Community Colleges Ask for Raises

The average pay for instructors in the NCCCS falls almost $10,500 behind the national average of $47,285 for two-year public colleges, according to the 2001-02 Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac.

The requested funds will bring the salaries up to par with the national average, said NCCCS President Martin Lancaster.

But the low pay has not yet affected students' educational experience in the system, which is repeatedly recognized for its quality, said Susan Doody, Faculty Council chairwoman at Durham Technical Community College.

"We know we're supported, and we're probably on the leading edge," she said.

The system has been able to maintain its quality largely because of dedication from faculty and professors, Lancaster said. "North Carolina cannot expect to forever ride on this dedication," Lancaster said. "If they don't pay for it, they will lose it."

At Wake Technical Community College, at least two chemistry instructors and one biology instructor left because of low salaries, said Don Wildman, who teaches at Wake Tech and is president-elect of the N.C. Community College Faculty Association.

"We have talent leaking out through all the holes," he said.

The N.C. General Assembly began to pay attention to the salary problem during its 2001-02 session but not nearly enough to account for how far the NCCCS is behind compared to the rest of the nation, Wildman said.

But there is only an outside chance of the system getting the entire $96 million this year, Lancaster said. He added that he thinks it is possible within five years.

"My role is to lay out the need," he said. "It is then the role of the governor and the legislature to meet that need."

Legislators said the General Assembly recognizes the need for a salary increase but cannot guarantee any increase in funds because of the state's budget crisis.

"With the budget problems we've had, we've been concerned with maintaining the programs we have," said Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, D-Cumberland.

Increased funding depends on the state's economic status in coming years, said Sen. Jeanne Lucas, D-Durham. "It's certainly one of the top priorities of the General Assembly to keep our education system at its highest potential."

A spokeswoman for Gov. Mike Easley said it would be premature to comment on the request.

But NCCCS officials stressed that additional funding is necessary to ensure that schools maintain enough quality faculty members to meet increasing enrollment demands.

Doody said the recent recession caused a spike in community college enrollment.

"People are out of work, and people need to be trained," she said. "The community colleges are the places for people to go."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@.unc.edu.