Happy summer, unit members! 

If you take a real break this summer and don’t see this until August, welcome back! If you, like most of us, are still working as always, or at home dealing with over-exuberant children, hang in there. Here at the union, we have some summer updates to share before leadership changes take effect in July, so let’s get to it. 

Team Updates

Hopefully, you knew about and participated in our recent election. The results are in and terms begin July 1. Our IVC CTA Executive Board has some reshuffling happening as well as a new addition! Starting next month, Liz Trevino will be our new CTA President, Steven Cauchon will be our recording secretary, and Barbara Reyes will be joining the team as treasurer. BIG thanks to Steven for stepping up to the presidential plate when he did and for all the hard work and long hours he put in on behalf of the union. 

As the first order of business for President Trevino, our negotiating team is going to see some changes too. As of July 1, Beatriz Avila will be coming back to replace Liz and join Austen Thelen on our negotiating team. Welcome back, Beatriz! 

Standing Rules Revamp

In other news, we will be updating our standing rules to increase transparency and awareness of MOUs with the district. Moving forward, any MOU negotiated with the District will be voted on by the Executive Board. Further, if an MOU would impact the working conditions or compensation for a majority of members, then it will be voted on by unit members. Once ratified, MOUs will be posted on our website so that we can all give them a read when we can’t sleep at night 

Saving the Best for Last: Negotiations

You probably noticed that our contract is still being negotiated. Unfortunately, the process has been moving a little more slowly than anticipated. Fortunately, our negotiating team will be working over the break and will provide an update during our first general faculty meeting, once we are back on contract.

See you all at Convocation in August! As always, if you have any questions, ideas, or concerns, we’re here to help! 

–your IVC CTA Executive Board for the remainder of the month

• President – Dr. Steven Cauchon
• Vice President – Xochitl Tirado
• Treasurer – Elizabeth Trevino
• Recording Secretary – Paige Lovitt
• Corresponding Secretary – Elizabeth Kemp
• Faculty Representative – Kristen Gomez

Happy fall, unit members!

Welcome to the CTA’s Pumpkin Spice September Newsletter. Obviously, there will be nothing pumpkin-spiced about this email, but everyone else is doing it and I wanted to fit in. Anyway, we’ve got some exciting updates to share from the union side, and I can’t wait to chat about them. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the latest happenings. 

Election Results

Hopefully, you received the communications from Beatriz and our elections committee and were able to participate in our special election! The results are in! We have officially filled our vacant seats on our IVC CTA/CCA/NEA E-Board (did I miss any acronyms?) and are thrilled to welcome our new officers, Xochitl Tirado and Kristen Gomez! Xochitl will be filling in as Vice President for the remainder of this term, and Kristen will be our new Faculty Rep. Congratulations, and a huge thank you, to both of you! 

Union News – MOU Success Story

There’s a new MOU on the block. With the recent expansions in our Distance Education program, our DE Coordinator has been working tirelessly. After several discussions with the District, we’ve secured additional faculty support. We’re thrilled to announce the official creation of a 6-unit reassigned time position for the Distance Education Coordinator Assistant, which was announced last week.

 On Our Radar – IVC Security Cameras

A presentation was given at several meetings this month focusing on our campus security cameras. Unfun fact – did you know that only 11 of our current 79 cameras are in full working condition? The new proposal includes extra cameras, to bring our total on campus to 114, and includes some interior cameras in addition to the exterior and parking lot cameras. The project is expected to be approved in October, put out for bids, and installed starting in December. Be sure to check your areas and ask questions or voice your concerns. You can view the presentation, including a map of proposed camera coverage, here: Camera Surveillance System Update

Welcome to a new academic year! 

It is back to school time, and I’m sure you’re all as sick of seeing that everywhere as I am, so I’ll stop there. Happy fall semester, and welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! On the union side, we have lots going on. Here are the highlights and headlines. 

Transparency, Communication, Engagement 

These are the words that interim president Steven Cauchon hopes will define the relationship between the union and unit members this term. With a vision of increased communication that includes member input at monthly E-Board meetings, shared agendas and minutes, regular updates for members, and a campaign to raise awareness of the contract, he hopes to engage and empower unit members to know their rights, know their contract, and work together to enforce fair conditions and a great work environment for all full-time faculty members.

 Union News – Elections Update

As you may know, there are currently a couple of open positions on the CTA Executive Board; we are in the process of holding a special election to fill the Vice President and Faculty Representative positions. At this point, we are happy to announce that we have an elections committee in place and are moving forward! Say hello to your new elections committee: Beatriz Avila, Allyn Leon, and Jose Plascencia! You should have an email from Beatriz already. Definitely check it out and consider running for a position.

 On Our Radar – Evaluating Equity?

The chancellor’s office has asked all community colleges to add an equity piece to faculty evaluations. Our Academic Senate has asked for faculty representatives on an IVC Task Force. The union will need to agree to any changes before the District can officialize, but we want you all to be aware that changes will be coming and ask you to offer your input and insights when the time comes.

Welcome to August, union members!

We have a lot to discuss, so let’s jump in. First, in case you are wondering why I am emailing you on behalf of our CTA, I want to introduce myself as your current CTA Corresponding Secretary. I’ll be sending union updates moving forward, and I hope we all start to feel a little more informed and a little more knowledgeable about our union and contract this coming year. Let’s start now.

Union News

Over the summer, we had two resignations from the CTA Executive Board. Unfortunately, both President Norma Nunez and our Faculty Rep, Rumaldo Marquez, have resigned for personal reasons. This means that our Vice President, Dr. Steven Cauchon, has become our interim president, and there will be an election to fill the now-vacant spots of vice president and faculty representative. If you are interested in joining the union and helping your fellow faculty members, please consider running for a position! Remember, it is our members that keep our union strong, and we can’t do it alone.

Coming Up

Convocation and the start of the Fall 2023 semester are right around the corner! We’re excited to see all of you again! Come visit our union table during registration to say hi, and don’t forget about the union meeting at the end of the day. Convocation is a long, hot day, but we’ll have snacks and swag and lots to share to make it worth your while 🙂 

As always, if you have any questions, ideas, or concerns, we’re here to help!