Glossary of Terms

AB1725

• The purpose of the law, AB 1725, was to provide a mechanism to insure that the expertise of the faculty would be used in developing college policies. Although the phrase “shared governance” is not found in the legislation, it has become the commonly used description of the process that provides for faculty input.

‍

AB705

• This bill requires that a community college district or college maximize the probability that a student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and math within a one year timeframe and use, in the placement of students into English and math courses, one or more of the following: high school coursework, high school grades, and high school grade point average. 

‍

Academic Senate (at SMC)

• Organization whose primary function is to make recommendations with respect to academic and professional matters. See SMC’s Academic Senate here.

‍

Academic Senate, ASCCC (statewide)

• The statewide organization represents, by law, the faculty on matters of educational policy. Local academic senates also have legal rights and responsibilities related to local district decision-making. The ASCCC website is here.

‍

Academic Year

• For purposes of our Contract Agreement, “academic year” is defined as Fall and Spring semesters.

‍

AF 

• An acronym for Associate Faculty.

‍

Allocation

• Division or distribution of resources according to a predetermined plan.

‍

Apportionment

• Federal, state or local monies distributed to college districts or other governmental units according to certain formulas. 

‍

Appropriations

• Funds set aside or budgeted by the state or local school district boards for a specific time period and specific purpose. The state Legislature must vote every year on appropriations.

Block Grant

• A fixed sum of money, not linked to enrollment measures, provided to a college district by the state. 

‍

Board of Trustees, (BOT), Board

• The Santa Monica Community College District is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees. Board members are elected to four-year terms by voters in the district which serves Santa Monica and Malibu. The Board also includes one student trustee, who serves for a one-year term is elected by the Santa Monica College students. some text
  • Information about how the public may contact the Board is here. 
  • Find Board meetings, agendas, and minutes here.

‍

Bond, Bond Measure

• Investment securities (encumbrances) sold by a district through a financial firm for the purpose of raising funds for various capital expenditure. 
• A “bond measure” refers to a method of borrowing employed by school districts to pay for a large capital investment, used in much the same way as a person who takes out a mortgage to purchase a home

‍

Budget Act (state)

• The legislative vehicle for the State’s appropriations. The Constitution requires that it be passed by a majority vote of each house and sent to the Governor by June 15 each year. The governor may reduce or delete, but not increase, individual items. 

‍

Budget Planning Committee 

• The Budget Planning Committee is a sub-committee of DPAC. Committee members are drawn from management, classified staff, students, faculty from the Academic Senate and the Faculty Association. The committee makes recommendations to DPAC on budget matters, reviews quarterly and final annual budgets, and is charged with exploring ways to reduce expenditures and increase revenues. More on the committee’s duties and meetings may be found on their SMC web page.

CalSTRS

• The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) is the largest educator-only pension fund in the world and provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for California's public school educators and their families. 

‍

Classified Employees

• School employees who are not required to hold teaching credentials, such as secretaries, custodians, instructional aides, and some management personnel.

‍

COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment)

• Increases provided in state-funded programs intended to offset the effects of inflation. 

‍

Collective Bargaining

• A process where the bargaining unit, via their negotiations team, collaboratively decides on wages, hours, and employment conditions. The usual outcome is a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that applies to all workers in the unit. 

‍

Collective Bargaining Agreement (aka ‘The Contract’)

• This is the resulting legal, binding agreement that codifies the language that was agreed upon in collective bargaining. It becomes effective after union members ratify the tentative agreement. 

‍

Contract Education

• Situations in which a community college district contracts with a public or private entity for the purposes of providing instruction or services or both by the community college.  As per SMC’s website, “contract education means those situations in which a community college district contracts with a public or private entity for the purposes of providing instruction or services or both by the community college.”

‍

Contact Hours

• A unit of measurement that represents one hour of instruction given to students. (Also referred to as clock hours). 

‍

CSEA (California School Employees Association)

• CSEA is the state union organization for classified school employees, including those at SMC. More information about SMC’s CSEA Chapter 36 may be found online here.

DEIA

• An acronym that stands for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility. 

