Champlain College and about 200 on-campus adjunct faculty members have reached their first contract agreement.
Naomi Winterfalcon, a member of adjunct faculty at the college, served on the bargaining committee.
She says while adjuncts gained important concessions, pay rates are still lower than they should be.
“I’m satisfied with most of it. I think we are substantially behind where we should be in terms of pay. We have Masters and PhD’s and we should be compensated accordingly and we are not.”
Winterfalcon says approximately 95 percent of adjunct faculty members voted for ratification.
Under the three year agreement, on-campus adjunct faculty receive pay increases this academic year, based on seniority and the number of credits taught.
Minimum pay rates will rise from $3,499 to $3,825 per course.
Senior adjunct faculty will be paid between $4100 and $4,200 per course. Senior adjuncts previously received between $3,499 and $3,688.
The contract calls for a pay increase of 2.5 percent in 2017 and 2.0 percent in 2018. In addition, the college is making money available to adjuncts for professional development.
In a statement, Champlain College Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics Laurie Quinn called the agreement, a ‘win-win’ result and ‘a significant investment in our adjunct faculty” which, “significantly increase part-time faculty pay”.
Adjunct faculty at the college voted to unionize almost two years ago.
Adjunct faculty at St. Michael’s College have also unionized as part of a nationwide effort by Service Employees International Union.
Part-time faculty members make up an increasing part of overall faculty numbers at colleges – as much as 75 percent. Yet, according to NPR, their average annual pay is only $20,000 to $25,000.
