Whereas, AB 1725 established the importance of 0.5-2% of fiscal year revenues for California Community Colleges being invested in staff development; and
Whereas, Since 1991 Staff Development funding has remained at approximately the same level, $5.2 million, which is less than 0.1% of the current California Community Colleges budget;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate reaffirm Resolution12.02 F01 calling for increases in professional development funds.
Whereas, Community colleges are open-entry institutions that serve the entire spectrum of the student population from the most gifted to the most at-risk, and this population is in need of a wide range of services to reach their educational goals;
Whereas, Title 5 55520 identifies those services as including, but not limited to, assessment, orientation advisement, counseling, student follow-up, coordination and training, research and pre- and co-requisite enforcement, as well as establishes the mandatory minimum levels of these services;
Whereas, A single funding formula for various types of instruction is a continuing matter of concern; and
Whereas, Programs such as science, art, nursing, vocational education, journalism, and numerous others bear a higher per-student cost than traditional lecture courses;
Whereas, Matriculation is intended to assure all students access to higher education opportunities;
Whereas, The Governor's proposed budget cuts would result in a loss of $26.8 million in matriculation funds for California community colleges and would severely impact the ability of colleges to provide essential direct services to students, such as admissions, orientation, counseling, assessment, and support services, and would also severely limit the colleges' ability to support transfer and articulation functions;
Whereas, Telecommunications and Technology Infrastructure Project (TTIP) funds have provided the only augmentation to faculty and staff development funds in the last five years;
Whereas, TTIP funds have enabled faculty to upgrade their technology skills in order to provide students with the guidance needed to use technology effectively in pursuit of their educational goals;
Whereas, TTIP funds have enabled training staff to implement, operate and maintain the data management systems needed to provide system accountability data; and
Whereas, Faculty professional development is a central force in directing the future of each California community college and its educational programs;
Whereas, Faculty professional development is a method of unifying the faculty in creating a strong academic community and enables colleges to integrate and prepare a large number of new faculty members to teach effectively, meet their shared governance obligations, further their cultural awareness, and ensure the safety of students and colleagues;
Whereas, Students have the right to expect that their community college education will include appropriate use of current technology;
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges supports the Technology II Plan to fund technology hardware, software, support, and training at the local college level in a manner separate from regular apportionment; and
Whereas, The nationally recognized Gartner Group consultants recommended a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model that is now under attack in the Governor's January budget proposal;
Whereas, The January budget proposed for 2002-03 by the Governor and the Department of Finance would cut some $130 million from the California Community College's base funding, including:
$58 million from CalWORKs (leaving $15 million for child care)
$26.8 million from Matriculation (leaving $44.5 million)
$19.8 million from Telecommunications and Technology Infrastructure (leaving $24.5 million)
$10 million from the Fund for Student Success (leaving $6.2 million)
$8.8 million from the Economic Development Program (leaving $36.8 million)
Whereas, Following the Connerly v. State Personnel Board decision, which struck down portions of the affirmative action provisions in the California Community Colleges' hiring regulations, many districts appear to have abandoned efforts to recruit diverse faculty and administrators and to have suspended compliance with the entire body of Title 5 Regulations related to hiring; and
Whereas, Districts are still required by state and federal law to conduct fair and effective hiring processes
Whereas, The California Community Colleges are heavily involved in workforce development programs mandated by federal and state legislation establishing the Regional Workforce Preparation and Economic Development Act, the Workforce Investment Act, and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act (VTEA);
Whereas, The California Community Colleges have readily supported these legislative actions through existing programs as well as the development of new vocational and technical programs to meet economic development needs;