In response to the May 20, 2021 Town Hall with President Maloney and Vice President Ingram, the Federation would like to provide you with additional information. The two major topics covered were planning for a return to campus and the May budget revision. After the presentations, those in attendance asked questions. We would like to provide further information and clarity in response to these questions. 

Return to Campus Information 

Those of you returning to campus in the fall may have many questions about your working conditions.  Some of those questions may be answered in the Campus Reopening Safety Plan. You can find the extensive 139 page document here.  

Please be aware that the currently proposed plan expects faculty and students to handle routine cleaning, using disinfectant wipes to clean areas used in the classroom at the end of every class. Prior to classes starting there will be a “deep cleaning” and any personal items a faculty member may keep in the classroom will be thrown away if not removed from the classroom prior to the “deep cleaning” (see page 36/139). 

Remember that vaccinations will help bring the pandemic under control. They will not prevent someone from testing positive and getting sick. They will keep those vaccinated from needed hospitalization and from death. Therefore, we will inevitably have COVID-19 positive cases. There will be a need for multiple “deep cleanings” and that can only be done by trained personnel with special equipment. 

The Federation encourages all members to be familiar with working conditions as agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and current COVID MOU (expires June 30, 2021). Feel free to express concerns to us, your Division Dean, the Vice President managing the area of concern, and ECC Trustees. You may address the Board of Trustees by submitting public comments, which are presented at monthly meetings or by emailing each member individually. You may also contact facilities managerial staff if administration cannot answer your questions to your satisfaction. 

Funding Information 

There were many questions about COLA during the Town Hall. On Monday 5/17, during the BOT closed session meeting and open session meeting, the Federation submitted written requests to reopen Article 10 of our CBA, which outlines compensation, to reinstate the COLAs that the District felt financially unable to extend to faculty during the earlier stages of the pandemic. To read more on this matter see the latest AFT news post. 

The state does not mandate that COLA be passed on to employees, but it does strongly recommend it. Ultimately, it is up to the district to follow through in using this money to account for the impact of rising prices of employee salaries. So far, we have not received COLA, which is not a raise, it is an adjustment to keep up with inflation, for 2020 or 2021. Effectively, by not getting COLA, we are taking a pay cut to increase the district’s revenue. 

President Maloney mentioned that to maintain transparency there is a web page providing information on CARES Act funding and expenditures. You can find it here. Below is a summary of the funding thus far. 

ECC COVID Relief 

•  HEERF I Allocations for Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act- $11,659,979 
•  COVID-19 RESPONSE BLOCK GRANT –$2,027,874 
•  HEERF II Allocations for Pub and Nonprofit Inst under CRRSAA sec 314(a)(1)- $25,121,457 
•  2021 Immediate Action Budget Package Emergency Financial Assistance Allocations- $1,750,220 
•  2021 Immediate Action Budget Package Student Retention and Outreach- $335,886 
•  2021 Immediate Action Budget Package CalFresh Outreach- $47,753 
•  HEERF III Allocations for Public and Nonprofit Institutions under ARP section 2003(a)(1)- $44,463,468 

Total: $85,406,637 

May Revise– http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/ 

The May Revision stands in stark contrast to the budget of one year ago. Compared to a projected state budget deficit of $54 billion a year ago, the state now has a projected $75.7 billion surplus. Combined with over $25 billion in federal relief, this supports a $100 billion California Comeback Plan—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only speed the state’s recovery from the pandemic, but to address long-standing challenges and provide opportunity for every California family—regardless of their income, race, or ZIP code.

May revise summary on higher Ed apportionment for 2021-2022.  

http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2021-22/pdf/Revised/BudgetSummary/HigherEducation.pdf 

Apportionments Cost-of-Living Adjustment— 

An increase of $185.4 million ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund to reflect a compounded cost-of-living adjustment of 4.05 percent, which represents a 2020-21 cost-of-living adjustment of 2.31 percent and a revised 2021-22 cost-of living adjustment of 1.7 percent. 

Apportionment Deferrals— 

An increase of approximately $326.5 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund to fully retire deferrals from the 2021-22 fiscal year to the 2022-23 fiscal year.