Operations Committee

by dara, FA Vice President

Billy Gunn and I facilitate the FA Operations Committee. We have three main objectives for our committee work: the FA budget, philanthropy, and membership.

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Before we get to the “Official” work of the sub-committee, there’s a new element to our team. As many of you know, we are part of a group of independent unions–California Community College Independents (CCCI). Recently, CCCI has contracted Evan Hawkins who is a former Executive Director, Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC). Evan has greatly improved the ccciunions.org website (I helped name it!), and he has built a live legislation tracker. As part of our Operations Committee, Mark Laurel has agreed to update the FA on major legislative concerns, and he and I will write future newsletter articles. Mark will present related information at FA Council meetings when necessary.

Within our committee, we have a Finance sub-committee, which works with the budget to discuss, analyze, and strategize how the FA invests funds and maintains a healthy reserve. As we have seen with other community college districts, one major legal case or one difficult negotiation can cost a union hundreds of thousands of dollars, and both the sub-committee, and FA Council understand what those types of situations mean for a budget.

The Faculty Assembly has supported many student-centered endeavors, most highlighted in FA Newsletter articles. The FA supported CARE’s Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week; The FA Veterans Scholarship: Empowering Veterans through the Warrior-Scholar Project; The A2MEND Brotherhood BBQ; the SAS Graduation Recognition Ceremony; Amplifying Student Voices through CLC Expressions; Celebrating Academic Excellence: CLC National Adult Education Honor Society; and many others. The Operations Committee has begun work on developing a process for requesting philanthropic funds, we’re hoping for a roll-out for Spring 2026.

Of course, the financial support we have given to students would not be possible if we didn’t have dues-paying members. Our Operations Committee is charged with increasing membership in the FA. We are beginning what will shape up to be a Fall annual dues drive/membership drive. Paying FA dues at the recommended rate means we’re all doing our part to ensure the FA can support faculty and students at the college, so please expect emails, conversations, and gentle nudging toward becoming a full member. If you’re unsure if you’re paying at all or paying at a different rate, you can contact me or Billy Gunn and we can answer that for you.

Thank you for reading about your FA Operations Committee! We have important and fulfilling work ahead!