By Luke Lara, FA Ombudsperson It is my honor to continue serving the Faculty Assembly (FA) as an Executive Board member and Ombudsperson. I have served in this capacity for the past four years. I am a trained counselor by profession and have a doctorate in educational leadership. I have had over fourteen years of progressive faculty leadership development with the many roles I have held at MiraCosta, in addition to varied professional experiences in higher education over the

by Jeanine Sepulveda Hi everyone! I wanted to start this newsletter off by saying that I’m grateful to be part of a dedicated and collaborative Faculty Assembly Council and to be serving as a new/incoming member of the FA Executive Board. A bit about my background: I was hired in 2004 and have spent the past two decades working alongside wonderful colleagues in the biology department as well as across our campus community. In the bio department my main role has been lead ins

by dara, Faculty Assembly Vice President I would like to start this by saying I am grateful, honored, and happy to continue as Faculty Assembly Vice President. I do not take for granted the fact you trust me in this role and with this important work. I am excited to work with the incoming Exec team. I helped Billy develop this question, and it’s funny because I cannot even imagine what we’ll be facing in the next two years. From AI ramifications (not super encouraging) to upd

by Michelle Farnam As a new (not interim) Faculty Assembly Executive Committee member, I would like to share information about myself and my time here at MiraCosta College. As you may know, I am currently serving on the executive committee for the spring 2026 semester on an interim basis.  The past few months have provided insight into the responsibilities and inner workings of the executive position. Having the chance to be a part of the weekly meetings and negotiation proce

Learn about the status of negotiations on Academic Freedom and Intellectual Property, other updates, and a warm welcome to our 2026-2028 Executive Team…

Billy Gunn, Incoming Faculty Assembly President I am humbled by the trust you have placed in me and our newly elected Faculty Assembly Executive Committee. Serving on the FA Council since Fall 2018 and on the Executive Committee since 2022 has given me a firsthand view of both the responsibility and the privilege of union leadership. We begin this upcoming two-year term with a clear understanding that our work matters for every full-time faculty member at MiraCosta College.  

by Sinar Lomeli [ Fromt left to right ] Robert Stewart, ASCCC Vice President; Sarah Gross, MCC Associate Counselor; Mary Gross, MCCFA President; Sarah Thompson, FACCC Board President The Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC) held its annual Advocacy and Policy conference to celebrate the achievements of California Community College Faculty. One of the Faculty members that was celebrated was our very own MCCFA President Mary Gross. During the evening pr

By Luke Lara, FA Ombudsperson Given the immigration actions locally and nationally over the past year and more recent heightened activity in Minnesota, a member of the Faculty Assembly (FA) inquired about what protections faculty have surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and police action. For example, what if a full-time faculty member participates in a peaceful protest (exercising first amendment rights), something goes wrong, ICE/police begin arresting peo