00:06:18 Mark Johnson: Recording is on. 00:10:40 Mark Johnson: Here are the slides Dr. Jones shared with the Board of Trustees on Sept 13, 2022. We’ll be going through these shortly: https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/peralta/Board.nsf/files/CJ4U6X7A974A/$file/FY%202023%20Adopted%20Budget%20BOT%20Presentation%209.13.22.pdf 00:12:23 Lowell Bennett, CFA. MBA: Please answer the question “What does that mean/what is the impact?” for the different options proposed. Thanks. 00:35:25 Donald Moore: How much in each bucket 00:39:32 Jennifer Shanoski: I have a question before we move away from his slide. 00:44:57 Jennifer Shanoski: Where are those reductions in this slide? We've been told his would be considered for the last several years. 00:45:08 Jennifer Shanoski: The new BAM does not address this. 00:50:23 Marjory Haskell: Something I don't understand. The unaudited actual budget for 21/22 is much lower than either the budget for 21/22 or 22/23. Can't we work off that instead of cutting a hypothetical budget? 00:54:47 Leslie Blackie: Yet somehow class cuts happen extremely quickly. And it is class and course offerings that generate the FTEs 00:55:12 Jennifer Shanoski: You were here last year and I said this last year. Others did too. With all due respect, the frustration is due to a lack of leadership in making difficult decisions and putting our STUDENTS first. 00:55:15 Donald Moore: Dr. Jackson, that committee hasn't even met yet, 00:57:54 Jennifer Shanoski: This does not feel honest. If we are going to actually engage with stakeholders we need to stop making excuses and do the work. It's here NOW let's stop waiting and do it now! If you are seeking input then this is the input. 00:58:43 Jennifer Shanoski: We were invited to offer suggestions and feedback. Telling us now that there's insufficient time tells us that it's not actually about feedback. It's about claims that feedback was solicited. 00:59:29 Richard Thoele: Reduce Outsourcing 00:59:52 Brad Balukjian: Just logged on, but has anyone answered the question of whether our Spring '23 class offerings will be more or less than Spring '22? 01:00:04 Richard Thoele: Renegotiate contracts with vendors 01:00:05 Brad Balukjian: Given this proposed budget? 01:00:42 Richard Thoele: Freeze Administrative Hirings 01:01:42 Brad Balukjian: In order to grow FTES, we need to have a class schedule that allows us to do so. Which means not reducing our sections being offered. 01:02:08 Richard Thoele: "Classified Salary" includes classified managers 01:02:58 Brad Balukjian: Budgets are great, but what people care most about is how all this affects real people on the ground. 01:03:09 Richard Thoele: 1. Reduce Outsourcing 01:03:22 Richard Thoele: 2. Renegotiate contracts with vendors 01:03:36 Brad Balukjian: So for example, how does this budget translate into the number of classes that are being offered this academic year? 01:03:40 Richard Thoele: 3. Freeze Administrative Hirings 01:03:44 jeff sanceri (he, him): ok 01:04:09 Brad Balukjian: We never want to translate between dollars and FTEF (class offerings), but ultimately there is a direct translation between the two 01:05:11 Brad Balukjian: So rather than just see a part-time and full-time faculty budget, let's see how FTEF for ‘22-23 is represented in real dollars and how that compares to FTEF in '21-'22 01:05:18 Richard Thoele: What the bargaining units negotiate don't necessarily need to be passed on to unrepresented. 01:06:06 Richard Thoele: Staff don't get a monthly gas stipend 01:06:08 Brad Balukjian: Upshot: does this budget propose a reduction in the number of sections offered this year, yes or no? 01:06:45 Marjory Haskell: When the actual budget is so much lower than the budget (past or future) why are we discussing budget cuts when cuts are happening anyway in the actual budget? 01:06:56 Richard Thoele: Correction: classified saff don't get a monthly gas stipend 01:07:05 Richard Thoele: staff. staff 01:07:39 Leslie Blackie: I thought we used the HEERF fund to clear the student debt and clear that liability? 