Shared Stories

“Had I been fairly compensated all these years, I may not have had to take on extra classes. This would have allowed me to get more of my work done while at work. It would have given me the flexibility to make better decisions about how to do right by my students while also balancing my time with my children.”

I am the daughter of an immigrant father who dreamed of a brighter future for his children. Immigrant stories often entail struggle and sacrifice. Mine was no different. It wasn’t easy getting here, and I am reminded of this fact at the start of every semester when I meet my students and hear their stories of sacrifice and struggle. My students overcome so many personal and financial hurdles just to be in school. To this day standing in front of a classroom at the beginning of the semester gives me jitters: will I be able to deliver to my students what my course promises them? Will I be able to help them on their own journey to success? Will I mess up? 

I have spent countless hours working on my syllabi, designing active learning strategies, figuring out how to integrate technology into my practice, and offering meaningful feedback on essay after essay. I have done this while also teaching extra classes to make ends meet and raising three children in a traditional South Asian household. In my family, I was the one who cooked and drove the minivan to the children’s soccer practice, basketball games, swimming lessons and much, much more. It wasn’t until my children went to bed that I started doing my planning and grading. This meant that I often stayed up late to get my work done. It meant that I graded papers on the soccer field, at the Dunkin Donuts near the Sunday school where my children attended Koran classes, and while parked outside their school waiting for one child or another to finish their after-school activity. 

There were times when I did not go to my first-born child’s orientation days because it fell on the same day as the Opening Day at Bristol. I sometimes missed parent-teacher appointments because I was with a student who could only meet after his own work schedule to get feedback on his research paper. And as my daughter will remind me, I sometimes sent her to baseball practice and games with my neighbor just so I could get a little grading done.  

Even though I am a seasoned professor, I still prioritize my teaching. I graduated in 2024 with a second master’s degree, this time in fine arts. This was a challenging undertaking as I had to do the coursework while teaching full-time not to mention the financial burden of the tuition bills. Pursuing the MFA re-energized my teaching and helped me to stay focused on what matters most to me as a community college professor – my students. I know that fair compensation can have a similar effect. Had I been fairly compensated all these years, I may not have had to take on extra classes. This would have allowed me to get more of my work done while at work. It would have given me the flexibility to make better decisions about how to do right by my students while also balancing my time with my children.

“However, with my salary and knowing I can make nearly double in the private sector, I am tempted to move on from higher ed.” 

When I was hired as a full-time professional staff member in 2015, my salary was $38,000. My net pay after deductions was about $500 per week. Shortly after I was hired, I began researching local daycares for my newborn daughter. I was shocked to learn that every daycare in my area was at least $450 per week – nearly my entire take home pay. I sincerely considered leaving my job at the college and becoming a stay-at-home mom, however, my family needed health insurance.

Speaking of health insurance: The cost of my health insurance plan has more than DOUBLED in the 10 years I have been working at the college. In fact, between March 2015 and January 2020, my net pay DECREASED because my salary and 2% raises could not keep up with the increasing cost of health insurance. At this point, we had no choice but to opt out of GIC health insurance and use a very limited plan through my husband’s work, which has presented its own challenges, but we simply could not afford GIC health insurance any longer. In 2020, just as I was considering leaving my job to work in the private sector, my colleague in a higher pay grade in my work area at the college left their position (and the state of Massachusetts entirely due to lack of affordability) to take a job in Rhode Island. In a very lucky turn of events, I was able to move into their position of a higher pay grade for a slight increase to my salary. Of course, inflation hit us hard in the following years, and we are now left exactly where we were before I moved into a higher pay grade: unable to get ahead and living paycheck-to-paycheck, barely scraping by.

My husband and I work full time and are college educated. We have one child. Why are we unable to save for our futures? Why are we unable to grow our family while living and working in Massachusetts? I would have loved to have had more children in my lifetime. Unfortunately, I cannot fathom the cost of having 2 or more children who need childcare. It is simply not possible with my salary. I do not have help from family members, and my job is not one I can do from home, so paying for childcare is not an option, but a necessity.

