The Lane Board of Education convened on Wednesday to discuss topics such as on-campus COVID policies, and the search for a new college president. Several LCC faculty members outlined issues around inadequate wages and rising healthcare costs for faculty and their families.
With the mask mandate for Oregon schools ending on March 12, LCC is determining how to best implement new changes to the on-campus COVID policies.
Provost Paul Jarrell cited that mask wearing and social distancing are the two primary requirements that impact “our operations significantly.” Jarrell predicted Lane County’s high risk status could drop to a lower level very soon, which will bring about changes to CDC recommendations.
“If we are in lower risk, we’ll fall into the category that will recommend mask wearing indoors if you’re not up to date on your vaccinations.” Individuals with compromised immune systems would also be encouraged to wear masks indoors and outdoors.
Social distancing practices are also recommended to continue for those that are unvaccinated.
“As the county changes and our employees and students are facing different kinds of restrictions and regulations on campus than they face in the general community, it always will bring up compliance issues,” said Jarrell. He added that LCC will “always look to the county” for guidelines on how to maintain the safety of students and faculty on campus.
“It’s a shifting landscape and we’ll certainly know a lot more over the next few weeks, but I suspect we’ll have a new update at that point with new recommendations.”
LCC faculty address concerns with wages, work-life balance and healthcare costs
Eric Kim, a faculty member in the social sciences division, presented the board with a survey of 249 LCC part-time and full-time faculty members to address wages and work-life balance. Kim reported that “74% of responders worked more than their assigned and compensated FTE (full-time equivalent).” Kim cited that, “if you assume a 40-hour work week,” one-third of respondents work an additional 8 hours or more per week.
The survey showed that 36% of part-time and 8% of full-time faculty relied on government assistance; 10% and 3%, respectively, experienced food insecurity during the last year.
Kim added that “our salaries are already 6% behind inflation. We need to make sure our faculty can meet basic needs.”
A statement from part-time faculty member Marianne Farrington expressed that “being a part time instructor at LCC is difficult and stressful.” She cited that she has advanced to the top salary step where she has “stayed for years, which means I have little chance of getting any salary increase.”
Farrington said that she must pay out of pocket for medical and dental costs for her child with special needs as she cannot afford the additional insurance coverage for family members. Farrington advocated for steps being added to the pay scale, wage increases, and a cost of living adjustment.
Farrington finished with, “I would like to be able to create some security for myself and my child in these difficult times.”
Presidential search comes down to four finalists
Board member Lisa Fragala presented updates in the search for LCC’s next president. Four finalists will be visiting next week to interview. Each candidate will be on campus a full day, starting Monday, March 7.
There will be a community forum at 5:30 p.m. every day from March 7 to 10 to present the finalists. This will be open to the public via zoom. Community members and students can find the link on the presidential search page on the LCC website.
The board will meet in an executive session to deliberate the finalists on March 13.
Other topics discussed in the meeting included the Florence Major Maintenance Contract with Lease Crutcher Lewis and PERS (Public Employees Retirement Systems) bonds sales. Richard Plott, chief strategy and planning officer, reported that LCC had received full accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities for the next seven years.
The next LBE regular meeting will take place on April 6.
