To the editor:
I teach at Berkshire Community College (BCC), where dreams become reality and people change their lives, and the lives of their family members, for the better. We provide the opportunity for all to engage in a supportive learning environment that prepares students for brighter futures.
Community colleges educate a proudly diverse student population. In my classroom, you will find a mother of three; a military veteran who has decided to start a civilian career; a high school graduate with sights on UMass Isenberg School after completing an associate’s degree; an administrative assistant who wants to move up within a company; a Spanish-speaking student who recently relocated from Mexico; and a man who thought college was always beyond his reach. At Berkshire Community College, as with all of the other 14 community colleges in the state, we welcome everyone.
Money is flowing into public higher education to support important endeavors that increase access to higher education, such as early-college programs for high school students and the new MassReconnect, which allows students over 25 without a degree to attend community college for free. These are important as they ultimately benefit our entire Commonwealth.
These initiatives would be impossible without the people teaching and supporting our students. Currently, the faculty at community colleges are trapped in a legislative quagmire prohibiting the implementation of contract agreements hammered out long ago, and that still falls short of truly supporting us. We have gone without raises since July 2020. As state legislators stall the funding of a ratified contract, it expresses a lack of respect to community college education. We are also the only higher education union in the state to not receive the promised eight percent-increase during contract negotiations.
It is no secret that public educators are underpaid, and this is particularly true among community college faculty and staff. Even community college presidents recently acknowledged that our salaries lag behind teaching positions in K-12 schools and other public higher ed institutions. Given that Massachusetts has the third highest cost of living in the country, and the extent to which inflation outpaces our salaries, I anticipate falling further behind in earnings with each year. This means that I take on additional work just to earn a living wage. Many of my colleagues have second jobs or piece together other opportunities in order to support themselves. Many are behind in paying their bills as they struggle to make ends meet.
I made the choice to become a faculty member at a college where I believe I can make a difference in the lives of my students. I do not regret that choice, but I should not be marginalized for making that choice.
Educators at BCC are an amazing group of individuals. Many have earned impressive educational honors and made notable contributions to their respective fields. My colleagues are eager to adopt and adapt teaching methods that best serve our students. Our goal is to prepare students for jobs in the workforce and to prepare those moving on to complete a four-year university program.
This low pay is a systemic problem. Community colleges are losing the ability to attract and retain talented faculty and staff at a time when the state is creating initiatives to bring more students to us. Although we are committed to the mission of public higher education, we will not allow ourselves to be unjustly exploited.
A colleague who recently left the college told me the following: “I was three years into my position without a single pay increase and consistently asked to do more and more. I love teaching, but at the end of the day, I need a job that gives regular raises that keeps up with inflation and allows me to provide for my family.”
Our work is as demanding as it is rewarding. We routinely work days, nights, and weekends to teach; advise; grade; meet regularly with students outside of class; respond to student questions, concerns, and emails; serve on committees; attend program and college meetings; attend seminars; and participate in professional development. Many of us teach summer courses to bring in additional income. When we aren’t teaching, we are writing new courses, revising curricula, reviewing new materials, and staying engaged in our area of study to bring relevant tools and information to the classroom—much of this is beyond our job descriptions and contractual requirements.
I am asking Governor Healey, the state legislature, and our local representatives to invest in our jobs and let us continue to change lives for the better. Take the step to support our community colleges by supporting a fair wage for educators. We know our work improves the quality of life for our students and our communities. It is time for the state to properly invest in us.
Karen Hines
Faculty Member of Berkshire Community College
President of the MCC Berkshire Community College Chapter
Lee