I love working at a community college. I began my college education at a community college. I am so proud to live in a state that values education and provides free community college for its residents. I would love to stay where I am for the rest of my career. However, with my salary and knowing I can make nearly double in the private sector, I am tempted to move on from higher ed. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my story.

“If community colleges are of vital importance to the economic development of the Commonwealth then should not providing a living wage to those faculty and staff who directly provide that education be one of the highest priorities of the Commonwealth?  Isn’t it just plain fair?”

I am the STEM Laboratory Manager and Safety Compliance Officer for MassBay Community College.  This past May I became critically ill and then proceeded to be in and out of multiple hospitals until I had part of my pancreas removed in December.  I exhausted all of my FMLA, PFML, PTO, and had to make use of the sick leave bank to cover this illness.  During the course of this illness I attempted to return to work each time I was stable enough to do so, which resulted in being able to work about 2.5 months during the time span of the beginning of May to the start of the spring semester on January 21st.  At one point I was working with a PICC line, long term IV, in my arm as I needed to have IV nutrition in the evenings, starting as soon as I returned home from work.  I needed to be back at work because we were already paycheck to paycheck before my illness, and my illness caused us to need to do a GoFundMe to cover the medical bills -I was fortunate to have friends and family who were in positions to give my family the help we needed.  There were not sufficient savings to draw on because my pay has been so low that nothing remains at the end of the month to go into savings.  This was an incredibly difficult time for my children who turned 5 and 3, this past November.  Each day, I went to work sick they were worried and afraid – afraid that mommy would get sick at work and no one would know how to help her, worried if I would come home or end up in another hospital where they once again would be unable to see me.  If I had been paid a reasonable wage, I could have sufficient savings that would not have forced me to go back between treatments or while in pain.

Even though I am now healthy again, and back to work I still face huge challenges from the low rate of pay.  I have two children who are in daycare, that is $2200 a month.  My family is taking on debt from the cost of childcare; my physical therapy copays; and the copays for my son’s ABA services, he is autistic.  I work a job which requires that I know general  biology, chemistry, environmental science, several other subfields of these listed sciences, and be versed in laboratory safety as well as proper waste handling and disposal regulations for chemical and biological waste.  I find myself asking why is it that I am not paid a living wage for such a highly skilled job that directly impacts the education of community college students, something that the state has now indicated is one of it’s high priorities.  If community colleges are of vital importance to the economic development of the Commonwealth then should not providing a living wage to those faculty and staff who directly provide that education be one of the highest priorities of the Commonwealth?  Isn’t it just plain fair?

“If community college under the MassEducate is now free to students, how much more should the state be investing in instructors who can practice their passion without concern for basics such as healthcare and retirement?” 

When I think about retirement, I don’t imagine for me it’ looks like playing rounds of golf and consuming the earth’s resources. I intend to continue teaching and writing, my two loves. I likely will need to do these things in order to make a living well into my 70s. 

I went back to school in my thirties, obtaining my master’s degree in English literature while a young mom of three. I took out loans to afford the kind of education I wanted for myself, and I’ve no regrets about school choice or career path. The fact that I can engage with students, young adults–from various socio-economic classes, with different language and cultural backgrounds–over poetry and history and rhetorical power, to me is a dream come true. The reality of my student loans though, at 52, exist. 

I’ve been an adjunct for 12 years. I’ve taught everything from Native American novels to Humanities to developmental writing. My pay, per class, seems fair. Yes these past 12 years I have not saved much for retirement, aside from the nominal amount that the state sets aside to help me plan for a future when I may not be working as I do now. My husband alone carried the burden of healthcare for the five of us. 

In the past, I’ve accepted four or five classes at a time, while juggling my family’s schedules, and a small farm’s demands. 

We were able to put my older children through college mainly with my husband’s income, but again, that is money that could have been more equally distributed and nurtured for our intended future. Again, education has been paramount and we always consider it a priority. Our youngest is 16 and just beginning her independent journey in the world and we will do the same for her, God willing.  

