Supervisors Vote to Fund Restoration of 300 Cancelled Classes!
On Tuesday, SF Supervisors voted 7 to 4 in favor of Supervisor Shamann Walton’s proposal to allocate a $2.7M budget supplemental for City College to restore the classes cut from the Spring and Summer 2020 schedules. The supervisors will take one final vote on the measure next week. After that, the choice to spend the $2.7M will be in the Mayor’s hands.
Next up: Please join us this Friday from 9:30-11:30am at City Hall for a rally and special hearing of the Board of Supervisors’ Joint Education Committee at 10am in room 250. PLEASE RSVP
A Fully Funded Future
This supplemental is great news, but we also know that it is a temporary fix. We must stabilize our college by making sure that it is funded fully and permanently. AFT 2121 is pursuing two crucial paths to this goal:
1) Schools and Communities First is a statewide measure that would force corporations to pay their fair share of property taxes, bringing in $12 billion annually, with an estimated $20 million annually coming to our City College! We need all AFT 2121 members to sign! Look for our Schools and Communities First tables on every campus in February!
2) The Community Higher Education Fund (CHEF) is a local initiative that AFT 2121 plans to bring to the November ballot. We are working with Supervisor Gordon Mar, our Trustees, students, other unions, and community groups to bridge the $50M gap between the funding we get from the state and the actual cost of operating a thriving community college with a rich, diverse curriculum and citywide access for all San Franciscans. Stay tuned for a major CHEF announcement this Spring!
Public Hearing on the Effects of City College Class Cuts
In response to the recent cuts, Supervisor Walton has also called for a special hearing this Friday of the Board of Supervisors’ Joint Education Committee. The hearing will focus on how low income students and students of color have been impacted by the ongoing downsizing of their college.
Chancellor Rocha has claimed that narrowing class offerings helps students of color by directing funds toward classes they need for graduation or transfer. But the recent class cuts have decimated programs that close equity gaps, such as African American Studies, Philippine Studies, Women and Gender Studies and more.
Please join us for a rally at 9:30 before the hearing. At 10:00am, we will pack the room to hear students, community leaders, and faculty speak about the real impact of these class cuts on our city, including the loss of important educational opportunities, the decimation of crucial programs like African American Studies, the lack of access to classes in underserved neighborhoods, and the hardships these cuts have created for students trying to reach their goals at City College.
FRIDAY, 1/31, City Hall
9:30am, Polks St. steps: Rally
10-11:30am, room 250: Public comment to the Joint Education Committee
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