The Real Cost, The Real Investment: Setting the Record Straight

By Sarah Baron, Andria Woodell, Shannon Waller 

On the Cost Difference- why do the costs differ greatly on the COCC final offer and the COCC Faculty Forum? 

    • The current faculty proposal is approximately roughly up to $3.35 million increase see final offer not the nearly $8 million figure still being circulated by COCC administration. 
    • The $8 million number (posted on COCC website) reflects outdated proposals and assumptions, not the faculty's final offer posted. 
    • If we're going to discuss costs, let's discuss the current proposal: not the one being posted on the current COCC website. Please review the final offers click here to see the Employment Relations Board Webpage 

Transparency is what the public deserves

    • The public deserves to see CURRENT numbers that reflect the novel “new” costs, not lumping in baseline costs that are already apart of the COCC baseline budget. 
    • Accurate information leads to informed decisions lumping in current costs is not being transparent. The college's proposal includes ongoing costs (lab/clinical load increases, Faculty Senate chair load, online-certification stipends, sick leave, personal leave, sabbatical terms) and lumps them into the proposal. Faculty Forum treats Article 11 (teaching-assignment/load changes) and most of Article 15's leave provisions as $0 costs because they are already part of the existing budget baseline. The focus instead is on the increase.  
    • The fringe cost is including a past bond measure – i.e. debt service costs – we are asking that they use the normal fringe cost which 34.4% not the additional 6.5% for a past bond measure payment. 
    • Please review the final offers click here to see the Employment Relations Board Webpage 

Market adjustment is about equity 

      • A market adjustment isn't a bonus. It's a correction to bring salaries in line with comparable colleges across Oregon and also the cost of living for this region. 
      • The goal is simple: competitive pay that helps COCC attract and retain great faculty.
      • When salaries fall behind the market, recruiting and retaining quality educators becomes harder.
      • This proposal is about righting the ship at $3.35 million investment increase over baseline costs.

Investment in education is about our future 

      • A market adjustment is an investment in people, students, and the future of COCC.
      • Strong colleges depend on strong faculty. Competitive compensation helps make that possible.
      • Investing in faculty is investing in student success. 

See the history - read Sean Rules post to learn more the history and how this is not the first time faculty have requested a market adjustment. What you need to know....