01:07:52 Brad Balukjian: If we are in fact reducing class offerings, our admin should be honest about it and say that we will be employing fewer faculty 01:13:15 Mark Martin (RD-Adv Mfg, Bay Area): For the $4M in HEERF, what would we have used that money for if we didn't have this budget shortfall? Or would it not have been available to us? 01:14:50 Nghiêm Thái: That doesn't stop us from hiring acting and interim administrators. 01:14:52 Dr. Jannett Jackson: @Leslie Black - we did use HEERF funds to reduce financial aid debt, but there is more debt, our actions did not "wipe out" all debt.. 01:14:58 Eleni Economides Gastis: And vacancy savings stay at the location where they occur? 01:15:08 Richard Thoele: Freeze Administrative Hirings 01:18:01 Mark Martin (RD-Adv Mfg, Bay Area): How many positions is that (45% freeze)? 01:18:36 Brad Balukjian: This budget shows a drop in part-time faculty from $13.3 million to $6.7 million. Chancellor, that's huge. I know that there is another $6 million or so for part-time faculty in Measure E, but when we combine Fund 1 and Measure E, how much of a reduction in part-time faculty are we looking at this year chancellor, and how does that translate to the number of sections offered? 01:19:18 Dr. Jannett Jackson: @ Eleni- we are working with the Colleges and District Executive teams to develop this process, but the funds have always stayed with the location...at least when I was here from 2004 to 2013, and since I have returned, that has also been true 01:21:52 Mark Martin (RD-Adv Mfg, Bay Area): @Brad - you’re right, that's a huge amount. But the question I have is why was the budget for Part-time faculty $6.9M but the actuals were $13.3M. Does anyone know why there was such a huge variance between budget and actual last year? 01:22:16 Brad Balukjian: Great point 01:23:11 Brad Balukjian: It's hard to get a complete picture of part-time faculty when you don't show Measure E's budget as well 01:24:10 Brad Balukjian: Big picture: We need to grow enrollment in the next couple years while we are still on hold harmless. Cutting sections is not the way to do that. 01:24:46 Dr. Jannett Jackson: @Brad I need to get more information on Measure E and Fund 1 before I can answer that question...but I will make note of it. 01:24:51 Brad Balukjian: And no one seems to want to answer my question about whether we are reducing sections or not. Why is that? 01:29:46 Brad Balukjian: chirp chirp (crickets) 01:29:50 Cindi Napoli-Abella: Thank you all for the thoughtful questions. I need to go to another meeting at 230 but I will listen to the rest of the conversation once recording is available. 01:32:32 Richard Thoele: Who is we? 01:39:54 Dr. Stacey Shears: We do generate revenue through student success and supplemental measures as well 01:41:11 Leslie Blackie: Student success is based on students actually being able to enroll. 01:42:01 Leslie Blackie: If the classes are not there to take, then they can't enroll. we have some programs that now cannot be completed in 2 years because the classes are offered so infrequently due to these decreased FTEs allocations that comes from the district 01:42:22 Leslie Blackie: Colleges have to decide how much allocations based on what the district sent to the colelges 01:45:11 Louis Quindlen: https://edsource.org/2022/canceling-community-college-classes-is-shortsighted/677383 01:49:23 Richard Thoele: that's not why it was disbanded 01:49:50 Richard Thoele: there was duplicative work with DAASSC, along with other reasons 01:49:56 Kuni Hay: https://f.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/6398505/Peralta%202021/Pdf/trustees/Business%20and%20Fiscal%20Affairs/BP-6741-Parcel-Tax.pdf 01:50:52 Nghiêm Thái: Then why do our college administrators tell us that these are the FTEF allocations prescribed to us by the District? 01:51:42 Denise Woodward: https://f.