Ensuring Safety as We Move Forward

July 2021

www.AFT1521.org

President’s Message

It feels great to begin the fall semester with money to spend from federal and state allocations. I can’t remember the last time our District Budget Committee discussions were about how to spend the money rather than how to get by without it. And we were just getting used to going mask-less.

So much for the good news.

We weren’t counting on Fall 2021 enrollment declining by 35%. And we weren’t counting on a COVID-19 variant creating what President Biden has called “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

We shouldn’t have been surprised. Two weeks after the July 4th holiday weekend, COVID-19 diagnoses and hospitalizations began to increase. After watching in horror, the L.A. County Department of Health took reasonable — if understated — action by issuing a health order to MASK UP!

In Unity,

Joanne Waddell

AFT 1521 President

Read the Resolution on Reopening

Meet Xiaoyang Liu-Behlendorf: Librarian and WEC Warrior

By Evan Henerson

The men and women who help safeguard faculty’s on-campus work experience are not all members of campus security. Each LACCD campus has its own work environment committee (WEC) that is tasked with making sure working conditions are up to snuff.

Whether they are convening in-person or meeting via Zoom based on health and safety concerns due to the COVID pandemic, the campus WECs are on the job.

“There were a lot of issues prior to the pandemic, and then the pandemic really put a big focus on the work environment,” said Xiaoyang Liu-Behlendorf, a 20-plus-year member of Local 1521 who chairs the Work Environment Committee at Valley College. “Everything you see on campus falls within our mission — whether it be the cleanliness of any kind of facility, indoors or outdoors, restrooms, parking lots, or any issues with the Sheriffs.”

A professor and librarian, Behlendorf began attending union meetings with a colleague shortly after joining the faculty at LAVC. Having previously worked at a private university, she immediately recognized the benefits of working under a union contract within LACCD.

“The working conditions, the pay and the benefits are a lot better,” Behlendorf said. “I’m a big supporter of unions. Without a union, you don’t have the bargaining power to fight or advocate for these things.”

Behlendorf and her fellow WEC members track the developments at Valley College and district-wide with great vigilance, and they focus on issues related to campus cleanliness. Back in May, Local 1521 won a Superior Court decision addressing subpar working conditions at Southwest College. In addition to LACCD being forced to address such issues as restroom cleanliness, classroom temperatures and emergency preparedness, the judge ordered the creation of a district-wide Work Environment Committee (WEC) to aid in the flow of information between the LACCD campuses.

As is the case throughout the district, LAVC faculty and staff are anticipating the fall semester with mixed emotions. Behlendorf acknowledges feeling a certain amount of trepidation about the prospect of being back in-person.

“I’m hearing a lot of faculty concern, especially from faculty who are going to have face-to-face classes, and librarians and counselors who are going to provide face-to-face student services in the fall,” she said. “My mission this summer is to work with the college administration and my WEC committee to provide information, whether it be feedback or suggestions. I’m hoping to help improve or establish protocols and procedures that focus on safety.”

“There’s going to be a lot of discussion, and we need to work together to make the place safe for all of us. That should be our guiding principle.”

Financial Aid Reform to Benefit Our Students

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, most of our students faced economic hardships that put their education and futures at risk. Now, this pandemic has further exacerbated and exposed inequities in higher education, impacting the 2.1 million students in the California Community Colleges (CCC).

Last week, years after the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) asked to increase student financial aid, the legislature and governor expanded the student eligibility for Cal Grants by eliminating barriers of age and time out from high school. The added $153 million of the 2021-'22 state budget for Cal Grants will allow 133,000 more of California’s most vulnerable community college students to get financial aid. Increasing financial aid will result in more Californians getting a college education and a stronger California workforce and economy.

This reform is particularly important to LACCD because we serve the greatest number and largest proportion of students who are low-income, under-represented and under-prepared for college, and students of color. Thanks to our political director and guild organizers, over 100 faculty and student interns sent personalized emails to the governor and their legislators. Everything counts in making change and affecting reform.

These new changes came from Assembly Bill 1456, the Financial Aid Equity Bill. The bill, which has not yet passed, would also lower the GPA and increase the financial aid cash by $400 for each Competitive Cal Grant, helping students buy books and tools and pay living costs. Since that would particularly help out students, this fall we can again show our support to further increase financial aid. The guild always stands with our students to ensure that all Californians have equitable access to higher education.

NOTE: Because of this reform, tell your students who don’t already have Cal Grants to apply for financial aid — even if they applied last year and were denied.

Remembering Ken Taira

Faculty guild members were saddened to hear the news of the passing of Ken Taira.