‍

Direct Dealing

• Direct dealing is used to describe a situation where the employer (a supervisor, department head, appointing. authority, etc.) deals directly with an individual concerning the individual's terms and conditions of employment. instead of dealing with the employee's collective bargaining representative, or deferring to what is already stipulated in the contract.

‍

DPAC (District Planning and Advisory Council)

• Established by the Board of Trustees, DPAC is the body primarily responsible for making recommendations to the Superintendent/President on matters that are not otherwise the primary responsibility of the Academic Senate, Classified Staff, Associated Students, or the Management Association. Issues include, but are not limited to, District budget, facilities, human resources, instruction, student services and technology planning. Discussion of these issues by the Council will not supplant the collective bargaining process. Find more on DPAC here. Note that DPAC includes several subcommittees, including Budget. See “Budget Planning Subcommittee.”

‍

Dual Enrollment

• Dual enrollment programs allow students to be enrolled in two separate academically related institutions. Generally it refers to high school students taking college classes. Find SMC’s “concurrent” enrollment program information on the college’s website.

Ed Code, Education Code

• The body of law that regulates education in California. Additional regulations affecting education are contained in the California Administrative Code, Titles 8 and 8, the Government Code, and general statutes.

‍

Emeritus, (Emeritus Faculty, Program)

• A program of adult education. SMC’s Emeritus Program offers a range of noncredit classes designed to serve older adults in the community.

‍

Ending Fund Balance

• A sum of money available in the district’s account at year end after subtracting accounts payable from accounts receivable.

Final Budget

• The district budget that is approved by the board in September, after the state allocation is determined. For related information, see “Budget”

‍

Fiscal Year

• A 12-month budgeting and accounting period. In California state government, the fiscal year begins July 1 and ends the following June 30. For the purposes of our Contract Agreement, the  “fiscal year” is defined as Summer Intersession through Spring Semester.

‍

FTEF (Full Time Equivalent Faculty)

• Full-time Equivalent Faculty and refers to the load factor associated with each section assignment. 

‍

FT/PT Ratio

• Full-time/part-time ratio compares the number of full-time FTEF to the number of part-time FTEF. Statewide goals are 75% full time, 25% part time with the decade. AB1725 requires progress toward reaching the goal of 75% full-time faculty FTEF. 

‍

FTES (Full-Time Equivalent Student)

• As a standardized “workload measure,” FTES is an important metric used as the basis for resource allocation in the funding of the college. A full-time equivalent student is an enrolled student who attends 15 hours each week during the semester. In an academic year, this hypothetical full-time student (i.e., 1 FTES) generates 525 student ‘contact hours.’ This definition of full-time is used for funding calculations only, not for classifying the status of actual students for financial aid or other purposes. 

‍

Fund

• An independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balanced set of accounts for recording cash and other financial resources, together with all related liabilities and residual equities or balances, and changes therein. 

‍

Fund Balance

• The differences between assets and liabilities. 

General Fund

• The primary operating fund of the district. The general fund is divided into two subgroups – the unrestricted general fund and the restricted general fund: 

‍

General Fund – Unrestricted

• The “unrestricted” fund is designated for general district operations and support for educational programs.  

‍

General Fund - Restricted

• The “restricted” fund is to be used for a specific purpose or purposes only. It is used to account for resources available for the operation and support of the district educational programs that are specifically restricted by laws, regulations, donors, or other outside agencies as to their expenditure. These are primarily from federal and state funded programs that have restrictions on the use of the funds, for example, grants and state categorical funds. 

‍

Governor’s Budget (state)

• The California Governor proposes a new state budget every year on January 10th. Visit the Governor’s Budget website for details:  https://ebudget.ca.gov  
• Note that the annual proposed budget is revised every spring. (See “May Revise” in this glossary)

‍

Grievance

• Generally, a violation of the collective bargaining agreement where a written complaint is filed with the employer by the grievant (employee or association). For more information, see “Workplace Concerns” in either the Full-Time or Part-Time Faculty Toolkits

‍

Gross Pay

• Gross pay is what employees earn before taxes, benefits and other payroll deductions  are withheld from wages. The amount remaining after all withholdings are accounted for is the “net pay,”  or take-home pay.  (Also see “Net Pay”). For more information, visit either the Full-Time or Part-Time Faculty Toolkit and see “Understanding Your Paycheck” in the Pay Section of that menu. 

