Contract Ratification

Good Evening.  I am Dr. Mary Hope Griffin, and I am in my 19th year as an adjunct faculty member here at Oakton.  I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Humanities and Philosophy, and it is my great honor to be President of the Adjunct Faculty Association, giving voice to the concerns of our nearly 500 adjunct faculty members here at Oakton.  

Adjunct faculty teach well over half the courses offered at Oakton, but the costs associated with our salaries are often less than the costs for simply paying overload to FT faculty.  And this is despite the fact that adjunct faculty at the top of the salary schedule at Oakton are among the highest paid in the state and our starting salaries are in the middle of our peer institutions.  To put this in perspective, I am at the very top of our salary schedule, and if I taught as much as I am allowed to in the fall and spring, my pay would be approximately three quarters of the salary earned by a newly hired FT faculty member in Lane A. And, I receive no health insurance benefits.  The imbalance in compensation is due to the community college business model which relies on being able to hire part-time faculty at considerably lower rates of pay.  What it overlooks is that we aren’t just filling in the gaps, we are the backbone of the teaching staff at Oakton and many community colleges.

We recognize that the economics of community colleges are complicated and changing this model will require sustained incremental efforts.  This contract represents a step in the right direction, especially for our most experienced adjunct faculty.  This contract also represents collaborative efforts from across the college administration and a willingness to listen deeply to our concerns and to treat adjunct faculty with respect.  It was a pleasure to work with the college’s team to negotiate a contract that our members overwhelmingly ratified.  

In the next four years, we urge the board of trustees to find creative solutions to help make the current business model more just.  Partner with other community college boards to re-think how adjunct faculty are compensated.  Continue to lobby our legislators for increased funding to allow budgetary models that will accommodate better wages.  Adjunct faculty choose to teach at Oakton because of our students, our working conditions, and the college’s earnest commitment to creating just and thriving communities. Together let’s engage in brave conversations that lead to more just compensation and dignity for all adjunct faculty.  Thank you.

Under Enrolled Headcount Petition Procedure