: Faculty shoulder their share of funding cuts burden

Editor’s note: This letter concerns a statement by Joseph Kelleher, management assistant at the John Adams campus. Kellerher’s statement appeared in an Oct. 21 The Guardsman news article by Hannah Weiner titled “Highest paid at City College share pain of budget crisis,” available online at:  https://theguardsman.com/2009/11/highest-paid-at-city-college-share-pain-of-budget-crisis/.

In the Oct. 21 [news story] Kelleher expressed, “My concern is now that they’re cutting administrative salaries, will they cut faculty salaries next?”

Others who may be asking that same question should know:

· From the beginning of the current crisis faculty was aware they would be called upon to make significant sacrifices. Consequently, faculty agreed to and has NOT received a cost of living increase for the past two years.

· Faculty sacrificed previously agreed-upon step increases for one year.

· Faculty overload was dramatically reduced, and only under the most exceptional circumstances is overload permitted.

· Because of budgetary constraints, instructors are no longer eligible for extra compensation for classes of 60 or more students, yet many instructors, on their own volition, continue to teach large classes.

· The Department Chair Council, with the concurrence of department chairs, has agreed to forgo previously negotiated step increases for one year.

· Total class reductions for fall 2009 and spring 2010 are estimated to be 672.  Each one of those sections would be taught by either a full-time or part-time instructor. Because these classes are not being taught that translates into a reduction of income for faculty.

· The Academic Senate president reported, “Funding is available for one full-time faculty hire, nine replacements and eight consolidations hires. An additional 26 full-time faculty hires will be deferred until 2010.

Despite budgetary constraints, mandated reductions for support and administrative services, burgeoning enrollments and having to do more for less, City College faculty is committed to providing our students with the quality of education and support they deserve. Let there be no misunderstanding, we are all in this together.
Respectfully,

Fred Chavaria, Ph.D.
Dept. Chair Administrative Justice/Fire Science
City College of San Francisco