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Greetings from the Local 2199 Representative Collective!
Back row: David Keenan (Grievance Chair), Giulia Centineo, Stephen Sweat, Stephen Petersen (Webmaster/Treasurer), Mike Rotkin (President), Annapurna Pandey, María Morris (Membership Chair) Front row: Candace Calsoyas (Convener), Ken Lyons (Unit 17 Rep) Not pictured: Byron Barahona
Building Solidarity with the Monterey Bay Coalition for Higher Education
During the past year, UC-AFT members helped form a new coalition of faculty union represnetatives from all of the public colleges and universities in the Monterey Bay area. Check out our joint statement:
Monterey Bay Coalition of Higher Education
May 10, 2012
Who We Are
Faculty and staff of the Monterey Bay public institutions of higher education: University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB), Cabrillo College, Gavilan College, Hartnell College, and Monterey Peninsula College.
What We Stand For - The Monterey Bay Coalition of Higher Education formed to:
Advance student success and achievement in California higher education;
Uphold Californians’ access to affordable, quality higher education; and
Promote continued public funding of California public higher education for our state, for our future, for all Californians.
Context and Statements in Support of the Above
1) Student excellence/ achievement
1) Student excellence/ achievement
a) Institutional support and adequate resources have a significant impact on student success
b) We support the maintenance of a broad curriculum that supports the achievement of humanistic and professional goals
c) Issues:
i) Decreasing resources have led to:
(1) Difficulty in meeting educational goals and completing degrees
(2) Reduction of classes
(a) Longer time to complete degrees
(b) A diminished curriculum
(3) Reduction of counseling and support services
ii) Privatization of higher education, and extent of public loans to private universities, shows troubling trends
2) Student access
a) We support the principle of universal access to education as stated in the California Master Plan for Higher Education
b) Issues:
i) Fee increases have been exorbitant and problematic
ii) Cutbacks have translated into reduced educational opportunity
3) Funding for higher education
a) A majority of funding for education comes from the state
b) The CA budget has shrunk from $100.3 billion in 2007-08 to $87.3 billion in 2009-10.
c) Adequate and stable public funding for higher education is needed (the same is true for all education and social services)
d) California public schools are lagging in the nation by a number of measures (California Budget Project report, Oct. 2011)
e) There is an even greater need for adequate and stable public funding to higher education in times of high unemployment
f) We oppose private funding of higher education shaping the missions of higher education systems
4) Higher Education is critical to California’s future in so far as it:
a) Promotes equity
i) Inequity in CA and the nation has increased significantly over the past few decades
ii) Higher education is an effective means to reduce inequity
iii) The value of a bachelor’s degree increased considerably over the past three decades. Workers with four-year degrees made strong hourly wage gains, while the earnings of workers with lower levels of educational attainment lost purchasing power. (CBP)
iv) In the last few decades, more than a third of the increase in income went to the wealthiest 1% of Californians.
v) If we don’t train Californians for higher jobs, the jobs will likely end up elsewhere
b) Fosters opportunity
c) Encourages democratic participation by developing an engaged and educated citizens
d) Augments personal and professional skills
i) Increases academic and career options
ii) Expands personal skills and development
iii) Boosts competitiveness in global economy
e) Advances our humanity
