President’s Message Thank you to Classified Senate and volunteers for organizing Classified Professional Development Day. It’s the only day at the district dedicated to offering professional development specifically tailored to our members. This day does not happen without employees stepping into leadership positions, developing workshops, and helping with logistics. Is there a workshop you’d like ACE to offer in the future? Consider pairing with another member to create a presentation – chances are if you have the question/interest, someone else does too.
There is another opportunity for similar workshops on District Opening Day. If you participated in a workshop or assisted in organizing the event, be sure to track those hours for your next Professional Growth Award.
SRP Approved The FHDA Board of Trustees approved their district-wide Supplemental Retirement Program offer which includes the following participants by group:
The initial response we’ve received from executive management is that all but two positions will be rehired permanently. Managers are currently arranging working out of class assignments, temporary employees to backfill vacancies, and hiring committees. If you are interested in working out of class, consider approaching a manager directly. Many WOC arrangements are established by employees coming forward expressing interest – “Hey, I heard there may be a vacancy in your department and I’d like the opportunity to work out of class. Please connect with me to see if we can make something happen soon.”
In addition there will be many hiring committees and we need members to complete EEO training to be a part of them – please see upcoming training dates (LINK)
Committees cannot move forward without a (1)hiring manager, (2)equal opportunity rep*, and (3)union rep* (*from outside the reporting structure).
As the union rep you help protect against bias against internal applicants, like:
“We can’t take Judy’s admin for this position – they’d be so mad at me, even though Linda is great.”
“I don’t think Martha is going to commute from Morgan Hill – we shouldn’t select them.”
“I heard Lee is an ACE member – I don’t want a strong union person.”
“Fred has been a Program Coordinator I for so long in the DRC at Foothill, I don’t think they could make it at De Anza as a PC II.”
Look for email communication from Alan, Lisa, and Phuong (ACE VPs). Your colleagues need these positions filled.
TEA Grievance On March 12th ACE filed a grievance against the District for violating Article 4 Temporary Work. The District and Colleges have continued to employ temporary employees to perform ongoing work that falls within our bargaining unit. We’re awaiting a response and will share more information by mid-April.
Travel & Conference Changes As part of our 2025-26 Agreement changes were established to the process for Travel & Conference approvals. Forms are now sent to @Christine Hsu in HR and feel free to cc a committee member:
The limit per academic year has been increased to $2,000 per member.
Reimbursement requests are sent to @Accounts Payable within 90 days of returning from your event.
De Anza President Leave We wish Omar the best during his absence. We’re continuing to follow-up with ongoing campus issues with administrators who remain and raising concerns to executive administrators at the District. Ultimately our hope is that if any member is facing a similar personal situation (1)it is given the same level of care and (2)confidentiality.
I (Scott) am the ACE representative on the interim search committee, which may impact my meeting availability next week. Site meetings will likely be led by ACE Vice Presidents, the Chair of Negotiations, and our attorney. In addition, I’m on leave April 13 thru 15 (tentatively) and today I’m trying to take a recovery day following a collision last weekend between me on my bicycle and a driver in a SUV. Luckily I came away with just bruises and scrapes – it happened at low speed, but I should set a good example and take some time off.
What details did I miss in this message? What topics do you want to discuss at a site meeting? Fill up our inboxes. Reach out to a steward if you have any questions:
President’s Message Thank you to our ACE Vice Presidents (Alan Nguyen, Lisa Ly, and Phuong Tran) for work on our latest site meetings, plus Helen Graves and Stacey Carrasco for sharing Professional Growth Award information with members. Updated PGA documents are available on our website – https://acefhda.org/forms/ – and the presentation will occur again on Classified Professional Development Day.
This Friday (2/6) and next Friday (2/13) I’ll be unavailable while on sick leave. Please contact a steward or representative – https://acefhda.org/executive-board/executive-board-members/ – we are fortunate to have a dedicated team of colleagues who are equally capable and enthusiastic about meeting the needs of members.
Our attorney, @Anthony Booth, is also available directly if you have a serious concern or question.
… and don’t forget to floss regularly.
Feb 2nd Board of Trustees Meeting Resolution The Board of Trustees voted to approve resolution no. 2026-06 titled “Prohibiting the Use of District Facilities for Federal Immigration Enforcement” (LINK), which includes the following language:
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that District-owned or District-controlled facilities, including parking lots, garages, and open spaces, are for the sole purpose of conducting Foothill-De Anza Community College District business, which does not include civil immigration enforcement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that District employees who become aware of any attempt to use District facilities for civil immigration enforcement purposes must report it immediately to the College President’s Office, the District Chancellor’s Office, and to the District Police Department.
This was developed by the District in response to recent activity at Santa Barbara Community College (LINK) and in advance of potential increased enforcement surrounding “Superb Owl” activities. Efforts to ease anxiety in our workplace and among our surrounding community are appreciated. Neighboring cities like San Jose and Santa Clara have recently passed similar resolutions.