I’m a first-gen college student, having been raised by a single mom who took low-paying jobs. She never had the chance to get a higher education. My sisters and I became the first in our family to get graduate degrees, and we all work in fields that require this. 

All this is to say, I wish that the budget of the state and the federal government respected the contribution of teachers in a more tangible way. I do wish that my student loans were completely forgiven. At 53, the balance is still almost $50,000, though I have been paying for decades. 

My family is not suffering. We have a home, pets, a strong community, friends, and our kids have attended the schools of their choice. It’s really a matter though, of respect. 

If community college under the MassEducate is now free to students, how much more should the state be investing in instructors who can practice their passion without concern for basics such as healthcare and retirement? And while we are on this topic, let’s increase the funding for more full-time instructors to distribute the burden and privilege of teaching the next generation to qualified folks, like me and the hundreds of adjuncts who love what they do so much, but who have had to prioritize living (and taking full time jobs in other arenas) in order to plan for a future that is abundant?

“Despite my passion for education, the reality is that my full-time salary isn’t enough to cover basic necessities. By the third week of each month, I often find myself visiting a local food pantry because my paycheck simply doesn’t stretch far enough. Sadly, I am not alone in this struggle. ”

My name is Swati Kelkar, and I teach at Bunker Hill Community College. I have dedicated myself to teaching and uplifting students. I speak to you today with a urgency about how inadequate funding and the issues highlighted by the CHEQA (Commission on Higher Education Quality and Affordability) campaign have deeply impacted my standard of living and, by extension, my ability to serve my students and community.

Struggling to Afford Basic Needs

Despite my passion for education, the reality is that my full-time salary isn’t enough to cover basic necessities. By the third week of each month, I often find myself visiting a local food pantry because my paycheck simply doesn’t stretch far enough. Sadly, I am not alone in this struggle. A recent Massachusetts Teachers Association survey – conducted as part of the CHEQA campaign – found that over 32% of public higher education faculty and staff have experienced some degree of food insecurity.

These financial hardships force many educators to work second jobs just to make ends meet. I personally take on extra work, leaving me drained. When educators are

overworked and underpaid, our students ultimately feel the impact in larger classes, fewer office hours, and tired teachers. We want to give our best to every young adult we teach, but chronic financial stress makes it increasingly difficult.

Caring for Family Amid Financial Strain

In addition to my role as a teacher, I am a caretaker for a sick family member. The emotional and financial strain of caring for them is immense. Each month, a sizable portion of my paycheck goes toward their medications, treatments, and doctor’s visits and transportation. With my meagre income, every co-pay or prescription means sacrificing something else – often groceries or utility bills. I often have to ration medication or postpone my family member’s care because I simply can’t afford it at that moment. The stress of worrying about my loved one’s health and our bills is overwhelming. Yet I continue to stand and deliver.

Living Without a Safety Net

My financial margin for error is essentially zero. After paying for shelter, utilities, and other essentials, my budget has no buffer for unplanned emergencies. When my house needed repairs last year, I didn’t have the funds for the necessary repairs. I had to rely on a high-interest credit card, which pushed me further into debt. I constantly fear  simple events – a vehicle accident, a major appliance breaking, or an urgent trip to see my aging parents – because any unplanned expense could be financially devastating. 

Living paycheck to paycheck in this way is not just an abstract hardship – it’s a daily reality that affects my health, my family’s well-being, and my peace of mind. It’s hard to grade papers or plan lessons late at night when I’m also worrying about the electric and heat bills.

Impact on Students and the Community

Educators like me do this work because we care deeply about our students’ success and well-being.  We feel joy in nurturing minds and lives of students and families – as teachers, professors, mentors, coaches, and counselors. We do this work because it is a calling.

It’s painful to admit, but the underfunding of education is robbing my students of the best I could offer them if I weren’t so stretched thin. When talented educators leave the profession for better-paying jobs, or when positions go unfilled because salaries aren’t competitive, our students lose out on experienced, dedicated mentors. This is not just my problem – it’s a threat to the quality of education in our state.

