SHARED STORIES |
“To do this work, I took a five figure pay cut. To make up the difference, because I had a young family, a mortgage, mortgage-sized daycare payments, and nightmares about college tuition bills in my future, I soon took on extra courses beyond my 5/5 teaching load.”Like some others I know, I came to my full-time faculty position at a community college after having spent time employed at a four year institution. I was warned by the VPAA before leaving, that the pay and opportunities at the community college level would never approach what is available at a four-year school. While he did plant a seed of doubt in my mind, I was undeterred because of my previous experience working as a grant-funded professional staff member and adjunct instructor at Bristol Community College. Working at a four-year school, I missed the diverse range of students and was eager to return to the community college setting where I felt I could make a difference. I felt that I had the skills and qualities needed to help students unsure about the college experience, those who were first-generation or English language learners. Those who saw themselves as “bad” students because of their previous educational experience. Students who felt they didn’t belong. Now a full-time English faculty member at Bristol, these are students from my community. I run into them regularly at the supermarket, the bank, the walking path, the movie theater, a restaurant, and many other local spots. Their success impacts me and others living in Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, and Attleboro and surrounding communities. The work is more than important. It is critical for a productive and caring community filled with literate citizens. To do this work, I took a five figure pay cut. To make up the difference, because I had a young family, a mortgage, mortgage-sized daycare payments, and nightmares about college tuition bills in my future, I soon took on extra courses beyond my 5/5 teaching load. For me this was a regrettable means of getting to an income level that was more manageable–a living wage. At first I took on one extra class in a semester, teaching six courses instead of five. As a new faculty member, I was learning about all of the non-course related work required. My engagement in department, academic area, and institutional initiatives–my college service–as well as advising responsibilities and research left little time in the week. Despite long weeks, in later semesters I took on additional extra courses to try to keep up with bills. Some years I’ve taught as many as 22 writing intensive courses. While I consider myself an energetic and engaging instructor, the weight of this work was visible to both myself and my students. It was harder to respond to student work as thoroughly as I wanted, more difficult to return that work in a timely fashion. Reviewing student papers nights and weekends has felt like working non-stop, as we move from one paper to the next in my seven or eight writing courses each semester. Always feeling that I owe it to students to deliver all that I can, I steal time from other responsibilities, like family and caring for my own physical and mental well being. And I am not alone. I see amazing colleagues having similar experiences. The work we do to affect our students’ futures is incredible, and it is time we stand up for the respect that we deserve. We shouldn’t need to work 1.5x or 2x our full-time job to get by. Our stress levels are unsustainable. Our families want us back. We want to look forward to a respectable retirement. We ask that you support our fight for a fair wage so that we can continue to support our communities in the fullest capacity. |