The provided source material focuses on resources available to community college faculty, with particular emphasis on professional support, institutional purchasing programs, and advocacy efforts regarding faculty compensation and working conditions. The sources indicate that community college faculty face significant challenges related to wages, staffing, and access to benefits, while also having access to various institutional resources and discount programs.
Faculty Compensation and Advocacy
Community college faculty in Massachusetts have launched a public advocacy campaign addressing chronic low wages and understaffing. The Massachusetts Community College Council, funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, has deployed over 30 billboards along Massachusetts highways with the message "Fulfill the promise of free college; fair pay for community college educators." This campaign warns that low wages and chronic understaffing are jeopardizing the success of MassEducate, the state's new tuition-free college program.
According to Claudine Barnes, president of the Massachusetts Community College Council, job openings remain vacant for months and sometimes years because the state's 15 community colleges cannot recruit qualified candidates. As workloads increase due to rising student enrollment, faculty and staff fear that schools will not only be unable to attract workers but also start losing qualified ones. The MCCC reports that community college faculty are paid, on average, $34,000 less than the living wage in Massachusetts.
The campaign highlights reliance on low-paid adjunct faculty who do not have access to benefits and have low job security. This reliance on part-time faculty, who often travel between multiple campuses to teach, unfairly limits students' access to academic advisers.
The state Department of Higher Education has responded by stating they are committed to a fair contract that recognizes faculty contributions while meeting budget criteria. The Higher Education Quality and Affordability Commission is actively engaging and reviewing recommendations to improve faculty recruitment and retention. This commission was created to assess what Massachusetts' public campuses need to support faculty recruitment, retention, and affordable access amid historic financial aid increases. A final report is due in the spring.
The Department of Higher Education is also in contract negotiations with the MCCC. The MCCC is working with the state Legislature and the governor to secure funding for a classification study to research the problem.
Institutional Support and Professional Development
Community colleges provide various resources to support faculty in their professional roles. Bristol Community College offers a wide variety of resources to help faculty inside and outside the classroom. These include benefits such as health insurance, retirement benefits, and savings plans. Faculty members gain additional benefits, including dental care and vendor discounts, through association with the Massachusetts Teacher's Association.
Academic technology support is available through the CITE Lab (Center for Instructional Technology Expertise), which assists faculty with online learning work, from proposing new online courses to improving and assessing existing courses. For faculty interested in integrating experiential or service learning into their courses, the Experiential Education Center provides help and support to maximize success for both faculty and students.
The American Political Science Association (APSA) provides programming focused on supporting the specific needs of community college faculty in teaching, professional development, community engagement, and research. APSA offers the Community College Faculty Award, which identifies contributions in creating innovative curriculum, creative teaching, promoting equity in mentorship, advancing civic and community engagement, participating in institutional shared governance, and promoting research. The Committee on the Status of Community Colleges in the Profession works to create an inclusive culture for community college faculty, increase membership, build relationships across institutions, and recommend programming.
Discount and Purchasing Programs
The CollegeBuys program, operated by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, offers retail program offerings for students, faculty, and staff, providing discounts on a wide range of products designed to make teaching easier and provide students with tools needed to succeed. The program also offers institutional contracts for colleges, providing discounts to educational institutions and public agencies on industry-leading software, technology, high-quality office and classroom furniture, and more.
For fiscal year 2022-2023, CollegeBuys reported serving 73 districts, working with 140+ corporate partners, achieving $132 million in cost savings through purchasing agreements, and serving 60,000 students, faculty, and staff through its retail store.
Faculty Retention and Student Success
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) emphasizes that community colleges must be able to attract and retain top-quality faculty committed to the institution's mission, role in addressing workforce needs, and student success. However, attracting and retaining top-notch faculty for both academic and certificate programs in high-demand fields has become increasingly challenging.
To maintain a competitive edge in preparing the workforce, NOVA requires access to individuals responsible for shaping and refining occupational and technical skills in various fields. The institution identifies endowed faculty professorships as crucial for recruiting and retaining the highest-quality faculty, noting that the greatest institutions have the best minds and most-engaged teachers. One professor or department chair can touch hundreds of lives through courses taught, students mentored, or academic work. Funding can propel research, help pay student workers, or create opportunities for collaboration with scholars worldwide.
Advocacy for Free College
Organizations such as Communities for Our Colleges advocate for making community college free. A recent town hall meeting featuring Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, State Senator Marko Liias, and students from across Washington State urged lawmakers to make college cost-free. The organization argues that community college should be free, stating it is an investment in Washington's future that is good for students, communities, and the economy.
Communities for Our Colleges has released research reports on Washington State's Community and Technical Colleges, examining student needs, challenges of getting an education, and policy needs to improve colleges. The organization accepts tax-deductible donations to support its student-centered organizing campaign, with specific funding allocations: $100 for student outreach materials, $1,000 for a campus meeting, and $10,000 for a daylong organizing training.
Conclusion
The source material reveals a complex landscape for community college faculty resources, characterized by significant challenges in compensation and staffing alongside available institutional support programs. Faculty advocacy efforts in Massachusetts highlight a $34,000 gap between average faculty pay and living wages, while institutional programs like CollegeBuys provide tangible benefits through discount purchasing. Professional development resources, including technology support and experiential education centers, are available at various institutions, while national organizations work to support faculty through awards and committees. The push for free college programs continues through advocacy organizations, though faculty compensation remains a critical concern affecting recruitment and retention.