News
GRCC Administrators and Faculty Agree to Extend Contract
Wednesday September 9 2009
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids Community College and the GRCC Faculty Association have reached a table agreement to extend the current faculty contract for one year.
The agreement continues a 2% increase on base salary and the current freeze on overload pay for full-time faculty members. “Overload” is the term for classes that faculty teach in addition to their regular workload.
Typically a 3-year contract, this extension is for one year due to what Faculty Association President Fred van Hartesveldt termed “difficult and uncertain economic conditions.”
The agreement to extend the contract for one year must be ratified by the association membership. No date for that vote has been set, but it is expected to be later this month and will be followed by consideration by the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees.
GRCC President Steven Ender said that this was a “very workable solution” and that he felt it demonstrated that faculty members “understand that the college is facing an exceptional number of financial restraints that will extend into the 2010-2011 academic year.“
The Faculty Association represents about 850 full-time and adjunct faculty members.
Grand Rapids Community College, established in 1914, offers both liberal arts and workforce development degrees, classes and workshops. Student enrollment on the urban campus for both credit and non-credit courses is approximately 28,000 this year.