Sick Leave Donation Response 💖 The outpouring of support and quick response to a member request for sick leave donation was touching to collect. The maximum allowance of sick leave was collected, and we wish Teresa a speedy recovery.
Preferred Name Use Human Resources and the Board of Trustees were made aware of the following legal analysis by Anothony Booth being provided to Human Resources:
California law allows employees to use a name at work that’s different from their legal name, and employers are required to respect an employee’s preferred name. There’s case law backing this up as well; courts have recognized that a person can use any name they’re known by, including in professional settings, (see Cabrera v. McMullen, 204 Cal. App. 3d 1, In re Ritchie, 159 Cal. App. 3d 1070).
Also, California requires employers to respect an employee’s preferred name, gender, and pronouns, including gender-neutral pronouns, unless the use of the legal name is necessary to meet a legally mandated obligation. If an employer fails to abide by an employee’s stated preferences it may be held liable under anti-discrimination laws. § 11034. Terms, Conditions, and Privileges of Employment, California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).
Reach out to human resources staff if you would like to use a preferred professional public-facing first or last name other than your legal name. Internally for benefits, payroll, and human resources a legal name is required, but email addresses, business cards, name tags, and websites should all be capable of displaying a preferred name.
Substitute/Short-term Employees
The District and both Colleges have traditionally had a loose interpretation or completely ignored our CBA(LINK) and Ed Code 88003(LINK). Roughly temporary employees can be used in the following situations:
“Substitute”
Backfill an absence.
Backfill a vacancy up to 90 days (can be extended with mutual agreement).
“Short term”
Note: Prior to hiring, board approval is required + description of duties (special project or assignment) + ending date of service.
Work on a special project/assignment upon completion, the service required or similar services will not be extended or needed on a continuing basis.
Seasonal work = Not more than 6 weeks.
Intermittent work = Not more than 45 days.
Allied Health assistant work.
“Student”
Cannot displace classified staff – intended to be assistants, not to be left to operate departments unattended. (We likely need a board policy(BP) on student employment – does not appear on HR Board Report)
T3 – Short-Term Special Project: Used for one-time, non-recurring projects that are not needed on a continuing basis. Assignments must have a defined scope and end date and require Governing Board approval prior to employment. Special projects may span multiple fiscal years provided the employee does not work seventy-five percent (75%) or more of the college year in any given year. A single requisition and Board approval may cover a multi-year special project, provided the project scope and end date are clearly defined. Departments are responsible for monitoring workdays to ensure the employee does not exceed seventy-five percent (75%) of the college year in any given year. Example: system implementation, grant setup
On the January report, what is special about, “Provides a variety of office support for an assigned program, department, or division, which may include word processing, data entry and organization, telephone and counter reception, document processing, mail processing, record keeping, and filing; provides information and assistance to students, faculty, staff, and the general public; and performs related duties as assigned.”?
When does that work end?
How is it not needed on a continuing basis?
Doesn’t that look like an ACE classification?
T7 – Short-Term Seasonal: Used for seasonal work that occurs during defined periods within a college year and is not needed year-round. Seasonal assignments may recur in successive years for the same type of work, provided the assignment remains seasonal in nature and complies with the seventy-five percent (75%) rule. Board approval is required prior to employment. Each seasonal period constitutes a separate short-term assignment and requires an approved requisition and Governing Board approval prior to the start of work for that season. Example: athletic season assistants, enrollment surge support
Similarly on the February report there are two people who look as though they are fulfilling the role of our Laboratory Technician, Photography (LINK) description…
Grievance timelines are on hold while awaiting a response from Human Resources clarifying the appropriateness of the temporary employees who appear as though they are sitting in positions which would fall within an ACE classification. This report regularly appears late on a Thursday or Friday prior to Monday night’s meeting. It’s a repeated pain point which is contributing to a twitch in my eye.
(Expect an additional upcoming rant about the importance of scrutinizing these HR Reports as part of a future update.)
FHDA CCD Students & Staff 5% Off Grocery Discount Program Active
As part of an effort to solicit benefits for union members, we reached out to Safeway about their “students & staff discount program” and now the benefit is there for everyone though the Safeway phone app and/or their website. Below are screenshots of the original sign at a local store for Santa Clara University and a walk-through of how to sign up:
“To take advantage of these discounts, please advise the eligible individuals to log in to their Safeway accounts via website or the mobile app and navigate to: My Account > Member > Profile & Preferences > Discount Programs”.
Upload a photo of a current employee id card. Members may receive an automated approval within as little as 20 minutes.
Employer 👏 of 👏 choice 👏 – our union delivers 😎✊
Staff with .edu email accounts may be eligible for additional “teacher” discounts here (LINK) but once per quarter we can likely commit an hour to pester a business supplying a basic need or utility for a discount.
Currently another active discount we’re aware of is through T-Mobile (LINK).
