BREVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE APPROVES NEW 3-YEAR DEAL

This was originally published at Florida Today, 8/21/2009

Brevard Community College's faculty approved a new three-year contract Thursday. The contract passed with 80 percent.

Eighty-five percent of the 227 faculty members voted, which officials said is a higher turnout than normal. Typically about 70 percent vote, said Judi Schatte, president of BCC's branch of United Faculty of Florida.

"I am elated that it passed by that much because there was something in this contract that affected everyone," Schatte said. "There hasn't been in a long time such a complete change in the contract. It was rewritten and it was organized so hopefully it would make it easier to find things."

Although the contract freezes pay for at least one year, it allows flexibility for hours when faculty members are not teaching. The contract also includes a procedure on how faculty members can move up in rank, for example from associate professor to professor. Previously, there were some guidelines in the employee handbook, but not the contract.

BCC President Jim Drake said the high voter turnout is a sign there is mutual respect between faculty and the administration. "To me that is so significant, not only because of the outcome, but also it tells me that the faculty has viewed this with the same level of importance that the administration has," Drake said Thursday evening. "The outcome is an expression of confidence and trust on the part of the administration toward the faculty and on the part of the faculty toward the college." [emphasis added by PJCFA in its reporting]

The contract is effective immediately because the school's trustees approved it earlier this week pending the faculty's approval.