The Academic Senate discussed their concerns with being 14 faculty members over this fall’s faculty obligation number (FON), along with plans for requesting new and replacement faculty positions on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

The faculty obligation number is the minimum number of full-time faculty a district must employ each year, determined by the Chancellor’s Office of California Community Colleges. If a district does not meet the FON, they must pay a fine.

The FON for City College dropped from 211 faculty members to 197 in July, resulting in the employment of 14 extra full-time faculty this fall. 

A college’s FON per district is tied to enrollment and funding. The Chancellor’s Office  aims to use the FON to keep a 75 to 25 ratio: 75% full-time faculty instruction at an institution, and 25% adjunct instructors. 

Due to City College’s current budget issues, the excessive number of full-time faculty at the college is less than ideal.

“[Our] budget isn’t built to fund those full-time faculty,” said Erika Endrijonas, superintendent-president of City College. 

According to Endrijonas, City College’s budget concerns in relation to its FON are both financial and political.

The state government prepares the budget for California Community Colleges every year, which directly affects the number of faculty a college may hire, and adequately support financially.

In the midst of faculty preparing their requests for new and replacement faculty for the fall of 2024, the Academic Senate landed on suspending the notice for faculty to propose these requests until further guidance from the superintendent-president regarding the budget. 

Aside from City College’s dilemma with the FON, Interim Vice President of Human Resources Deneatrice Lewis presented the group with the summary of faculty hiring for the 2023-2024 year.

17 out of 24 positions for hire were given, with a demographic of nine male and eight female faculty members. Additionally, about 13 of the new faculty members are of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

The Academic Senate plans to meet again on Wednesday, Oct. 11.