Over 20 members of the De Anza Academic Senate met virtually and in person to consider fundraising strategies, parking enforcement and announce the new vice president of finance and administration and a campus climate survey on May 19 in the Media Learning Center.
A major topic addressed in the meeting concerned changing the monthly dues that fund the full Senate income — paid voluntarily by De Anza faculty — because of the Senate’s annual deficit.
Part-time faculty representative Ishmael Tarikh, political science instructor, proposed increasing monthly dues from $5 “to a minimum of $15 a month.”
Chemistry instructor and President of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate, Erik Woodbury, said that baseline spending, at the current rate, unsustainably draws funds from the reserves.
“There are two philosophies,” said Felisa Vilaubi, English Performance Success counselor.
Some members had concerns that raising the price could jeopardize recruitment. Others said they believed the $5 dues were not enough.
“We cannot recruit our way out of this,” said Alicia Mullens, meteorology instructor.
The Senate ultimately voted to increase the membership donations to $15 a month beginning the fall 2025 quarter.
Another key topic regarded pay for at-large part-time faculty representatives. Not all part-time faculty serving on the Academic Senate are paid. There was discussion about raising the rate, but the debate focused primarily on altering eligibility for serving in paid roles and weighing incentives for part-timers to become representatives.
Woodbury also said that the De Anza College administration inquired with the Foothill-De Anza Police Department on ways to enforce staff parking spots.
Woodbury said the department suggested technology to automatically scan student license plates that occupy staff parking spots as an economical alternative to reinstituting parking passes. No official plan is in effect.
The new vice president of the Office of Finance and Administrative Services, Farhad Sabit, was announced. His term begins on July 1.
Mullens announced that the De Anza Pride Association has become an official affinity group. Affinity groups are faculty-organized safe spaces for underprivileged or underrepresented groups on campus, often for faculty.
Additionally, Mallory Newell, college researcher, announced a campus climate survey. The RP Group, a nonprofit research organization, conducts climate surveys to gather feedback from students and staff of California Community Colleges on their campus experiences.
“De Anza hasn’t had a (Campus Climate Survey) in over ten years,” Newell said.
The survey is open for two weeks as of May 27. The student survey document can be accessed here.
The meeting ended with approval by vote of the Academic Senate Funding Guidelines and Request Process document, with an amendment attached to loosen Academic Senate funding request deadlines for faculty.