Comments: I work for Foothill-De Anza Community College District and would like to know how to establish a student and staff discount at Safeway locations near the two colleges. I also represent the staff as union president – see acefhda.org – let me know how we would enroll in a program similar to Santa Clara University, Stanford, and UCSF.
Albertson’s Corporate’s response:
Hello Scott,
Thank you for reaching out to us. I hope this message finds you well.
I understand that you are interested in establishing a student and staff discount program for Safeway locations near the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. After reviewing our records, it appears that the Foothill-De Anza Community College District is already included among the institutions eligible for student and staff discounts.
To take advantage of these discounts, please advise the eligible individuals to log in to their Safeway accounts via website or the mobile app and navigate to: My Account > Member > Profile & Preferences > Discount Programs.
If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for shopping at Albertsons!
Lester Customer Support Team 23702381
Sometimes all you have to do is ask 🤷 the worst they can say is, “no.”
Retro COLA + Longevity February EOM (End of Month) HR confirmed that 5 months (July thru November) of our negotiated 3% salary increase + longevity increase will be included in February EOM paychecks and in March mid-month paychecks. Thank you again to our negotiations team. Anticipate more activity in February as we begin the process of determining which articles to open for the next round. Articles 8 (Pay) and 18 (Benefits) are always opened along with two additional articles based on the will of the membership. The District also gets the opportunity to open two articles.
Board of Trustees Meeting “Temporary” Employees ACE alerted the Board of Trustees that District practices were once again violating Ed Code 88003.(c) (LINK) by employing short-term employees prior to a regularly scheduled board meeting and their service being needed on a continuing bases. Currently we’re waiting for HR to report back on the specifics of that work as part of an informal meeting in the first step of the grievance process.
Staff Development Leave Update For this year’s group of applicants, signatures are due by January 31st – and HR should have reached out to you if they have not been received.
For past year’s group(s) of applicants, reports are due – and HR should be reaching out if they have not been received:
After reviewing the report, the Classified Staff Development Leave Committee shall either approve the report or request further information from the worker. If, after requesting further information from the worker the Classified Staff Development Leave Committee is unable to establish that the worker satisfied the conditions of the leave, the committee may, if it determines it is appropriate, after considering possible mitigating circumstances, recommend to the Associate Vice Chancellor, Human Resources that the worker be required to compensate the District for the expense of the leave. The decision of the committee may be reviewed by the Chancellor at the request of the worker.
It was explained by the committee that due to HR turnover there hasn’t been an Associate Vice Chancellor that has requested these reports as a part of the usual HR process. Look for emails from Tony Brown or Christine Hsu.
Central Services Board Member Appointed – Victoria Dinh 👏 Thank you to @Victoria Dinh for joining the ACE Executive Board on behalf of Central Services members. Victoria has been with the District for 10 years and is located in the Foundation Office.
Bill Rawlings Nominated to California Community Colleges Board of Governors About the BOG (LINK):
The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges provides leadership and policy for the largest system of higher education in the nation. Some of its responsibilities include adopting Title 5 regulations, providing strategic guidance through initiatives like the Vision 2030 framework, overseeing the Chancellor’s Office, and allocating funding and grants to the 73 districts and 116 colleges that make up the California Community Colleges.
As outlined in Education Code 71000, the Board consists of 18 members: 12 public members (two of whom must be trustees), the Lieutenant Governor, two faculty members, two students, and one classified employee.
The classified employee role serves as an independent representative of the classified employee perspective (Education Code 71003). This position is nominated by exclusive representatives of classified employees (Education Code 71000(d))
About Bill:
During my tenure on the Board of Governors, I have worked tirelessly to advocate for classified employees while maintaining the independence necessary to fulfill my statutory responsibilities. Highlights of my work include:
Leadership: I am the first classified employee to serve as Vice President of the Board of Governors, a position to which I have been unanimously elected twice by my colleagues. I am also the first classified employee to have served as Chair of the California Workforce Pathways Joint Advisory Committee, which facilitates the implementation and alignment of Career Technical Education programs across California’s TK-12 schools and community colleges.
Advocacy: I successfully worked to protect classified jobs in Title 5 regulation changes, strengthened classified representation Chancellor’s Office participatory governance committees, and ensured that technological changes would be focused on enhancing our work, not replacing our work.
Collaboration: I have consistently engaged with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure classified employees’ perspectives were represented in decisions affecting funding formulas, AI policies, and collective bargaining concerns.
Given the importance of maintaining this seat as an independent voice for all classified employees, I respectfully request that the Association of Classified Employees consider submitting my name as a nominee for the Governor’s consideration. Your support would help ensure that classified employees continue to have a strong, independent advocate on the Board of Governors.
This is our first time participating in the nomination process. We can make it a part of our organizational practice in the future if members are interested in serving in roles at the State. Expect upcoming meetings or townhalls to get information from Bill about how we can amplify our voice as classified employees in policy and decision making.
More to come. Please attend an upcoming site meeting.