Hold Harmless Provision

• A provision in the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF)  for those districts that would have received more funding under the former apportionment formula. The intent of the hold harmless protection is to provide time for those districts to ramp down their budgets to the new SCFF- calculated funding level, or find ways to increase the amount they generate through SCFF (such as by enrolling more financially needy students or improving student outcomes). Through 2024-25, districts funded according to the hold harmless provision receive whatever they generated in 2017-18 under the old formula, plus any subsequent apportionment COLA provided by the state. (See SCFF)

Impasse

• When collective bargaining reaches a deadlock, it often initiates a required dispute resolution or impasse procedure. Procedures commonly begin with mediation, involving a mediator to help resolve issues. If mediation fails, subsequent steps may include fact-finding (an external neutral party suggests solutions without obligation for acceptance), interest arbitration, or a strike. 

‍

Intersession

• SMC offers courses in both Winter and Summer intersessions, which are the two compressed six-week terms between the traditional academic terms of Fall and Spring semester. Find current intersession dates on the SMC website here or in mProfessor.

Coming Soon...

Coming Soon...

LAO (Legislative Analyst’s Office)

• A nonpartisan office that provides fiscal and policy advice to the State Legislature. The LAO provides analyses of proposed and adopted state budgets and also offers the public information about state initiatives and ballot propositions. The LAO website is here.

‍

Load (Faculty)

• Faculty load refers to the amount of “teaching time” assigned/appropriated to a given instructional class, i.e. lecture or laboratory, for a given semester or for an academic year (two semesters). It is typically defined in terms of 15 “teaching hours” per week as being equal to one (1) full-time equivalent faculty; a “full faculty load.” Actual faculty loads are generally governed by negotiated agreements and collective bargaining.

May Revise

• The Governor’s annual May revision of his January budget proposal, based on up-to-date projections of revenues and expenses. Visit the Governor’s Budget website for details:  https://ebudget.ca.gov  

‍

Mediation

• A dispute resolution technique where a third party, or mediator, assists in clarifying issues and proposing solutions in a labor disagreement. Unlike arbitration, where an arbitrator determines the outcome, mediation seeks mutual agreement between the conflicting parties. 

‍

MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)

• Signed agreement that can be either a stand-alone agreement or a supplement to the existing collective bargaining agreement.

Negotiations Team

• A team of Faculty Association members chosen to represent the union in collective bargaining matters. 

Net (pay)

• Refers to take-home pay or the amount employees earn after all payroll deductions are subtracted from their gross pay. What affects net pay? (Also see Gross Pay)some text
  • Federal income tax withholdings
    Federal income tax responsibility is calculated using a bracket system that increases progressively based on income.
  • State income tax withholdings
    Like the federal government, many states use progressive tax brackets, but others have no income tax at all. Additionally, some cities impose their own income tax.
  • Social Security and Medicare taxes
    The Social Security tax rate is 6.2% and Medicare is 1.45%. These taxes are also known as Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) or payroll taxes; employee contributions must be matched by employers.
  • Wage garnishments
    A court can order employers to withhold a percentage of an employee’s wages to pay for incurred debt. Examples of garnishments include credit card debt, student loan debt, child support, alimony, medical bills and back taxes.
  • Health insurance premiums
    Although employers typically cover the majority of health insurance premiums, employees often will also make contributions to health insurance premiums each pay period.
  • Retirement savings
    Contributions to some retirement plans, such as 401(k), are taken out of gross pay.
  • Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate
    When employees start a new job, they may fill out a Form W-4, which provides information about their filing status (single, married, head of household), dependents and other sources of income. These details directly impact how much federal income tax is deducted each pay period.
• For more information, visit either the Full-Time or the Part-Time Faculty Toolkit, go to the “Pay” section of that menu and see “Understanding Your Paycheck.” 

‍

Noncredit

• A non-credit course is one in that does not generate credit applicable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Noncredit FTES are FTES earned in noncredit courses, generally Adult Education classes. See “Emeritus.”