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/6398505/Peralta%202021/Pdf/trustees/A-Business%20and%20Fiscal%20Affairs/AP-6741-Parcel-Tax.pdf 01:51:43 Leslie Blackie: Still haven't answered why its a good idea to continue to add district admin and their salaries when budget is declining but instead continue to cut the FTEF allocations given to the colleges 01:52:25 Richard Thoele: Reduce Outsourcing/Consultants 01:53:35 Brad Balukjian: Why are we reducing FTEF when we need to grow enrollment? 01:54:08 Richard Thoele: It's not an anomaly, There were miscalculations last year or so in the millions 01:54:51 Brad Balukjian: @Dr. Jones, @Dr. Jackson, why are we reducing FTEF when we need to grow enrollment? 01:56:15 Nghiêm Thái: But we can afford more AVCs. 01:56:51 Nghiêm Thái: And a deputy chancellor and a general counsel. 01:57:07 Richard Thoele: and Directors with no one reporting to them 01:58:12 Brad Balukjian: But cutting FTEF is not keeping it away from the classroom!! 01:58:27 Leslie Blackie: Except last year with the decreased allocations that were given to the colleges that directly affected the classrooms 01:59:00 Brad Balukjian: @Dr. Jones, can we please start planning '23-'24 FTEF now and use it to determine the 1351 '23-'24 budget? 01:59:16 Brad Balukjian: Recommendation: Don't cut FTEF when you are trying to grow enrollment 01:59:26 Richard Thoele: Then, how about, don't freeze SEIU classified positions. You can actually freeze administrative hires. 01:59:49 Richard Thoele: within 7 days 02:01:22 Leslie Blackie: @ Robert Brem - that is not how each college schedules 02:01:34 Leslie Blackie: But yes intercollegiate cooperation would be good. 02:01:34 bwithrow: Strongly agree. 02:02:21 Royl Roberts: Very good points Professor Brem! 02:04:02 Brad Balukjian: But that bottom-up approach is not what has been happening 02:04:29 Brad Balukjian: We have never come up with our own FTEF request to the district. The district has handed it down to us. Hopefully that changes 02:05:56 Tachetta Henry: Are we truly effectively utilizing our resources to grow enrollment? Honestly, increasing FTEF is only one factor that may help to grow enrollment but it is NOT the infinite solution when many other factors play a role as to the reduction in enrollment. As times have changed due to COVID, how often do we utilize data to identify the trends of the communities we serve as it relates to education? Are the trends of our community show that people are leaning towards obtaining degrees or program certifications for training in a new work skill? How are we adapting to the trends of our community? And as the community shows us what they desire through data, are we taking that data to develop plans to maximize on the need of the community right now while still promoting the advantage of higher education? 02:06:24 Nghiêm Thái: Yes, Brad. I'll repeat that I can quote college administrators as saying that FTEF allocations are dictated by the District. 02:06:42 Brad Balukjian: @tachetta, totally agreed 02:07:55 Mark Martin (RD-Adv Mfg, Bay Area): @lowell Good point on the budget for Books, Supplies, Svc. What are those expenditures for? $23M is a large chunk of the budget (16%) 02:08:07 Brad Balukjian: Can the district agree to receive FTEF requests from the individual colleges for '23-24? 02:12:20 Leslie Blackie: we can't build more classes if they are not allowed in FTEF allocations 02:12:38 Leslie Blackie: CTE have been teaching on campus F2F all throughout the pandemic 02:12:59 Leslie Blackie: Faculty met throughout the summer of 2020 to build safety protocols for safe in person education 02:13:50 Leslie Blackie: CTE have been teaching continuously on campus in F2F since fall 2020. Science labs were finally allowed back in spring 2021. But it was very difficult to get approval to come back on campus 02:14:11 Tachetta Henry: How effective is our marketing? Radio ads, bus ads and tv promotions are cool and all, but there is still a whole generation of potential students that are not being reached because those particular marketing strategies do not appeal to them. 02:14:36 Lowell Bennett, CFA. MBA: https://bit.ly/fiscaleducationseries 02:14:47 Brad Balukjian: To Tachetta's point, Merritt has not had a full-time marketing person for at least 6 years 02:14:58 Nghiêm Thái: How about instead of DEMPC, just listen to the colleges? 