Become a member of CPFA
The Evolution of CPFA
by Lin Fraser In August, 1998, part-timers from as far south as San Diego and as far north as Rocklin met at El Chorro County Park in San Luis Obispo. After talking to one another via the Internet for about eighteen months, we felt it was time for a face-to-face discussion about possible resolutions to the problems facing part-timers in California's Community College system. Instead of coming together for yet one more gripe session, approximately 25 part-timers representing 30 colleges came armed with specific ideas, including the formation of a new association advocating part-timer equity and serving as a resource center. Via the Internet, we could link up with over 29,000 part-timers in the state, thus giving part-timers a stronger voice. We also discussed proposing legislation and creating a newspaper that would go out not only to part-timers but also to the Chancellor's office, administrators, legislators, and lobbyists. We envisioned ourselves not as competitors with the various unions and professional/educational organizations such as FACCC or the State Academic Senate. Instead, we would focus on the areas not addressed by these groups and would be yet another resource for improving the status of part-time faculty and providing quality education for California's students. Armed with confidence and enthusiasm and convinced that this proposed association could make a difference, I returned to my local union chapter at Sierra College (SCFA--Adjunct Section) and gave them a report of what had taken place at El Chorro. Having already funded my participation in San Luis Obispo, the Executive Committee decided that the money had been well spent and then donated $500.00 seed money to CPFA, this fledgling association. Likewise, after I made a brief report to the Los Rios California Federation of Teachers board, they too generously contributed $500.00 seed money and offered to split my expenses with Sierra so that I could represent them as well and more easily attend further meetings. The generosity and farsightedness of these two union locals has been most gratifying. In October, 1998, the California Part-time Faculty Association (CPFA) formally came into being at Kern River Park near Bakersfield. We approved a constitution and by-laws and elected a slate of officers representing part-time faculty from all over the state. Today CPFA has members in over 40 districts and in over 50 colleges. Our Executive Council members are busy attending meetings and networking with FACCC, the Board of Governors, the Chancellor's office, etc. CPFA has established its own web site: www.surfari.net/~rsutter/elchorro and is seeking printing bids and advertisers for the first edition of its newspaper. CPFA is also making itself known. With presentations at the recent MLA Convention and at the upcoming FACCC Conference, we are giving voice to the part-timers throughout California. The Little Hoover Commission, a bipartisan watchdog group, is currently studying California's Community College system and has invited two CPFA members to present the part-timer perspective at a public hearing in the State Capitol on January 28th. Clearly CPFA is making the part-timers' voice heard. But we need to turn up the volume. Individuals at each campus can form local chapters of CPFA and participate in regional assemblies. Farsighted union locals, such as LRCFT and SCFA--Adjunct Section, have given their support by donating seed money and sponsoring representatives who in turn have given these part-timer activists greater voice. I urge all CFT members to join CPFA so that their voices have twice the volume. I challenge other CFT locals to demonstrate the farsightedness of LRCFT by matching their donation of seed money and sponsoring at least one CFT local member at CPFA state-wide meetings. We can't effect change if no one hears us. Lin Fraser, Instructor of English and ESL
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