The Monroe County Community College Board of Trustees and the Faculty Association approved a faculty contract after about nine months of negotiating.
The board unanimously approved the Master Agreement between the Community College District of Monroe County and the Faculty Association at their special meeting on Oct. 31
The Faculty Association ratified the Master Agreement on Nov. 2.
The contract covers the 62 full-time faculty positions at the college.
It runs through August 26, 2019. Faculty will get a one percent increase on the salary schedule in the first year of the three-year contract and a 1.5 percent increase in the second and third years.
Faculty will also receive an upgraded vision insurance plan coverage and a reopening of the agreement in spring 2017 regarding medical insurance benefits.
MCCC President Kojo Quartey said he believes the contract is fair.
Quartey said he is relieved the contract is settled.
“No one likes tension and the tension did not help our millage efforts,” Quartey said.
He says tension between the faculty and administration is necessary during negotiations because it results in compromise and settlement.
“Once that is done, we move forward,” Quartey said. “We get along splendidly when we are not negotiating.”
He said the ratified agreement recognizes the administration and faculty’s work to responsibly deal with challenging economic times.
“We are all working together for the benefit of our students,” Quartey said.
Since the contract is settled, students can enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere at the college.
Students are also relieved that the negotiations are finally over.
“I’m happy the teachers got more benefits and the contract passed, because they’re a major part of my positive college experience, and they deserve the best,” Kellyann Navarre said.
Students may not have known exactly what was going on, but they noticed that something was amiss.
“I noticed a lot of teachers wearing tshirts and protesting outside, but they never pushed it or mentioned anything during classes,” Alex Potratz said..
Though after hearing the results of the faculty negotiations, some students expressed relief at the way the contracts ended up.
“I supported them, they deserve the contract, and they’re great teachers,” Emily Cornell said
