Harper board approves two-year contract extension for full-time faculty

Harper College and its full-time faculty union have agreed to a two-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement. The college’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved the agreement at its April 20 board meeting.

The contract extension has been ratified by members of the Harper chapter of the Cook County College Teachers Union Local 1600, which represents about 210 full-time faculty members. The extension is in effect through the 2023-24 academic year.

“Harper’s dedicated faculty are critical to the success of our students, and this agreement acknowledges their hard work and commitment to delivering high-quality education,” said Dr. Avis Proctor, president of Harper College. “We appreciate the diligence of all those who came together to in the interest of supporting our students’ success.”

In addition to continuing current provisions, the contract includes the following terms:

• Salary schedules will increase by 2.5% for an additional two years; the current step-lane structure will remain.
• The overload pay schedule rate will increase by $30 in each of the next two years.
• The annual professional development benefit will increase by $30 in each of the next two years.

“The collaborative working relationship we’ve developed with Dr. Proctor and the Harper administration makes this contract extension possible,” Faculty Senate President David Richmond said. “A fair deal is always in everyone’s best interests. The Harper faculty look forward to working under this contract and with the Harper administration, focusing on the success of our students and our community.”

The current contract has been in place since August 2017.

“I am pleased an agreement has been reached that recognizes the significant contributions of our faculty and honors the board’s commitment to fiscal responsibility,” said Pat Stack, chair of the Harper College Board of Trustees. “It’s a testament to the strong collaboration between Harper’s faculty and administration and collective commitment to student success.”