(a) The Legislature finds and declares that, in the state’s community college system, teaching constitutes a greater share of the faculty workload, as compared to the California State University or the University of California systems. California’s community college system requires that a faculty member hold, as a basic qualification, a master’s degree. Furthermore, the community college system uses a different professional review process, as compared to the California State University or the University of California systems.

(b) The California Postsecondary Education Commission shall conduct a comprehensive study of the California Community College system’s part-time faculty employment, salary, and compensation patterns as they relate to full-time community college faculty with similar education credentials and work experience. The study shall include a representative sample of urban, rural, and suburban community colleges in California and shall also refer to similarly situated community colleges in other states.

(c) The study specified in subdivision (b) shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the addressing of policy options available to achieve pay equity between community college part-time faculty and full-time faculty and shall also include both of the following:

(1) A quantitative analysis examining duties and tasks of part-time faculty as compared to full-time faculty. The duties and tasks examined shall include classroom teaching, preparation, office hours, recordkeeping, student evaluations, recommendations, and other professional practices that compare the similarities and differences between a part-time and full-time faculty position. This quantitative analysis shall also include both of the following:

(A) An examination of whether part-time faculty salaries vary significantly among community colleges and the factors that are associated with any salary differential.

(B) Data concerning the salary compensation pattern for part-time community college faculty in California and in similarly situated community colleges in other states, and the disparity between part-time and full-time compensation for the equivalent education and experience.

(2) An identification of specific policy and fiscal recommendations that would enable the California Community Colleges to achieve a compensation schedule that achieves pay equity for part-time faculty.

(d) The California Postsecondary Education Commission shall, in conducting the study required by this section, consult various representatives of the education community, including the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, community college faculty groups, and other interested parties.

(e) Notwithstanding Section 7550.5 of the Government Code, the California Postsecondary Education Commission shall release the preliminary findings of the study required by this section to the Legislature and the Governor, on or before March 31, 2000, and shall transmit the study to the Legislature and the Governor on or before July 1, 2000.

(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that funding for conducting the study required by this section shall be made available through an appropriation, either in future legislation or in the annual Budget Act, in an amount of up to one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000).

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 738, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2000.)