Why Delta College professors boycotted 89th annual commencement ceremony in Stockton

Professors were absent from San Joaquin Delta College's graduation at Adventist Health Arena on Thursday night as faculty members boycotted the ceremony due to stalled contract negotiations with the college district.

Since November, the San Joaquin Delta College Teachers Association (SJDCTA) has been negotiating with the college district for a new contract. The current contract is set to expire on June 30.

"I just want our students to know that the decision to boycott commencement was not something that we took lightly, and it is not a reflection on them," said Becky Plaza, a professor and president of Academic Senate. "We're really heartbroken that we cannot be there to support them tonight, but hopefully this emphasizes that you cannot put students first if you continue to put faculty last."

The teachers association said the goal is to have an agreement in place by the time the current contract expires, Plaza said.

When reached for comment, Alex Breitler, Delta College's director of marketing and communications, said school leaders generally do not comment on ongoing contract negotiations.

"Tonight we remain focused on celebrating the accomplishments of approximately 1,000 students who are expected to participate in our 89th annual commencement ceremony," Breitler said. "Our students inspire us every day and we commend them for all that they have achieved."

Recent offer a 'slap in the face'

Among the union's top concerns are "fair compensation to account for both inflation and the heavy workload faculty assume to support their students and their college," according to Plaza.

"Over the past few years, there's been a number of initiatives from the state. There's been a number of grants we've been rewarded that require extra work that doesn't always have compensation for the extra work," Plaza said.

While Plaza said the union would not go into specifics about numbers, professors described the college district's recent offer as "insulting" and a "slap in the face."

"I know the money issue was something administration didn't want to discuss until recently, so when we got the news about what they were offering, we were just shocked and it kind of pinned us into a corner," Plaza said.

She emphasized that professors did not want to boycott graduation, but felt like it was necessary in order for their message to be heard.

"This is the last thing we wanted to do because this is our happiest day of the year. We get to see the fruits of our labor and our students being successful, and walking across that stage," Plaza said. "It's such a magical night, but we felt like this was the only way to really get the attention. We're really feeling like the district thinks the faculty are worth less than zero at this point."

Elizabeth Maloney, president of the teachers association, said that professors are committed to their students and their college, but need an administration that respects and values their contributions.

"It's time for meaningful dialogue around real numbers, so we can make real progress," Maloney said.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Why Delta College professors boycotted commencement ceremony in Stockton