‍

‍

Coming soon...

Past Practice

• Past practice refers to unwritten customs related to the collective bargaining agreement. If the practice is longstanding, consistent, and mutually accepted, it can sometimes be upheld through the grievance process. 

‍

PERB (Public Employment Relations Board)

• It is an impartial government agency responsible for administering and enforcing the collective bargaining law. PERB oversees and administers bargaining impasse procedures, and decides on unfair labor practices and other proceedings under the bargaining law. Essentially, it is the  “court of appeal” for collective bargaining conflicts.

‍

PERS (Public Employees’ Retirement System)

• Public Employees’ Retirement System. State law requires school district classified employees, school districts and the State to contribute to the fund for full-time classified employees. 

‍

PT (Part-Time) Faculty

• A faculty member with faculty load hours that are less than 60% of the full-time faculty load. (See also FTEF for faculty load.)

Coming soon...

Reduced Workload

• A Reduced Work Load (RWL) allows a faculty member working toward retirement to work part-time but to receive District contributions to STRS and to the cost of medical and dental benefits that are equal to what the District contributes when that faculty member works full time. State law requires that to be eligible for a RWL, one must be 55 years old and must have been employed full time in a position requiring certification for at least ten (10) years, of which the immediately preceding five years were full-time employment.  RWL is also sometimes referred to as the “Willie Brown Act.” See more about Reduced Workload under “Retirement” in the FA Toolkit for Full-Time Faculty.

‍

Reserves

• Funds set aside in a college district budget to provide for future expenditures or to offset future losses, for working capital, or for other purposes. There are different categories of reserves, including contingency, general, restricted and reserves for long-term liabilities.

‍

Restricted Funds

• Money that must be spend for a specific purpose, either by law or by local board action. Also referred to as “categorical funds.” Some examples of restricted funds: 
• Examples of restricted funds: funding to serve students with disabilities (DSPS) or the economically disadvantaged, low- income (EOPS), scheduled maintenance, instructional equipment, and matriculation. 

‍

Revenue

• Income from all sources.

SCFF (Student-Centered Funding Formula)

• Enacted in the 2018-19 Budget Act, the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) consists of three components: 

1. Base Allocation—Enrollments (FTES)
2. Supplemental Allocation—Counts of low-income students, and
3. 3) Student Success Allocation—Counts of outcomes with higher funding for outcomes of low-income students.

‍

SEAP (Student Equity and Achievement Program)

• Funds for SEAP are intended to increase achievement for all students with an emphasis on eliminating achievement gaps for students from traditionally underrepresented groups. 

‍

Seventy-Five/Twenty-Five (75/25)

• Refers to to policy enacted as part of AB 1725 that sets 75 percent of the hours of credit instruction as a goal for classes to be taught by full-time faculty.

‍

Sunshining

• “Sunshining” is the act of publicly disclosing bargaining proposals before negotiations to foster transparency and wider participation. Before a CBA's expiration, the Union submits negotiation items to the District, which are then "sunshined" and addressed in successor negotiations. 

Coming soon...

Unfair Labor Practice 

• Violation of the collective bargaining statute. A bargaining law gives employees the right to join a union and engage in union activities without fear of retaliation for doing so. It also requires unions and employers to bargain in good faith. Unfair labor practices are filed with PERB, which determines if rights were violated or if duties and obligations were not met.

Coming soon...

Weekly Student Contact Hours (WSCH)

• A contact hour is a measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. A semester credit hour is normally granted for satisfactory completion of one 50-minute session (contact hour) of classroom instruction per week for a semester of not less than fifteen weeks.
  • So, for example, for a course that meets for 3.0 contact hours each week for a full semester of the academic calendar, and has 30 students actively enrolled at census, the WSCH = 3.0 x 30 = 90.

‍

Willie Brown Act

• Also known as the  pre-retirement Reduced Workload program.  See “Reduced Workload”

‍

Workforce Development

• Programs designed to anticipate emerging industry needs in order to prepare students for real jobs when they leave college.

‍

Coming soon...

Coming soon...

Coming soon...