We are not asking to be wealthy; we are asking for the dignity of a livable wage and the peace of mind to take care of our families, so that we can continue taking care of other people’s families with full hearts and energy. Massachusetts must live up to its reputation on being a leader in education.

Conclusion – A Call for Fair Support

When over a third of educators face food insecurity and more than half are forced into debt to pay their bills something is fundamentally wrong. These are not just numbers – they represent dedicated professionals like me, doing everything we can for our students while living on the brink of crisis.

I urge you to do right by educators. We need state leaders to uphold the promise of a quality education for every student. This means ensuring fair wages and benefits that reflect the important work we do.  Massachusetts salaries lag dismally behind states with comparable costs of living, say, for example, California.  Thanks to measures like the Fair Share Amendment, the state now has additional revenue earmarked for education. I ask that you direct some of these funds toward lifting educators out of poverty and providing us with a stable foundation. When you support educators, you support entire communities: the students we teach, and by extension, the future workforce and citizens of Massachusetts.

“I think about the teachers and mentors who shaped me, who put in the time and effort to help me get where I am today. Their work mattered. But I also see the reality of being an educator now – especially as an adjunct. Passion doesn’t pay the bills, and dedication doesn’t guarantee stability.”

Working in education is working for the future. Every moment I spend with students is an investment in their growth, a chance to help them become a better version of who they were yesterday. I think that’s why we become educators – to guide, challenge, and inspire. Seeing that growth firsthand is what makes this work so rewarding.

But as I dedicate my time and energy to helping students build their futures, I can’t ignore the uncertainty of my own.

I think about the teachers and mentors who shaped me, who put in the time and effort to help me get where I am today. Their work mattered. But I also see the reality of being an educator now – especially as an adjunct. Passion doesn’t pay the bills, and dedication doesn’t guarantee stability. My life is dictated by financial uncertainty. I never know how many courses I’ll be offered from semester to semester, so I take whatever I can get. I’m constantly considering other career options, despite loving what I do, because at the end of the day, I need to pay my students loans and rent is due. The idea of ever owning a home is completely unfathomable – never mind the thought of one day being able to raise a family. The future I once imagined for myself has become something I am forced to let go of, not because I lack the ability or desire, but because the reality of this profession makes it impossible.

There’s an old Greek proverb that says, “”A society grows when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”” That’s what education is meant to be – an investment in something larger than ourselves, a commitment to building a better place for those who come after us. But how can we expect to nurture the future when the very people planting those trees are struggling now? If we truly believe in education, if we value the work that educators do, then we need to do more than just acknowledge it – we need to invest in it. Because when we fail to support those who dedicate their lives to learning, we aren’t just failing educators. We’re failing everyone.

“I have worked two overloads per each of my first two semesters and a part time job teaching adult learning classes for another public school district on two weeknights and a weekend day. The salary of all of these jobs combined is enough to afford the housing and necessities of life while saving for retirement in Lowell, but my base salary as an assistant professor obviously falls very short of offering that luxury.”

I’m a new hire at Middlesex Community College. I am 28. I am single. I work a lot. I enjoy teaching as a profession, but my situation makes it not as enjoyable or sustainable as it can be. I have worked two overloads per each of my first two semesters and a part time job teaching adult learning classes for another public school district on two weeknights and a weekend day. The salary of all of these jobs combined is enough to afford the housing and necessities of life while saving for retirement in Lowell, but my base salary as an assistant professor obviously falls very short of offering that luxury. The hours that I work are unsustainable for a long-term career. I would love to be a professor here in the state’s community college system forever, but if I decide that in five or ten years I want to commit to a family and scale back my hours, then this state’s community college system will not be the field that I decide to do that in. 

