Good afternoon ACE members,
 
Nominations for ACE officer positions have been collected and tallied. Now it is time to cast your vote. Officer elections will be held online next week beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 13 through 1:00pm on Thursday, Nov. 16. You will be sent an email next Monday, Nov. 13 with complete details on how to vote with your unique login information.

REMINDER:  Only full-dues paying members are eligible to vote.  If you’re not a full-dues-paying member and would like to become one, please fill out the attached ACE Dues Membership form and return it to my attention, santiagoshawna@fhda.edu
 

ACE voting at large for the following position:

Candidate for President: Chris White

            Candidate Statement: “My name is Chris White and I would like to ask for your support in re-electing me as president of ACE.  Over the past two years I have learned a lot about what ACE – its members and the organization – want and need and I have worked diligently to address them to the best of my ability. My reasons for serving remain unchanged from my first candidacy, to strengthen our contract and to strengthen the unity of our membership. 
 
A few of the ways I have done this during my tenure,:
  • Launched a classification study to better align job descriptions with the current roles and responsibilities of classified employees, develop career ladders where appropriate, and conduct a market analysis of compensation in similar or like jobs in other districts. As we move into more challenging budget times this work will prove critical if reductions need to be made.
  • Worked with our negotiations team to strengthen our Agreement with new opportunities for classified members to transfer or work out of class before positions are opened to external candidates, increased adjustments on the salary scale and reduced the time to advance between step 6 and step 7, added a paid holiday and increased funding for benefits just to name a few.
  • Increased member communication through a monthly newsletter, added a review of topics as they relate to our Agreement at monthly site meetings, and partnered with the Professional Development Office at De Anza to provide training around Professional Growth Awards (PGAs), educational assistance, staff development leave, and travel and conference funding to help our members better take advantage of these negotiated benefits.
  • Instituted training for stewards, negotiators and board members – ongoing and as-needed – to ensure they have the skills, knowledge and resources to make them effective advocates for our members and the organization.
           But there is more work to do, including:
  • Complete the classification study, which still includes a compensation study and addressing the affect on seniority, reclassification, and career growth. 
  • Address district and college budget reduction plans, including the use of temporary and student employees, as they relate to ACE and our members.
  • Mentor new ACE leadership to take the reigns when current officers retire or move on to new opportunities so as an organization we maintain our greatest strength, our independence.
Serving as ACE President over these past two years has been the most challenging and, more importantly, the most rewarding endeavor in my career. I honestly believe together we are stronger and look forward to working with you on our future challenges.  I hope you will vote for me for President. “
In unity,
Chris White
 
ACE voting for the following candidates is specific to your location.  For example, if you work for De Anza, you will only vote for De Anza officers. 

De Anza

Candidate for De Anza Vice President: Precious Gerardo
Candidate Statement: “My name is Precious Gerardo and I am the Facilities and Equipment Assistant for the Physical Education and Athletics Department. I have only been full time for 1 year, but I have been working at De Anza for the last 3 years. I am offering my experience and talents to represent De Anza classified staff within our Union Organization as Vice President.
I know my time here at De Anza is nothing compared to the many of you who have given your lives to the mission and students of De Anza. However, thanks to the many relationships I built with my colleagues I feel I can represent classified staff moving forward. I understand De Anza has a strong sense of tradition, but also a desire to be innovative and at the top of every list. It is important to update our policies and contracts, while at the same time protect the traditions, benefits, and Spirit that brought us all to De Anza.
I would appreciate your vote for me, Precious Gerardo, to serve De Anza Classified Staff as Vice President on the Association of Classified Employees (ACE).”

Candidate for De Anza Board Member: Keri Kirkpatric
Candidate Statement: “I have served on the ACE board since 2011. During my time on the board, I have learned a great deal about collective bargaining and workers’ rights, as well as our District and the community of Classified Professionals who are served by the Union. I believe that we are lucky in this District to have a strong, independent union that looks out for our best interests, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving as a Board Member representing De Anza.”


Central Services

Candidate for Central Services Vice-President: William Baldwin
           Candidate Statement: “Hi — I’m Bill Baldwin from ETS, and I’m running for re-election as ACE VP of Central Services.  I have served a term as VP, and previous terms as De Anza and Central Services Chief Steward, and I intend to build on that experience.
As VP I have the responsibility of appointing ACE representatives to hiring committees.  I would like to improve that process.  This is a great opportunity to work towards Professional Growth Awards, and I’d like to make that more widely known.  I’d also like to reassure potential representatives as far as the time and commitment required to serve as an ACE rep.  It is usually quite modest; I’d like you to consider serving on a hiring committee this coming year.
I also represent ACE on the District Diversity and Equity Advisory Committee (DDEAC), which meets jointly with the HR Advisory Committee (HRAC).  In this capacity I would like to encourage you to consider training to serve as an Equal Opportunity representative on Hiring Committees.  We can all tackle equity together, eh <smile>?
I take my commitment to diversity and equity seriously, and I welcome your feedback and thoughts on the current environment at Foothill-De Anza.  I was honored last year to attend the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE).  There I participated in workshops on diversity issues and met education professionals from all over the country who are dedicated to improving opportunities in higher education.
I look forward to continuing this work if you elect me for another term as ACE Central Services VP.
Thank you!”

Foothill

Candidate for Foothill Chief Steward: Art Hand
           
            Candidate Statement: “I have been volunteering to serve in this role for a long time. I continue for several reasons: one, I can remember the job description, which is simply, “to represent the workers to management.” Of the two jobs–the one they pay me to do, Library Technician, Sr., and the one I volunteer to do; Chief Steward, Foothill, it is the second that I continue to find challenging, and sometimes even rewarding. Rewarding in the sense that sometimes there’s evidence that my involvement in a situation has been to the benefit of my coworker or coworkers. That’s satisfying, and is a big part of why I continue. If I’m elected (again), I will serve. If someone else should run, and is elected, I will volunteer my services as a steward, and support that person as best I can.”

 
Candidate for Foothill Board Member: Christine Mangiameli
 
            Candidate Statement: “I have really enjoyed being Foothill’s Ace Board Member and ask that you vote for me again.  I continue to participate in the VEBA Board, and may be President this coming year (the vote has not taken place yet).  Work on the ACE Board is important for all classified employees, and I actively keep my ears open to all changes that affect our workplace and positions.   It would be an honor to continue to represent Foothill Classified Staff.  Please give me your vote.
Christine Mangiameli”