By Luke Lara, FA Ombudsperson The Faculty Assembly Council has voted to join the Faculty Association for California Community Colleges (FACCC) as a contract district starting July 1, 2026. As a Faculty Assembly (FA) member, if you were already a dues-paying member of FACCC, the membership costs will now be covered by the FA for our dues-paying members. This designation comes with many benefits for all FA members, including enhanced representation, strengthened advocacy, incre

by Michelle Farnam My first semester on the Faculty Assembly Exec team has been informative and engaging. I was busy attending FA Exec meetings and negotiation meetings with the team, reviewing MOU’s and AP’s, and learning more about FACCC and CCCI, to name a few tasks. There was definitely a learning curve to figuring out the process of how the Faculty Assembly functions. I am happy to say this semester ended on a high note with the finalization of Academic Freedom and Intel

Billy Gunn, Incoming Faculty Assembly President This spring, the MiraCosta College Faculty Assembly continued to prioritize funding initiatives that directly benefit students and strengthen the campus community. We rolled out a new process to submit and evaluate funding requests, which resulted in a more equitable distribution of FA funds. As you will see below, emphasis was placed on projects that expand student access, celebrate achievement, support equity and inclusion, an

By Luke Lara, FA Ombudsperson Knowing the FA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) can be helpful in understanding your rights as a faculty member. Last year the FA negotiated the 2025 - 2028 CBA with the MiraCosta College District that included a stronger incentive for early notice of retirement or resignation. CBA Language in Article K.4.0: K.4.0 Incentive for Early Notice of Retirement or Resignation Any faculty member who notifies the district of their intent to re

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 inst

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.