Faculty Salaries and Budget

http://aft243.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Contract-color.jpg

 

This week's reading, The Economic and Political Environment, confirmed and explained the current community college budget situation that I experience every day.  As a community college administrator who just completed the 2015-2016 budget request process, I am aware of the administrative challenges in human resource costs.  As explained by Goldstein (2005), this cost category is the largest single expense for community colleges and can represent as much of 75% of total expenses.  In a recent leadership meeting, I was told that my community college is holding all vacant positions until the state budget is approved.  This is truly impacting current faculty responsibilities and moral.  One health technology program is down six instructors and struggling to manage teaching assignments.  Additionally, programs are struggling to feel positions with qualified instructors due to low faculty salaries.
Since community colleges are in the education business, productivity gains are not easily shown.  External factors such as the state of the economy and unemployment rates determine the amount of available resources for community colleges.  When the economy and unemployment rates are bad then community college enrollment typically rises.  This increases the need for instructors and staff.  But when the economy is good and enrollment decreases then the amount of available resources becomes limited.  Many community colleges manage this uncertainty by controlling faculty salaries or benefits and utilizing part-time faculty instructors.  However, stagnant faculty salaries and workforce reductions dramatically affect moral. 
Recently, the former NC Community College President, Dr. Scott Ralls, was interviewed and asked  what he wished he had accomplished.  He stated that NC Community College faculty salaries are among the lowest in the nation and should be increased (Stancill, 2015).  You can read the full article and view the interview in the following link:
 http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article32584824.html
Furthermore, as evidenced by the following data charts, part-time faculty now make up the majority of faculty instructors. 

 

While this is one way to manage human resource costs, community college administrators should monitor this trend closely to ensure consistency and effectiveness in the classroom.  Attention to human resource costs is imperative for community colleges to be among the best regardless of economic and political environment.

References:

Goldstein, L. (2005). College and university budgeting: An introduction for faculty and academic administrators. Washington, DC: NACUBO.

Stancill, J., (2015). Five questions for departing community college leader. Retrieved fromhttp://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article32584824.html