The Board of Trustees meeting was interrupted last Wednesday, when members of the Cerritos College Faculty Federation walked in demanding that negotiations be settled.

“Negotiations have been going on for 20 months now,” CCFF President David Fabish said, “and it is proceeding (very) slow.”

As the union was leaving the focus went to the discussion of a new software system and the master plan of renovation of the college campus.

Fabish added that the Union and its members are not asking for money, and that the Board of Trustees has “threatened” CCFF “with an impasse.”

Robin Hubert, CCFF secretary, agreed.

“The union stands strong in its position,” Hubert said.

He added that the negotiations should be a “give and take.”

Before leaving Fabish left a petition poster that was signed by the Cerritos College faculty and union.

Another faculty member was at the meeting with his own proposal.

M.L. Bettino, reading instructor, presented his proposal for TalonNet.

TalonNet (also known as Sakai) is, “A system that will provide announcements, calendar, and allow students to view the course syllabus,” he said.

“Cerritos College is the leader in technology, with innovative faculty,” Bettino explained, “and this program is just another different tools for the students.”

Students will access Sakai through the myCerritos website.

There, students will access the website with their student number and password.

“The Sakai link with be on the website where students will be provided with assignments, discussion boards, learning modules, on-line tests, archives, in case students miss a class and more,” Bettino added.

Students were open to the idea of the new system.

“I would give it a chance to see how it all works out,” David Gonzalez, nursing major said, “as long as it doesn’t affect the student registration.

Stacy Neacato, music major, says that it sounds like a good idea.

“I’m just wondering how different it would be from the PeopleSoft system.”

ASCC President Paulo Amaral, felt good about the software, despite the fact that he will not be at Cerritos when the software will be available in 2006.

“I’m very impressed with what the system has to offer.”

Cerritos College faculty has had a chance to work with the Sakai system.

Sherry Perkins, court reporting instructor, said, “I am excited and can’t wait and for the faculty and the students to use it.”

The Board then brought attention to the wrecking balls on campus. With the recent earthquake plan to help the college deal with a natural disaster, the campus will soon have a new Math and Science building where the Lecture Hall once stood.

The estimated date for the completion of the renovations is 2012.

As Amaral listened to the stages of renovation that are taking place, he was very pleased with the work.

“Cerritos College is a wonderful campus,” he said, “and my hope is that with the countless hours that the representatives and architects have put into this plan, that the students will see the work being done.”