Welcome to The CPFA Blog
We’ve collected a variety of original news stories and analyses for your perusing, which focus on education in California, part-time faculty and/or unions in academia that have broad national appeal. As might be expected, we take special interest in social justice issues that slip under the radar of the mainstream media.
Please see our Submit Content to the CPFA Blog to add your voice to the growing chorus calling for equity for part-time faculty in higher education.
Letter of Support for AB 1028: Identifying Potential Risks
Assembly Member Mike Fong introduced a two-year bill, AB 1028 (sponsored by CFT), in February, and CPFA welcomes his support for community college part-time faculty. By submitting this bill, Fong helps maintain focus on our dire circumstances in Sacramento. His effort is another example of educating legislators about the urgent ...
A Historic Victory: Repealing the Unjust WEP & GPO
By Susan Dixon, President California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA) The journey to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) has been arduous and fraught with challenges. Yet, the dedication and perseverance of many advocates culminated in a monumental success with the signing of H.R. 82 ...
CPFA Endorses a One-Tier System in the California Community Colleges
By Carol Whaley, CPFA Director of Publications, and members of the CPFA One-tier Committee CPFA is working to achieve a basic democratic principle: Equality. CPFA seeks to eliminate the inequality faced by part-time faculty when compared to their full-time colleagues by establishing a One-Tier System in the California Community Colleges ...
Tackling Opposition to the One-tier Vision
By Kristie Iwamoto, CPFA Northern Regional Representative Part-time parity…raising the cap…it seems like every organization and union in California has their own idea about what will make part-time faculty “more equal” to full-time faculty. Legislatively, these movements have been stopped, some by the Governor himself. Now, all of these organizations ...
2025 Chair’s Report
By John Martin, CPFA Chair Since Governor Newsom’s veto on our bill, AB 2277 last September, CPFA fell into a bit of a funk—at least I did. But we’re pushing forward now with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Our legislative efforts resumed in late fall, with CPFA’s Legislative ...
2025 Virtual CPFA Conference Program
CPFA: Past, Present & Future Saturday, May 10, 2025: 10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. On Zoom Registration is required, but free and open to all part-time faculty and allies! Register Now! 10:00 am Welcome & Introduction of newly elected and continuing Executive Council
CPFA Chair John Martin 10:15 am Keynote Address: ...
CPFA Chair John Martin 10:15 am Keynote Address: ...
Recent Rulings in Two Lawsuits Regarding Part-time Pay
Judges recently issued strong rulings in two class action lawsuits, one against Long Beach Community College District and the other against 11 Community College Districts and the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. The cases allege that part-time faculty are illegally required to do unpaid work outside the classroom such ...
Notes on the Adjunct Life – Part 1
By James Callahan, Academia.edu, Notes on the Adjunct Life - Part 1 The much-maligned plight of adjuncts is a story of lies and exploitation... and a story adjuncts insist they must believe. This first installment of my experience as an adjunct for almost 20 years introduces OUR problem - the ...
Election Time: CPFA Executive Council
Hello Valued Members of CPFA, It is that time of year again! Nominations for the CPFA Executive Council (EC) positions, listed below are now open to members in good standing. Nominations will be accepted from March 24 through April 11th. Candidate statements will be published on our website, CPFA.org, on ...
L.A. Judge: Community college adjuncts are entitled to pay for grading, planning and office hours
EDSOURCE News Brief for Friday, February 21, 2025 by Thomas Peele A state Superior Court judge in Los Angeles County has ruled in a lawsuit that part-time professors in the Long Beach Community College District should be paid for work they do outside the classroom such as preparing lectures, grading ...
Governor’s Veto of AB 2277: A Missed Opportunity Based on Speculative Costs
By Scott Douglas, CPFA SoCal Regional Representative In September 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 2277, which proposed increasing part-time faculty workloads in California Community Colleges from 67% to up to 85% of the full-time faculty load. Newsom’s veto was based on concerns about "potentially significant costs," which seem ...
The One-Tier Concept for Advancing Student Success and Achieving Faculty Equality
By Cynthia Mahabir, Laney College | Originally published in FACCCTS, Fall 2024 The Problem There’s a fundamental weakness in our California Community College system that impairs student success. Fortunately, there’s also a prospective solution. At the core of these harms is student success. The problem is the two-tier division of ...
COCAL XV Examines the Issues Confronting Contingent Faculty
by David Milroy The Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor (COCAL) is a network of North American union activists who have worked for over 30 years to defend higher education rights and improve work conditions for contingent academic labor by bringing together activists from numerous unions across the United States, Mexico, ...
Fair Retirement Benefits for Adjunct Instructors in California
By Caleb Castaneda Many CalSTRS Retirees who were career adjunct instructors in California’s Community College system continue to report that their pension benefits are insufficient to even pay for rent in their area. It is easy to see why this is. Since CalSTRS benefits are based primarily on two factors ...