02:15:13 Richard Thoele: 2 of our campuses contract out the PIO position 02:16:06 Richard Thoele: so, there's no real investments in those strategies 02:16:11 Leslie Blackie: Discipline meetings were held on Professional development days - the colleges and the district do have a professional development committess and planners 02:16:13 Hope Lane: @Tachetta, Yes!!! 02:16:14 Louis Quindlen: What is District and Colleges marketing budget? 02:17:40 Brad Balukjian: Right Dr. Jones, but now that our enrollment has increased this year, this is not the time to reduce FTEF! 02:19:01 Brad Balukjian: We were told the exact same fall of a cliff argument in 2018. But hold harmless was extended, then the pandemic happened and added more funding, so we can't just budget on what MIGHT happen in 2025 02:19:14 Brad Balukjian: To Dr. Jackson's point, we are growing enrollment! 02:19:28 Brad Balukjian: So now is not the time to cut FTEF! 02:20:17 Brad Balukjian: I would never argue for 8 02:20:21 Leslie Blackie: But we had to cancel classes that would be full 02:20:27 Louis Quindlen: We were suppose to get auto award degrees with the latest Peoplesoft update. 02:20:29 Leslie Blackie: because of decreased FTEF allocations 02:20:44 Brad Balukjian: But Lowell's made all the arguments for why 35 is not a good number 02:20:52 Brad Balukjian: 35 is a red herring 02:20:56 Leslie Blackie: Its not just classes that have only 8 students, its classes 02:21:04 Lowell Bennett, CFA. MBA: It is not the classes that are cut, it is the classes that are not even offered because of the FTEF cuts. 02:21:06 Brad Balukjian: Productivity is not a useful metric 02:21:12 Leslie Blackie: we have multiple rooms that will not hold 35' 02:21:21 Leslie Blackie: lab classes, for instance 02:21:25 Brad Balukjian: Choosing 8 is not a fair example 02:21:27 Nghiêm Thái: God forbid, we try to improve learning for students by having lower class caps! 02:21:42 Leslie Blackie: 8 students is a red herring 02:21:52 Brad Balukjian: Exactly Leslie 02:21:57 Brad Balukjian: Let's use realistic numbers 02:22:06 Brad Balukjian: Lowell has costed this out 02:22:07 Sinead Anderson: Are all faculty clear about census day? And what that means for apportionment. 02:22:20 Leslie Blackie: but if we only teach online classes that are lecture classes we can make that metric - are we just going to be an online college? Lecture only? 02:22:38 Leslie Blackie: Except if you look at awarded certifcates and degrees many many of them come from CTE 02:23:12 Brad Balukjian: Please do not turn our feedback into a narrative that we are not team players 02:23:27 Brad Balukjian: We all are here because we care 02:24:00 Nghiêm Thái: The faculty is saying we CAN, but you are not listening. 02:24:08 Leslie Blackie: We were asked to come give feedback - just because we ask difficult questions does not mean that we are not trying to be positive 02:24:18 Brad Balukjian: exactly Dr. Blackie 02:25:30 Mark Johnson: @Louis - the district marketing budget is $450K, which is very, very small for a $138M organization. 02:26:53 Robert Brem: I have had classes at 8 when there wer too many sections across district of lower enrolled classes which could be solved if we rotate who offers a class when... 02:26:59 Robert Brem: This problem is in part because we offer too many sections of some classes, and compete over one another's departmental offerings.... have fewer in the begining and the Only add classes as the need appears! 02:27:04 Rudy Besikof: Chancellor Jackson, I will refer you to a report I shared with you about the classroom size challenges that Dr. Blackie references. 02:27:11 Tachetta Henry: @Leslie Blackie exactly! Particularly because CTE programs align more with the supply and demand of the community right now. Many people have lost their jobs so people are prioritizing learning a new skill over obtaining a degree 02:27:51 Robert Brem: now back to grading -- lol 02:28:13 Sinead Anderson: Seems too late — I’ll email and call 02:28:48 Brad Balukjian: And start planning 2023-24 now!