College reaches deal with adjuncts

Sussex County Community College and its adjunct faculty members reached an agreement on a three-year contract that will give adjunct professors pay increases of about 9 percent over the length of the deal, the college announced yesterday.

Under the new agreement, adjunct faculty members will get a 3 percent increase this year; 3 percent in 2010; and 2.7 percent in 2011, said SCCC spokeswoman Kathleen Scott.

About 250 adjunct faculty members are hired per semester at the Newton school, which saw a 12 percent increase in enrollment this fall, said Scott.

The adjunct professors, members of SCCC Adjunct Faculty Federation Local 4780, will now be paid $623 per credit. Senior adjuncts -- those teaching their 60th credit and beyond -- will get $684 per credit.

"Our college simply could not operate without our adjuncts. They bring energy, passion and invaluable life and professional experience to the classroom and our students," said SCCC president Constance Mierendorf.

Adjunct professors are not covered by medical insurance through the college. All nonunion employees began paying 1.5 percent of their salaries toward the cost of health insurance in July, said Scott.

The new contract was approved last week following two months of negotiations.

Despite the new agreement with its adjunct professors, SCCC's 28 professional staff members and 38 support staff, members of two separate bargaining units within the American Federation of Teachers, remain without a contract as negotiations continue.

The two units, which organized in 2006, have been negotiating for a contract since late 2007. The main sticking points are pay increases and health care costs.

Scott said the college wants the two units to begin paying 1.5 percent of their salaries toward the cost of health coverage, which costs SCCC an average of $12,000 per year, per employee.

Union officials have not commented on the current status of the contract negotiations.