The low wages are exploitative in nature because of an inherent want to commit our lives to educating the people of Massachusetts. If this system is to truly offer an equitable education, then the educators providing that education need to be able to do so without burning out or leaving the state’s community college system by 40. Due to my circumstances, and the realities of the state’s cost of living, I recommend that the faculty salary for all levels in the community college system be raised by at least 50% so that we can consistently and sustainably offer a free and quality college education to the citizens of Massachusetts for decades to come. I am a proud graduate of the state’s community college system, go Middlesex! I would hate to see the quality education that I received be watered down and marketed as something that it is not to the future generations of students. Please raise the wages as soon as possible for the sake of the long-term stability of the commonwealth’s community college system.

“The problem with living a dream is eventually you have to wake up to reality. As prices have increased, I was no longer able to afford my rental in Billerica… With remote work, we were able to afford our own place again, but I realized our combined income did not meet the required 3x rent threshold at most of the places near campus.”

Hi my name is Brittney Moore-Miller and I am a full time staff member at Middlesex Community College. I started my professional career as a special education teacher in Arizona. From the time I was in college, I always wanted to end up in higher education. I thought I would end up supporting students with disabilities at the college level. Eventually, I found my perfect job at Middlesex, in placement testing of all places. I realized that I had a unique way to follow my passion to make sure students had access to the supports they needed through my work. For many students, I am one of the first people they meet on their journey. I was living my dream.

The problem with living a dream is eventually you have to wake up to reality. As prices have increased, I was no longer able to afford my rental in Billerica. My parents had relocated to New Hampshire, and once again I found myself moving in with my parents and commuting almost an hour to work each day. Shortly after, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the game again. With remote work, we were able to afford our own place again, but I realized our combined income did not meet the required 3x rent threshold at most of the places near campus.

I am one of the lucky ones. I did have to relocate, but my home in southern New Hampshire is a shorter commute than many of my peers that live in the commonwealth. I do not work a second job. I am home every night for my kids. However, sacrifices have been made. To allow me these privileges, my husband works 60-70 hours a week.  I worry because his job is very physically demanding, and he is a disabled veteran with chronic pain and diagnosed dementia. We do receive some benefits from the VA, but there is a looming fear that he may be unable to work before his 45th birthday. We feel like we are racing against the clock to get our two middle school aged children through high school while we can both work.

I accomplished my dream. I love the students I work with. I never want to leave, but it feels selfish when my family endures the burden. The guilt I carry makes it difficult to be the person students need. Now with MassEducate and MassReconnect, more students walk in to my office, more students need support, more of my time is needed on campus. I would love to meet all those needs. At the end of the day, I know I am giving the students the best I have to offer. I just know I could offer more if I wasn’t worried about how I am going to provide for my family.

A living wage would completely change the game for my family. My husband could reduce his hours and preserve his health. With him at home now, I would have more time for self-care so that I can be my best self when I arrive at the office each day. My kids would get to spend more time with both parents. We really need a change.

“The loss of nursing faculty is no longer just a concern—it is a reality. Community colleges are essential for training the next generation of nurses, providing accessible education to diverse students who fill critical healthcare roles. However, faculty attrition due to heavy workloads and pay disparities threatens the sustainability of nursing programs and, by extension, the healthcare workforce.”

I am writing to highlight the urgent challenges facing the Nursing Program at CCCC, a situation likely shared by other community colleges. The loss of nursing faculty is no longer just a concern—it is a reality. Community colleges are essential for training the next generation of nurses, providing accessible education to diverse students who fill critical healthcare roles. However, faculty attrition due to heavy workloads and pay disparities threatens the sustainability of nursing programs and, by extension, the healthcare workforce.

One primary reason for this attrition is the overwhelming workload of nursing faculty. Teaching at a community college involves much more than lecturing. Faculty must create curricula for lectures, labs, and clinicals, assess students across all environments, maintain accreditation standards, mentor adjunct instructors, and stay current with evolving healthcare practices. Additionally, they supervise students in clinical settings, ensuring safety and practical learning. These responsibilities, combined, can lead to burnout and professional exhaustion, making it difficult to maintain high educational standards.

