The Sacramento State chapter of the California Faculty Association held a meeting with department chairs and faculty members today to give them more details on the tentative contract agreement and where the faculty goes from here.

Lila Jacobs, the Sac State chapter vice president of the CFA, said she is happy the agreement had been reached, but that there is still more work to be done.

“I am not going to rest until the i’s are dotted, the t’s are crossed, and the ink is dry,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs also said just because the teachers’ battle to get a new contract is over, it is important to not forget about the students and their battle against fees being raised.

Cecil Canton, the Sac State chapter president of the CFA, agreed with Jacobs that faculty should remember all of the support that the students had given the teachers during their fight for a new contract.

“It is really important that we do not forget about the students, and this is the best way for us to teach students how to stand up for themselves,” Canton said.

“Can you imagine what would happen if all the students went on strike,” Canton said.

Students are faced with another 10 percent fee hike for the 2007-08 school year. A rally was held in the Library Quad to address that issue today.

Jason Conwell, a CFA representative at Sac State, said there are still some details of the contract agreement to be worked out, but that the pay scale would come from Sac State.

“The formula for pay will largely be based on this campus, because of how organized our chapter of the CFA has been,” Conwell said.

Communications Department Chair Nick Burnett said he was happy the contract was finalized, and that teachers were pleased with the agreement.

“Everyone has got their calculators out,” Burnett said.

Department Chair for Kinesiology and Health Science Fred Baldini moved the meeting in a different direction when he spoke up about his concerns for the future.

“I am down six faculty members from last year, and our biggest issue is going to be hiring new faculty,” Baldini said.

“I think the issue of workload and quality of teaching is very important, and I hope these are issues that the union will address in the future,” Music Department Chair Ernie Hills said.

Canton said he wants to get the Faculty Senate involved with these concerns, not just the union.

Jacobs said she wants to have the chairs of departments to have more of a voice with the administration.

Philip Malan can be reached at [email protected]