Here is the text of the Amendment to the 2009-2010 Preliminary Budget that passed by a 5-1 vote (without revision) at last night’s board meeting.  My utmost gratitude goes to the Chancellor and fellow board members who voted for this measure: President Milton Marks, Dr. Anita Grier and John Rizzo.  A special thanks to Trustee Chris Jackson who co-sponsored the Amendment.

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DATE: June 25, 2009
TO:  Board of Trustees
FROM: Steve Ngo, Member of Board of Trustees
Subject: AMENDMENT TO THE TENTATIVE ANNUAL 2009-2010 BUDGET (PRELIMINARY) (B2b) TO REDUCE ADMINISTRATORS’ SALARIES AND RESTORE IMPACTED COURSES SLATED FOR CANCELLATION AND TO REDUCE TRUSTEES’ SALARIES AND PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE E.O.P.S. STUDENT FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SLATED FOR ELIMINATION

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

WHEREAS City College is canceling 800 of its approximately 9,800 classes next school year due to a financial deficit from the state’s $23.4 billion budget gap.   Slated for cancellation are credit and non-credit courses, which would serve thousands of students seeking to learn a trade or skill or to earn credits to transfer to a four-year college or university.

WHEREAS one novel and interesting proposal, according to a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, to restore some of these classes is for individuals from the community to write “a $6,000 check to the Foundation of City College of San Francisco,” and “specify which moribund class they want to sponsor and have their name attached to the course.”

WHEREAS these cancelled classes in the Fall 2009 term include the following: six among English 90, 92, 93 and 96; four among the English 1A, 1B, and 1C; two in Basic Mathematics (Math E3), and; three in Elementary Algebra (Math 840).  These classes are too critical to the mission and very purpose of the College to be left to the haphazard, though much appreciated, generosity of individual donors.

WHEREAS the State of California proposed cuts in the 2009-2010 budget of at least 50 percent among community college programs serving the neediest students, including E.O.P.S. (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services), which provides counseling services, book vouchers and food and transportation assistance to students who are single parents heads of household, formerly incarcerated and former foster care youth.

WHEREAS Chancellor Don Griffin has voluntarily cut his salary by 25 percent and Vice Chancellor Peter Goldstein has voluntarily cut his salary by 6 percent in recognition of and solidarity with the sacrifices of staff and faculty who have not received a cost of living increase in their salaries due to these tough budget times.  This leadership is applauded and honored by this Board of Trustees.

RECOMMENDATION:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The Chancellor shall reduce by 6 percent the salaries of administrators who earn $150,000 a year or more and allocate the savings from that reduction to fund and therefore restore the most impacted courses slated for cancellation in the 2009-10 academic year, estimated to be 30 courses and disproportionately basic skills courses.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: Each member of the Governing Board of Trustees will voluntarily reduce his or her salary 6 percent and allocate the savings from that reduction in sum to restore some funding for the student food and transportation assistance program administered by E.O.P.S. slated for elimination for the 2009-10 academic year, estimated to provide an additional 25 students with this assistance.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The Chancellor shall provide a written report to the Governing Board at the open session meeting following the implementation of this resolution.

City College of San Francisco announces a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking interested and qualified consultants to provide local hiring monitoring services related to construction of the new Chinatown/North Beach Campus in San Francisco, CA. Construction is anticipated to begin in April 2009 and final occupancy by January 2011. The project is targeting a LEED^TM Gold Certification. The RFP package is available and more information may be obtained at here.

RFP copies and questions should be sent via email to khennig@ccsf.edu.  The deadline for response to the RFP is: Thursday, May 14, 2009, 2:00 PM.  It is the policy of the San Francisco Community College District (the District) to ensure full and equal business opportunity for all Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBEs) wishing to do business with the District.  Advertising Dates: April 26, 2009 and May 5, 2009.

BACKGROUND

City College of San Francisco, hereby referred to as the “College”, is soliciting proposal from interested and qualified consultants to assist the District in strengthening enforcement of the good faith local hiring provisions related to the construction of the new Chinatown/North Beach Campus. The project is for two buildings, totaling 200,000 gross square feet, 14-stories and 4-stories, in San Francisco, CA, with a project construction budget of $105,000,000. Construction is anticipated to begin in April 2009 and final occupancy by January 2011. The buildings will contain an auditorium, laboratories, classrooms, faculty and administrative offices. This Community Monitor (CM) shall serve as head of the Local Hiring Oversight Committee (LHOC), meeting once a month, and provide regular reports to the Board of Trustees on progress toward the local hiring goal of 35% on this project.