Another significant factor is the pay gap between community college faculty and clinical nurses. Nurses in hospitals and healthcare settings earn significantly higher salaries with fewer administrative duties. This disparity makes it hard to retain qualified educators, as many choose better-compensated clinical roles. As experienced faculty leave, fewer students can be accepted into programs, worsening the nursing shortage. At CCCC, 75% of nursing faculty have less than five years of teaching experience, highlighting the lack of stability in the program. Two faculty resigned this semester and at least five more are actively seeking other opportunities.

The loss of faculty compromises the quality of education. Overburdened instructors cannot provide the necessary attention to students, impacting the development of critical thinking and clinical skills. Additionally, the departure of seasoned educators leaves newer faculty without guidance, further destabilizing the program.

To address these challenges, community colleges must tackle both workload and compensation issues. Filling vacant positions, increasing funding, offering competitive salaries, and supporting faculty well-being are crucial. Building a sustainable work environment will help retain passionate educators committed to training future nurses.

In conclusion, the loss of nursing faculty at community colleges, driven by heavy workloads and insufficient pay, jeopardizes the ability to train new nurses and exacerbates the ongoing shortage. Immediate action is needed to prevent the collapse of the Nursing Program at CCCC and ensure the healthcare system has the skilled workforce it needs. 

“Something needs to change as not only are the day-to-day experiences that students, faculty, and professional staff experiences shifting in a myriad of ways – the stability and ability for us to sustain these increasing demands is wavering and has caused too many of my colleagues to walk away from this critical work and recruiting professionals into this “fire” has become a real legitimate obstacle. ”

My name is Lisa Coole. I am a dedicated, skilled, effective, emotionally exhausted, and underpaid BIPOC tenured Associate Professor of Sociology at Massasoit Community College. 

I have over 30 years of experience as an adjunct at Massasoit, BSU, and Stonehill college and since I started my FT position, I have had to consistently teaching 6-9 adjunct classes annually, during the semester, winter session, and summers (most often at my own college) on top of my FT workload given that my annual salary for an already heavy lift of a 5:5 semester workload and college service which is over 50% below my colleagues in the State of CA despite the comparable COL.

Something needs to change as not only are the day-to-day experiences that students, faculty, and professional staff experiences shifting in a myriad of ways – the stability and ability for us to sustain these increasing demands is wavering and has caused too many of my colleagues to walk away from this critical work and recruiting professionals into this “fire” has become a real legitimate obstacle. 

While the DHE has spent incredible time, dollars, and energy researching issues (see New Undergraduate Report, DHE Equity Agenda and Nationwide Reports including but not limited to the Chronicles of Higher Education) we must NOW address these inequities and barriers for success across Higher Ed for all students, especially among marginalized demographic, first-generation college students and other at-risk populations. 

Additionally, the day-to-day stressors and emotional labor are increasing. I have realized this fatigue is not unusual, especially for BIPOC and female faculty and professional staff making it difficult to retain diverse faculty and staff. And in my own case, as a woman of color, teaching courses such as Sociology, Criminology, Race and Ethnicity, Urban Sociology which often brings about difficult emotions and conversation both in and out of the classroom in a world that is closing in all around us I can attest that this is taking its toll of both me and my students.

In today’s world we are also expected to incorporate Trauma Informed Education Practices, Embedded Remediation, Culturally Inclusive Teaching, Assisting Students with ADA Accommodations and Language Barriers, Artificial Intelligence, Response to students experiencing Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexual Harassment, Mental Health struggles, Substance Misuse, Basic Needs Insecurity, and the Federal Administrations

Fear Based Rhetoric Immigration Agenda and Anti-Intellectual Movement…Just to name a few.

For many of us, much of the above was not part of our original job description or expectations when we first started teaching.  And it is not being adequately recognized in our workload, especially among the Community Colleges where one of the latent functions is preparing students for success at a 4-year public or private school. 

And as Community colleges become more accessible in the Commonwealth through recent initiatives, such as MassEducate, now is the time to make a change!

As an educator, students are my #1 priority, BUT I am beyond tired of being so incredibly overworked and underpaid and the profound impact that has on my colleagues and our student body.

I am tired of being concerned about the impact that all of this has on their growth mindset and overall mental well-being.

