The Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees ratified a five-year faculty contract Monday.
GRCC faculty approved the contract Feb. 15 by faculty, and an agreement on the terms of the merit evaluation system was reached March 13.
“The system requires faculty to do things to be meritorious,” said Fred van Hartesveldt, GRCC Faculty Association president. “It involves some peer review…(in which) other faculty members will be sitting in on their colleagues’ classes.”
He said “this will replace the longevity step system,” in which faculty automatically received raises every year. Under the new system, if faculty members are meritorious, they can receive a raise every two years from hiring year to the 11th year, again on the 14th year, and then every five years until a cap at year 30, a schedule that was established when faculty voted last month.
Also included last month was mention of a two-tier system, in which newly hired faculty will earn less than current faculty.
GRCC President Steven Ender said this will save the college about $4 million over the course of the contract with the step system and cost of living increases no longer included.
“I think that we’ve bargained in good faith and we’ve reaching an agreement that will really benefit this institution and our students,” said GRCC President Steven Ender.
Newly hired faculty will not be affected by the right-to-work law under this contract because it was ratified before the law goes into effect on March 27. The law would keep faculty from being required to pay union fees or join the union as an employment condition.
The contract will begin for the 2013-2014 academic year, during which no salary increases will be given, and the merit raises will begin for the 2014-2015 academic year.
