One Faculty Week- Four Colleges. One Union. One Faculty.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. What is the One Faculty movement?

The One Faculty movement – also known as the “One Tier” and “Unified Faculty” movement – represents a new stage in the struggle for economic and worker justice for all faculty within the California community college system. While many individuals and groups have provided insightful analysis and achieved improvements in the working conditions, compensation, and other aspects of part-time/adjunct faculty employment through local and statewide actions, it has become clear that greater collaboration among stakeholders and a coordinated campaign is essential to realize true equality for faculty throughout our system.

Q. What are the goals of the One Faculty campaign?

In CFT’s vision of a One Faculty future, all faculty will: be hired and onboarded according to the same processes; be compensated according to the same salary schedule and engage in paid service to students and the institution (e.g., office hours, participatory governance, college service) proportionate to their assigned load; have the same access to paid professional development opportunities; be offered the same benefits, paid leaves, and retirement options; and undergo the same performance review processes, with the same job security and due process rights.

Q. What is the CFT One Faculty Task Force?

In 2022, the CFT Part-Time Faculty Committee and the Higher Education Issues Committee brought a resolution to the CFT State Council to establish a task force charged with developing a strategic plan to achieve true economic justice and professional treatment for all faculty in the California community college system. The resulting task force consists of 14 part-time and 8 full-time faculty CFT members (including one retiree) from throughout the state, including local presidents and other elected leaders, as well as rank and file faculty. Four CFT staff members lend their expertise in a variety of ways. The Task Force and its 6 subcommittees meet regularly to both plan and execute the work of this campaign.

Q. Why should we get rid of the two-tier division of faculty?

At the heart of the One Faculty movement is the fact that not only part-time faculty but students, full-time faculty, and other community college staff are negatively impacted by the two-tier system. Only a coordinated campaign of local and statewide actions will achieve the much-needed transformation of our system into one that practices the values of inclusion, fairness, and social justice that it so often preaches.

Q. Who are the stakeholders in this campaign?

Anyone in California who cares about the availability of affordable, quality public higher education options in their local community – including students themselves – is a stakeholder in this campaign. Inside of the community college system, those of us who do the work to provide those opportunities must play essential roles in advocating for the changes we need. The One Faculty Campaign is, in the larger sense, bargaining for the common good for all of our CFT locals and councils. Restructuring California’s community college faculty employment system will contribute strength and stamina to the labor movement throughout and beyond our state.

Q. Why should full-time faculty support this campaign?

All faculty will benefit from the implementation of our One Faculty vision. Those who are full-time in our system frequently experience overwork and even burnout, as this fraction of the faculty performs an outsized proportion of the work required to maintain the responsibly governed, culturally rich environments in which students learn. A fairer, more just system will take nothing from full-time faculty but the unreasonable workload so many experience, as more faculty engaging in governance and committee work, colleagues’ performance review processes, program review, accreditation, and other essential faculty functions will relieve some of the burden almost entirely shouldered by full-time faculty. We also hope full-time faculty will see this as a social justice issue, recognizing that an injury to one portion of the faculty is an injury to all faculty. Our colleges and districts will be stronger with a more unified faculty who share the same interests and job responsibilities.

Q. What role does CFT play in this campaign?

The CFT’s One Faculty Task Force has achieved consensus in its vision and developed working groups to make progress on Phase 1 of its strategic plan. CFT has also sponsored a bill, AB1028, authored by Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Mike Fong, to afford part-time faculty due process rights and greater job security. CFT is committing staff and other resources to further all aspects of our strategic plan.

Q. What role can local unions play in this campaign?

Local unions throughout the state will play major roles to negotiate stronger provisions for part-time faculty in their contracts; educate local communities about the One Faculty campaign; support AB1028 and other bills; and engage in coordinated efforts with other locals to achieve One Faculty goals.

Q. What role are other organizations playing in this campaign?

Other local and statewide organizations are working to conduct research, educate their members, develop and pass resolutions, and build momentum in support of a unified/one tier/one faculty model for California’s community colleges. There are even parallel campaigns within the CSU system and other states’ higher education sectors to challenge the two-tier systems that relegate the majority of faculty to contingent and precarious employment.

Q. Will this campaign threaten tenure?

We want more job security and due process rights for faculty, not less. Achievement of our vision would neither threaten nor undermine the current tenure system but would strengthen it by expanding the number of people who enjoy its protections.

Q. What if I’m a part-timer who is happy with my assignment as it is, and I don’t want proportional institutional responsibilities?

In our vision, all faculty will share the work of the institution, as there is compelling evidence that students are best supported when faculty are most informed about and active in the colleges where they work. We believe the vast number of currently employed part-time faculty would heartily embrace the opportunity to be fully included, respected, and justly compensated as professionals alongside their full-time colleagues.

Q. Has anyone done this before?

Yes. The Vancouver Community College in British Columbia has operated under a one-tier faculty structure for many years, providing the inspiration known as the “Vancouver Model.”

Q. What can I do to be part of this campaign?

So much! Talk with your colleagues and students about the importance of achieving stronger job security, equal pay for equal work, and full inclusion of all faculty – not only those with full-time assignments – in professional development, paid service, and opportunities for a secure retirement.