The 62-year-old was an adjunct instructor in computer science information technology at West Los Angeles College, and he also taught computer science at Glendale College.

Ken began teaching in the LACCD in 1989. Former West Chapter President Olga Shewfelt remembers him as "the smart, action-driven yet quiet type."

"He was involved in so many issues both at the Academic Senate and at the guild," Shewfelt said. "Ken and I worked on many issues together, advocating for adjunct faculty benefits, salary increases and more salary steps, the issue of assignment of a second class in Article 16, distance education, and always making sure that the adjunct faculty at West had a professional space and a voice at the college. He was a most ethical person who worked hard and got along with just about everyone.”

As a member and then-co-chair of the guild’s Adjunct Issues Committee, Ken was dedicated to improving the position of adjuncts in the district.

“Ken was a great guy to work with — always professional and easy-going," said Kathy Holland, his co-chair on AFIC. "He always said yes to meeting with anyone who wanted time with him. He willingly took on many responsibilities as AFIC co-chair. There was a time when we did not have an EDD ombudsperson, and he took a leadership role in resolving difficult EDD cases and showing up for EDD hearings to assist with anyone who needed help. He took a deep interest in expanding health benefits for adjuncts. He also served on the CFT part-time committee representing 1521.

"If he had more time with us, he would have spearheaded an online presence for adjuncts to check into for adjunct resources and establish an SDI program for LA adjuncts," Holland added. "I know that I am not alone in missing Ken Taira.”

The family held a private service, but condolences may be forwarded to his department chair, Anna Chiang, at ChaingAS@WLAC.edu.

Are You Vaccinated?

All residents of L.A. County age 12 and older are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. The vaccine is free to all eligible people. Immigration status and insurance are not required.

At the time of vaccination, you will need to bring the following documents:

• Photo ID (does not have to be government-issued)

• Proof that you live or work in L.A. County

• Proof that you are 12 years old or older

You do not need to show government-issued ID and you do not need to be a U.S. citizen to get a vaccine. Register for an appointment at vaccinatelacounty.com.

There are also vaccine appointments available at our POD locations throughout L.A. County. Appointments can be booked at myturn.ca.gov.

Motions Approved at the May 18 Executive Board Meeting

Approve proposed minutes from April 20, 2021, as amended.

Accept the COPE report and COPE recommendations.

Issue letter of support for the City College of San Francisco faculty.

Isaac Bryan running for AD 54. COPE recommendation: Contribute $1,500.

Tony Thurmond running for re-election as superintendent of public instruction. COPE recommendation: Contribute $1,500.

Contribute $1,500 to L.A. County Federation of Labor to help with the following election items in Compton:

• To elect labor-friendly candidates for the City of Compton against candidates who are funded by the Charter School Association and Amazon;

• To support L.A. Fed-endorsed candidates;

• To support Emma Sharif for Compton Mayor; and

• To support Tana McCoy (i) Compton, Council District 3.

Disregard and reject the results of the Hillar and Heintze survey:

WHEREAS there is no mechanism in this survey to assure that the survey-taker is a faculty, staff or student; and

WHEREAS there is no mechanism in this survey to keep an individual from taking the survey multiple times;

RESOLVED: All results of the current survey will be disregarded; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: A new survey will be created with the necessary mechanisms to ensure that only LACCD faculty, staff or students can respond and individuals can fill out the survey only once.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: All questions about keeping the sheriff be removed since this can be prejudicial and irrelevant to the current process of reimagining campus safety and circumnavigates the process of an open bid for services.

Accept AFIC request to extend the COVID-19 MOU that preserves adjunct health insurance and seniority rights through December 31, 2022.

Accept AFIC request to increase the stipend for each AFIC representative to $2,000 per semester.

Approve 2021-2022 guild budget.

Approve the 2021-2022 executive board meeting dates as amended.

Special Executive Board Meeting: May 26, 2021

Motion to eliminate June 2021 Eboard meeting

Help for Adjunct Faculty Filing for Unemployment

The guild’s EDD ombudsperson, Anthony Amey, has created a tutorial to provide adjunct faculty with information on filing for unemployment insurance: EDD_UI_Workshop091120

Amey is also holding live Zoom meetings, with upcoming dates TBA.

If you have questions, you may contact Amey at ameya@laccd.edu or

(323) 684-5404.

2020-2023 LA College Faculty Guild Contract is Available

The LA College Faculty Guild 2020-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement in print is here! In our effort to go green, we have printed a limited number of paper copies for guild members. The PDF version of the complete contract has been available for all to download on the faculty guild website here. However, if you’d like a print version, please provide us your updated mailing address in the following form.

AFT 1521

3356 Barham Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90068

323-851-1521

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