Charter Oak State College is part of the Connecticut State Colleges and University (CSCU) system and is Connecticut’s public online college. With master’s, bachelor’s, associate, and certificate programs specifically designed for non-traditional and adult learners, teaching faculty are all experts in their academic fields and as practitioners. Charter Oak has recently seen an enrollment growth of 16% in fall 2023 and is poised to continue growing.
This is where the good part of this article ends.
Charter Oak State College is the worst offender in our public system of higher education because it is the only institution with 100% adjunct faculty. And…
there have been no raises in 12 years for these adjunct teaching faculty.
Since 2012, in the same time frame when faculty have seen no pay increase, Charter Oak management have received substantial raises of about 40%. The professional staff at Charter Oak who are unionized have kept salary parity with professional staff across CSCU. Even the president and provost of Charter Oak have seen substantial increases despite having the biggest salaries at the college.
But not the faculty, all 260 of us. No cost-of-living increases since 2012.
In summer 2023, we formed a union to address this and other problems. In addition to receiving the same pay as we did more than a decade ago, Charter Oak has a pay-per-student compensation model, whereby faculty are paid on a per-student basis. This payment scheme is unlike the rest of the system’s public institutions, where faculty are paid on a per-credit basis. The disturbing result is that if a faculty member teaches a three-credit class with five or fewer students, an hourly rate of $12/per hour results, which is less than the state minimum wage of $15.69.
The adjunct teaching faculty serve as the cornerstone of Charter Oak State College. Fair compensation, resources, reasonable workloads, participation in shared governance, supportive administration, and opportunities for professional development are paramount in enabling faculty to thrive. When faculty members are burdened by precarious employment or insufficient support, it inevitably impacts our morale, productivity, and ultimately, the quality of education we deliver.
Recognizing that faculty working conditions are student learning conditions is a fundamental commitment to nurturing a vibrant and enriching educational experience. It’s imperative that institutions prioritize the well-being and professional fulfillment of their faculty, understanding that their flourishing directly translates into the growth and success of students.
- In 2023, A Better CT Institute surveyed over 1,000 part-time faculty across Connecticut to focus on their treatment. Results from this report — CT Must Aim Higher on Higher Education — are equally disturbing:
- 28% of respondents expressed difficulty in affording necessities, with utilities and health care topping the list of extreme costs.
- 15% of respondents apply for and depend on government benefits programs, including HUSKY and SNAP.
- 50% of respondents report struggling financially throughout the year, with the most challenging times being summer and midwinter when there are limited to no classes.
- 16% of respondents report being unable to provide the food they prefer to give their families, while some report not having enough in their homes.
- 10% of respondents report housing precarity, with 11% behind rent or mortgage payments.
The inequity in compensation between the Charter Oak managers and professional staff, versus Charter Oak faculty is astounding. We struggle to see how given this mistreatment, equity is a strategic and fundamental goal of the college. Equity is for students and faculty alike.
The teaching faculty are overdue parity with peers in our state colleges and universities, as well as with other state workers. We perform the same work. We bring the same levels of experience, research, and practice to classrooms. We hold the same professional credentials and degrees.
We are not bargaining merely for raises, but we are seeking restoration. We are demanding long overdue respect for providing the core service – teaching – to Charter Oak’s non-traditional and adult students.
For too long, Charter Oak State College has represented the worst of how to treat faculty. We are shining a light on the quiet history of our institution. It is time for the mistreatment and exploitation of faculty to end.
Join us in telling the Charter Oak State College leadership that our students deserve better.
Seth Freeman is President of the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges (4Cs), SEIU 1973. Ruth Macdonald and Michael Starenko are members of the Charter Oak Teaching Faculty.