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work includes but is not limited to the following:

• This Community Monitor (CM) shall serve as chair of the Local Hiring Oversight Committee (LHOC), with members selected by the College Chancellor. The LHOC shall meet no less than once every 30 days for the term of the Project. This committee will regularly advise on the “good faith” hiring efforts and the requirements of the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) regarding the employment of employee(s) or eligible CCSF trainee(s) enrolled and participating in an approved construction training course, as per Section 3(b) of that agreement.

• The CM, along with the LHOC and Joint Administrative Committee, shall ensure all “good faith efforts” are practical, open and transparent.

• The Community Monitor (CM), as committee chair, shall assure the LHOC meets no less than once every 30 days during the project. These meetings shall be open to the public subject to the Brown Act.

• The CM shall provide a report to the College Board of Trustees, every 30 days (according to the Board Meeting Schedule) beginning no later than May 30, 2009, citing outreach activities and progress toward 35% hiring goal, by trade.

• The CM shall frequently meet with community leaders, labor union representatives, Bovis Lend Lease, construction management firms, the Board of Trustees, the LHOC, CCSF staff, and others as required. These meetings typically occur during afternoon and evening hours. The candidate is hereby notified this position involves evening work throughout contract period.

• The CM shall be responsible for providing his/her own vehicle, special equipment, personal computer and related equipment, printer and any clerical support and other goods and supplies necessary to perform services as required by the scope of work.

• The CM shall inspect and verify Contractor’s payroll/hiring documents to ensure they support College’s local hiring goals. This may require a daily presence for independent verification, for approximately 2 years.

• The CM shall submit monthly monitoring and tracking reports with documentation, including step by step procedure documentation of how reports were developed.

• The CM shall facilitate in coordinating outreach activities to targeted local population, for approximately 2 yrs.

• Prior to commencement of work, CM shall work with the Construction Manager, Joint Administrative Committee, LHOC, and the Board of Trustees to develop a Monitoring Plan for the project.

• The initial contract period will be one year, with a one year option to renew, for the estimated two year construction period. Respondents should be available for a two year period.

• There is a proposed incentive payment not to exceed $10,000 if local hiring goal of 35% is reached during contract. Contract payments will be based on milestones.

Minimum Qualifications

Min. 5 yrs/ experience working in construction-related projects.  Bi-lingual, preferably in Spanish and/or Chinese-languages.  Thorough knowledge of local labor and construction markets.  Flexible schedule to accommodate frequent evening/weekend meetings.

Desirable Qualifications

Fluent in Spanish and/or Chinese languages or have access to staff members who are.  Demonstrated experience with similar outreach efforts, providing evidence of community relations work.  Bay Area (California) based.  Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE).

To be eligible for a professional services contract award, each consultant must agree to comply with the requirements of the SLBE Program authorized by the San Francisco Community College District, (SFCCD) Board of Trustees, Resolution No. 010426-P1, where applicable. The consultant is responsible for, and must comply with, all the details contained in the Resolution and Program Policies, as implemented through these Rules, Regulations and Requirements. See Appendix.

SELECTION SCHEDULE

Submission of Request for Proposal - May 14, 2009; Submittal Review Process - May 15, 2009 to June 10, 2009; Notification to Applicants for Possible interviews - June, 2009; Selection of Consultant - approx. June, 2009.

Here is a quick update on my work on the Board of Trustees.  After three months of work, we passed my first set of resolutions last night, which mainly focused on budgets and jobs:

• A resolution to reduce student textbook costs by as much as $110,000 per year*
• A resolution to address faculty health care options and long-term costs
• A resolution to expand the Second Chance Program, which serves formerly incarcerated students
• A resolution to create and enforce a 35 percent local hiring goal for jobs on the Chinatown/North Beach Campus Project
• A resolution to appoint Hilary Sledge to the San Francisco Community College District’s Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee

I thank my fellow board members for their support on these resolutions, each of which passed unanimously.  I also want to thank College administrators, faculty and staff for their guidance and input.

On the local hiring resolution, a special recognition must go to the leadership and commitment of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, Chinese For Affirmative Action and Friends of Educational Opportunities in Chinatown in fashioning a just and sound approach to the issue.  I also want to especially thank Public Defender Jeff Adachi and the E.O.P.S. office for their support of the Second Chance resolution.

I am honored to be able to work on these issues and believe they will make a difference in people’s lives and in the ability of this wonderful institution to pursue its profound mission.

Thanks for all of your support and please let me know if you have any questions or input.

Steve

*with amendments

Welcome to the new version of the website!  I want to thank — again — Charmaine Chan for setting up the site.  The photographs are compliments of Mona T. Brooks, another extraordinary artist.  I’m very lucky to call them friends and to have their generosity of time and talent!