Sun Doesn't Shine on the Board

BY TRACY HELD
Staff Writer

“Held Here” Copyright Tracy Held 2004 held_here@yahoo.com

The Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, a committee created by the Board of Supervisors to increase access to information and government meetings in compliance with the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance, has proposed amendments to the law, including holding City College accountable for the law’s policies.

Currently, City College does not abide by the ordinance, because it is considered a state agency. Instead, City College and other entities are bound by laws that provide similar, but less restrictive policies, including the Brown Act, the California Public Records Act, and provisions in the California Education Code.

These laws require public officials to provide 72 hours notice of meetings, disclose agenda, take comments, and make information available.

Among the recommendations for the November ballot, the Task Force has requested that officers and agents of the City “shall... work to seek commitments to enact public meetings, public information and citizen comment policies” with agencies that work with San Francisco, including City College.

Since 2002, Task Force members have been working with Chancellor Philip R. Day, Jr. and City College representatives to make Board of Trustees meetings and school information more accessible.

In a letter to the San Francisco Bay Guardian last year, Board of Trustees member Julio Ramos wrote, “I support and endorse complete Sunshine at City College of San Francisco… I am often troubled by the lack of transparency and perfunctory public disclosure emanating from City College.”

Dr. Alexandra Nickliss, vice-chair of the task force, also said,”Groups “aren’t being open and are making it difficult to get information.” She said one committee chairperson didn’t provide agendas in advance, and then presented only information that supported proposals that she wanted to pass, limiting opportunities to make public comments.

With advanced notice of agendas, the community can hold decision-makers more accountable by attending meetings and commenting on items. Decisions affecting thousands of students and millions of dollars would go through a more rigorous, and potentially more effective process.

At present, City College and the Board of Education are workingwith the Task Force to determine ways to increase public access.

Students are entitled to have access to information that affects the college, and must also keep an eye on the new policies to make sure their interests are represented.

e-mail: theld@theguardsman.com

Over time, You'll Make Less

BY DIEGO VALDEZ-SANCHEZ
Staff Writer

President Bush and his allies in Congress have enacted new federal regulations, which gives employers the ability to re-classify over 6 million American workers ineligible for overtime pay.

The Bush overtime regulations, revising the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), will negatively affect workers earning between $23,660-$100,000 per year. These federal regulations went into effect August 23, 2004.

I strongly oppose the overtime cuts because they mean longer hours and less pay for millions of workers in a downsizing economy.

Workers can now be reclassified by their employers as professional, administrative or executive employees, which make them ineligible for overtime under the new Federal regulations.

Salaried employees engaged in non-manual labor who make $65,000 or more per year, will almost certainly be exempt and lose their eligibility for overtime pay.

President Bush claims this regulation will expand overtime eligibility and protect workers' rights, yet he will not guarantee that workers who currently have overtime protections will not lose them under the administration's new overtime regulations.

Occupations threatened by the new overtime regulations include nursery school teachers, nurses, chefs, police officers, firefighters, health technicians, and paralegals.

Not only do these new regulations constitute a massive pay cut for working families across the country, but it also hurts an already ailing economy.

Democratic Congressional leaders have vowed to fight Bush's overtime pay grab.

The federal overtime regulations in California only affect those public sector workers who are not covered by the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC).

Many public sector workers are unionized and protected from the overtime changes under their union contract. These federal overtime regulations should not have an effect on many California workers.

According to the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organiza-tions (AFL-CIO), the total number of California workers affected by the Federal overtime regulations is estimated to be more than 1,000,000.

City College students will feel the effects of these overtime changes because of the higher cost of tuition, which has put a burden on many students.

1.3 million will become eligible for overtime under the new regulation because their salary falls below the $425 a week level. Nonetheless more workers are set to lose overtime under the regulations.

Since it will be left in the hands of the Department of Labor (DOL) to implement the new regulations, we will have to wait and see how they will reduce overtime under the FLSA.

COMING IN

Faculty Poll

Should the Board of Trustees fall under the Sunshine Ordinance?

Yes: 90% (9 out of 10)

No: 10% (1 out of 10)

“I think it’s important that there is transparency with the Board of Trustees, I understand closed meetings sometimes, with reasonable excuses, but transparency is what’s important.”

“I would absolutely support an open-door policy, with emphasis.”

ON THE RECORD

Have you ever attended a City College sporting event, and why?

Gavin Grant

“I don’t go to sporting events at City College because I don’t have much interest in sports. I would come if there were more advertising. I never know when the games are anyway.”

Joseph Orbena

“No, I haven’t gone because I don’t really have much information about it. I haven’t really been motivated and no teacher has told me to go.”

Rona Beritic

“This is my first semester here at City College. I have never heard about any sporting events. I probably would not have time to go to it anyway.”

Maria Namdicat

“It’s my first semester here at City College. Yeah, I am interested because I see the football team practicing on the field. I would like to go.”

Rosalind Kwan

“Oh yeah, I have. Three of them, in fact — two football games and a soccer game —the Guardsman made me.”

Larry Williams

“The reason why I haven’t been is because they need to post a sign for the dates of the game.”