July 2015 Compensation Update from the Faculty Council

Dear Colleagues,

As many of you recall, the DCCFA Welfare and Benefits Committee completed its charge last fall and provided a list of concerns and considerations relative to overall faculty compensation in the DCCCD.  These objectives were approved by the Faculty Council and endorsed by the faculty at the November DCCFA Convention.  The recommendations were:

• Increase minimums for all salary ranges.
• Change policy to allow new faculty to negotiate salary above the maximum of 10%.
• Change policy to allow any adjustment to entry-level salaries to include adjustments for faculty who have been hired prior to the new ranges (new base and vertical movement).
• Adjust salary structure to include more ranges with smaller increments between them or increase the percentages between the increments.
• Create a mechanism for vertical movement within each salary range.
• Reinstate some type of retirement plan that would allow reduced teaching load but encourage senior faculty to transition to retirement while providing the continuity and support needed by recently hired faculty.
• Maintain cost-of-living adjustments.

The Council has engaged in numerous meetings with District administration during the past few months.  Input has been welcomed and considered from all parties as we collaborated on this improved compensation plan.  Everyone agrees that it is critical that we offer beginning salaries that will attract the best faculty and also provide incentives to develop and retain all faculty. 

A revised faculty compensation program was presented to our Board on July 7 which speaks very favorably to a number of our recommendations.  Budget discussions will continue through the next few weeks and, as we all know, Board approval is required for any of these changes to take place.

Considerable efforts have been expended by everyone concerned—both faculty and administration—as we attempt to move forward with these critical changes that provide the foundation for increased faculty support and, ultimately, student success.

Please click on the link below to review the entire District proposal that was presented to the Board on July 7:

https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?smk=46001

More information will follow over the next few weeks as discussions continue.