Effects of change proposed for faculty pay policy disputed

The board of trustees proposed methodology change for computing faculty pay has found resistance from the Adjunct Faculty Association.

The proposed change to the F10 board policy would expand the current comparative payment structure that uses the Austin market to one using "Texas metropolitan community colleges."

"Now they would like to switch the market and instead of looking at local colleges, they want to look at eight community colleges spread across Texas," said President of the Adjunct Faculty Association Dawn Tawwater. "Some of these are really different."

Tawwater argues that it doesn't make sense for ACC to look at what different cities are paying because they're not trying to hire teachers from those areas.

"If we recruited from all over Texas this would make sense," Tawwater said. "If we're only hiring in the metro market, then the metro market should be the market for pay."

In an e-mail, vice president of human resources, Gerry Tucker, states, "ACC is best compared to its peer institutions, Texas metropolitan community colleges with the same mission, funding, students, and employees."

In a recent memorandum to faculty and staff, ACC president, Stephen Kinslow, expressed the school's desire to properly pay faculty.

"The administration values all employees and will continue to ensure that all employees are paid fairly and competitively," Kinslow wrote.

"The administration is not proposing any reductions in pay, layoffs, or freezing of salaries as other institutions have done," Tucker writes in an e-mail. "The administration is only proposing to change the methodology by which we ensure market competitive salaries."

Tawwater disagrees.

"What we're talking about is a significant decrease in adjunct pay over time," Tawwater said.

She explained that the cost of living varies throughout Texas, and that Austin should be used for formulating salary in Austin.

"Imagine the cost of living versus El Paso. It's drastically different," Tawwater said. "You can't buy a home in Austin for what you can buy one for in El Paso."

Tawwater believes this decision will have a negative impact on the students because of the relationship between a professor's pay and their quality.

"Students want an affordable education, but they don't want a cheap one," Tawwater said.

Kinslow's memo refuted the claims that salaries would be frozen or cut.

"There is no budget recommendation to cut adjunct faculty salaries. Each year the board determines the annual increase and has treated all employees fairly," Kinslow wrote.

The board will meet on March 1 to make a decision. At the meeting Tawwater is planning on making a passionate plea for the adjunct faculty. Until then she is trying to rally them together. She believes in the cause.

"We're on the side of righteousness and fairness," said Tawwater.