Q1. What are the main areas where the two sides still disagree?

The remaining differences center on a few key areas:

• The level of faculty participation in academic and curricular decisions.

• Whether certain management actions can be challenged through the grievance process.

• Compensation and how to recognize the years faculty worked without a contract.

• The process for determining class size and late student registration.

• The procedures surrounding retrenchment (faculty reduction due to program or financial changes).

• A few smaller issues involving tuition reimbursement, professional development, and advising.

 

Q2. What is the discussion about “curriculum” really about?

In simple terms: Who gets to decide what programs and courses are offered and how they’re taught.

• Administration’s view: These decisions are part of management’s authority.

• Faculty Association’s view: Faculty, as academic experts, should have a collaborative role in these decisions, consistent with accreditation standards, which emphasize faculty participation in curriculum design and oversight.

 

Q3. What does “grievance rights” mean, and why is it important?

A grievance procedure is a structured way to resolve disagreements about how the contract is applied.

• Administration’s proposal: Many management decisions (such as course assignments, scheduling, or class sizes) would not be subject to grievances unless a specific part of the contract was violated.

• Faculty Association’s position: All work-related issues that affect contract terms should be open to the grievance process to ensure fairness and accountability.

The difference is about how transparent and reviewable certain decisions should be.

 

Q4. Why is class size part of negotiations?

Class size affects both quality of instruction and faculty workload.

• Administration’s proposal: The Chief Academic Officer would have final authority to set course maximums.

• Faculty Association’s proposal: Class size decisions should follow an existing college form and process (Form 335) that includes faculty consultation.

The question is whether to formalize that shared process in the contract.

 

Q5. What’s at issue with student registration?

This section deals with whether students can be added to a class after it starts.

• Administration’s proposal: No specific limits included.

• Faculty Association’s proposal: Students should not be added to a class after the registration period ends unless the instructor approves.

This proposal reflects the college’s current practice and aims to preserve consistency.

 

Q6. What are the differences in compensation proposals for full-time faculty?

The main disagreement is about how to handle the two years (2023–24 and 2024–25) when faculty worked without a contract.

• Administration’s proposal: Begin new raises in 2025–26 with no retroactive pay.

• Faculty Association’s proposal: Recognize those two years with either a one-time payment or adjusted raise percentages that make up for lost income.

In short, one side starts from 2025 forward; the other includes 2023 and 2024 in the calculation.

 

Q7. How does this apply to adjunct faculty pay?

Both sides agree that adjunct pay should increase, but they differ on the structure.

• Administration’s proposal: Move all adjuncts to one rate of $1,400 per credit hour starting in 2025–26, with 3% raises in future years.

• Faculty Association’s proposal: Include back pay for 2023–25 and raise the base rate to $1,454 per credit hour, or alternatively start the contract in 2023 to include those years.

The key difference is whether to acknowledge and compensate work completed during the two years without a contract.

 

Q8. What does “retrenchment” mean, and why is it contentious?

Retrenchment means reducing faculty positions, typically because of financial challenges or program changes.

• Administration’s proposal: Allows retrenchment for a wide range of reasons (“financial considerations” or “other good faith reasons”) and limits the ability to grieve these decisions.

• Faculty Association’s proposal: Restricts retrenchment to cases where there is not enough work to maintain a full teaching load, acknowledges existing faculty qualifications, and keeps most parts of the process open to grievance.

The discussion centers on the scope and oversight of the retrenchment process.

 

Q9. What about work location and scheduling?

This issue deals with how “primary work location” is defined for full-time faculty.

• Administration’s proposal: Uses the location where a faculty member was hired or taught most of their courses as of 2019.

• Faculty Association’s proposal: Adds that any location agreements made since 2019 between a faculty member and the college should be honored.

The goal is clarity about where a faculty member’s main assignment is considered to be.

 

Q10. How do tuition reimbursement and educational benefits differ?

• Administration’s proposal: Faculty would receive the same tuition reimbursement as non-union employees.

• Faculty Association’s proposal: Retain the current, detailed policy (Appendix B) that outlines specific tuition waivers and reimbursement rules for employees and dependents.

The difference is whether to reference that existing policy directly in the contract or link it to whatever the college provides to non-union staff.

 

Q11. Are there other smaller issues?

Yes, a few additional items remain open:

• Whether advising expectations should be written into the contract.

• Whether current professional development funds and requirements should be formalized.

• How adjunct personal leave and family leave policies are documented.

In most cases, the faculty association’s position reflects current practices; the administration’s proposal either omits these items or states that the college will follow applicable laws.

 

Q12. What happens next?

Both parties continue to meet and negotiate. Once tentative agreements are reached, they will be reviewed internally by both sides before any final ratification process occurs. The goal is to reach a contract that supports high-quality education, fair employment practices, and the long-term health of the college.

 

Q13. How can people get information from the college about its perspective or review the administration’s version of the contract?

Members of the public, students, or employees who want to understand the college administration’s position or view the administration’s draft contract language can contact the HACC Newsroom or other channels the College has advertised.

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The college, as a public institution, manages its own communications and documents. Requests for copies of official proposals or for clarification of the college’s statements should be directed to those offices or through the Right-to-Know process available under Pennsylvania law.

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In short, the union can share its own proposals and explanations, but any official information representing the college’s perspective or documents under its control must come directly from the college.