Twenty-two full-time faculty members are in line to retire fromthe district at the end of this quarter under a special exit planthat would give each retiree a $40,000 check when they leave,officials said last week.

The retirement incentive plan, euphemistically called the GoldenHandshake, would leave roughly 20 to 25 full-time teachingpositions unfilled next year, saving the district at least$125,000, said Anne Paye, chief contract negotiator for theFoothill-De Anza Faculty Association.

To be eligible for the retirement incentive plan, instructorsmust be 55 years of age or older with ten years of faculty serviceto the district. The enrollment window opened this week, and 22faculty members have already expressed interest in earlyretirement. Among the tentative list of retiring faculty members atDe Anza is Jim Linthicum, a longtime track and cross-countrycoach.

Instructors in the faculty union approved their contract withthe district last week by an 80 percent margin, said Paye.Reductions to the faculty association’s budget will total about$700,000, officials said.

“The numbers demonstrate that the majority of faculty are inagreement with the contract,” said Paye. “It’s undeniably been avery difficult, difficult year. I feel the contract is reasonable,viable and fair and recognizes the various interests of themembership.”

Besides the Golden Handshake, the association tightened up itshealth plan benefits and agreed to a one-year freeze on money forprofessional conferences and a one-year change to its professionaldevelopment leave program, more commonly known as the district’ssabbatical program.

Four union groups in the district were charged with makinginternal cuts to the tune of roughly $3.2 million.

Health care costs are expected to increase by $2.7 million nextyear but changes to faculty health benefits should save thedistrict about $2.2 million, said Paye.

Instructors and their families will still get full healthcoverage at Kaiser Hospitals and smaller practices within theKaiser affiliate network.

The only change in the health plan is that instructors who wantto go outside the Kaiser network will have to pay the difference incost themselves.

This difference in cost breaks down to roughly $100 per month onaverage, said Paye.

“We’re looking forward to upturn in the economy,” said Paye.

“But I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I hope we will be able tolook for salary increases and continued faculty hiring.”