ACE Members,

President’s Message
“We are entering dark times,” was stated by an administrator at the start of the most recent Chancellor’s Advisory Council meeting. On February 14th the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights issued a letter (attached) which provides the department’s interpretation of current legal standards. According to District counsel, this is not law, this is a statement of priorities. At this time there are no budgetary changes, no changes in reporting structure, and no changes in positions. Today the Chancellor will be holding an in-person townhall meeting on the De Anza campus. I hope to hear your questions/concerns at 1pm, Campus Center conference rooms A & B. FHDA CCD is going to continue to provide the same services and instruction, but there will be updates to how we continue forward under federal management.  

At this time I would highly recommend each of us reach out to our elected representatives – https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/

  • How do you feel about added scrutiny/penalties being placed upon public education?
  • How do you feel about federal workers being laid off indiscriminately?
  • How do you feel about the cost of living?
  • How do you feel about the opportunity for current and future generations to succeed?

Sending an email or leaving a voicemail is free. These are the decision makers who need to hear the impact of what’s going on in our community. Help them develop an informed response by regularly contributing your perspective.

Future Townhalls are scheduled to be held at Foothill and virtually:
Monday, March 17, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Foothill College, Room 8338

Friday, March 21, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Virtual meeting – Zoom link to follow

Please join. Our questions and concerns will help contribute to developing a response here at the district.

De Anza VP’s Message
Dear ACE members,

With a mix of gratitude and bittersweet emotions, I have to let you know that I will be leaving the district to start a career ladder with Gavilan Community college CTE & Workforce Dean position.   I will miss you all, but I hope to collaborate with you in the future in a different capacity.  My last day with De Anza college will be on March 14, 2025.

Thank you for the experiences, lessons, and friendships I have gained during my time here. I truly appreciate the support and camaraderie and will carry these fond memories with me.   I am not too far, so I hope to continue our friendship and collaboration.

I hope one of you will volunteer to be the next ACE Vice President.  I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you

Vins Chacko

Congratulations to Vins! We are all grateful for your years of service and leadership in the ACE Vice President for De Anza position.

Seeking Members for De Anza VP Appointment
Vins is available if you have any questions about stepping into this union leadership position. Please send a statement of interest to @Scott Olsen by Tuesday, March 11th :

D. Duties of the Vice Presidents
1) Upon approval of the Board, the vice presidents may be authorized to approve expenditures withdrawn on ACE funds in place of either the president or treasurer, and shall perform such other duties as assigned by the president or the executive board.
2) The vice presidents shall serve on the College Council, PARC, College Budget committees and other District committees as assigned.
3) The vice presidents shall hold and facilitate site meetings each month at their respective sites.
4) The vice presidents shall assign ACE representatives to hiring committees for classified workers in Unit 1 for their respective areas.

A. Responsibilities of Executive Board Members
The Executive Board Member is directly responsible for:
1) The operation of ACE.
2) Assuring appropriate expenditure of funds.
3) Proper and legal administration and implementation of the constitution.
4) Any representation of ACE that has been authorized by the Board in order to bind ACE or agree to any issues subject to collective bargaining and EERA.

Serving as an Executive Board Member requires subordination of personal interests to those that represent the highest good of the members. Board Members shall have no greater rights than any other member of ACE.

Reach out to any current VP or Board Member for more information.

ACE T-Shirt & Sweater Survey (Reminder)
Our swag “stuff we all get” survey is (still) live via a Google Forms. ACE has a $3,000 annual budget for marketing and increasing union visibility. Stickers are a small step, but we’re also looking to offer T-shirts to those who are interested. We will need to advocate for workplace improvements at board meetings, city meetings, county meetings, state meetings, etc. and shirts help to show we are united as a group with a request. Often, we are mistaken for faculty members or outside community members, but something as simple as a shirt shows that we’re organized together and willing to show up in numbers to speak to a need/concern.

I purchased my shirt from the Labor Notes store (LINK) and would love to see similar shirts with ACE logos around campus showing union pride and solidarity. ACE has a massive effect on our workplace, but our visibility does not reflect that. Let us know your thoughts and T-shirt size so that we can create an estimate.

Thank you to @Janie Garcia Cordova, @Lindsay West, and @Sharon Garcia-Vega for advancing this.

The items in this message are ongoing conversations. Please attend union site meetings and respond to future surveys to voice how we move forward collectively as a group.

In Service,

Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org  
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:00am-5:00pm