I am tired of attending Professional Development workshops that highlight new approaches for effective teaching and equity, without having the time and institutional support to incorporate these strategies.

I am tired of being burnt-out while working harder than ever. 

If this does not change, the reputation Massachusetts holds as a leader in higher education will continue to be compromised. We must ensure this does not continue to happen and the commitment to wage equity prevails. 

If I received equitable pay I would be able to make more time to spend with my immediate including my children, spouse, aging and widowed mother, my disabled sister with profound medical issues, and not be worried about my multiple additional courses, working on weekends, and most importantly have the time it takes to serve our dynamic and promising future generations by giving them the attention they deserve. To date, I have been providing excellence given my personal ethics, but I am getting tired and worn out and my family and friends, and colleagues express concern about my mental wellbeing. 

“Moving back to Massachusetts after 31 years in Florida, I was shocked to find my pay so incredibly below that of my former positions, especially as Florida is known for its poor educational compensation… Why does a 35-year career professional with advanced degrees have to work endlessly throughout the week to pay bills and live a comfortable life that is so deserving after decades of professional dedication?”

My career at Bristol Community College started during the pandemic but is also a career following 35 years of educational experience as a disability specialist in the classroom, as a coach, advocate, writer, trainer, and content developer, to name a few. Moving back to Massachusetts after 31 years in Florida, I was shocked to find my pay so incredibly below that of my former positions, especially as Florida is known for its poor educational compensation. Thus, when starting my career at Bristol in 2021, I’ve had to take on 4 additional side jobs to help make ends meet (tutoring, coaching, writing, and as an adjunct at 2 other universities). To say I have been wiped out is an understatement. Why does a 35-year career professional with advanced degrees have to work endlessly throughout the week to pay bills and live a comfortable life that is so deserving after decades of professional dedication?

Now that Massachusetts has instilled MassEducate and MassReconnect programs to offer free college for Community College students, imagine the vast and ever-changing populations that are applying to attend. No longer are the days of traditional-aged students, with high school diplomas and foundational skills to successfully tackle advanced courses and programs. Now, our college works with students who haven’t attended school in decades, but are returning to better their own lives, and yet lack the quintessential skills needed for 21st-century demands. With this changing population of non-traditional students, also comes a plethora of disability-related complexities, from mental health to physical, sensory, and increasing medical issues. My work has expanded from a more common approach of discussing standard-type accommodations to now triaging students in crisis, with basic needs insecurities, and beyond.  This work takes the knowledge, passion, and resilience of someone like ME!  Bristol needs MY practice and consciousness!

The work I do as an accomplished and scholarly professional staff member in higher education seems to only be recognized by a grid status. It does not take into account my true expertise, research, continued education, and dedication I pour into my work. My experiences, values, and compassion working with disabled college students are niche components of higher education, yet ones that are mandated by law. Bristol needs my knowledge, persistence, and advocacy to help keep them from civil rights and OCR complaints or due processes.

I am humbly and emphatically requesting that our Massachusetts representatives and decision-makers take into account that when your government makes decisions about policies to support its residents, you will need to provide fair and equitable compensation for those who support its residents, known to us as college students! I am worthy of your consideration. My voice is worthy of your acknowledgment. My work is worthy of your compensation!

Please, do the right thing – show that you value the work of higher education professionals. Allow us to live and work in a state we love without going broke and killing ourselves from taking on multiple jobs! WE ARE WORTHY OF YOUR CONSIDERATION AND COMPENSATION!”

“I have to juggle caregiving with all of those commitments. and am at a constantly high level of stress. ”

I am a full-Time tenured professor with a disabled wife and a child with autism. I co-parent my son and pay close to 1000 mo in child support. I also pay close to 800 mo for my health insurance. Those expenses are garnished from my wages and at my base salary I only take home roughly 1300 a pay period and 2600 a month. My mortgage is 1700 dollars and my utilities in the winter in 2024/2025 were 400-600 mo. In the past I have taught my full workload and up to three B-sections to make ends meat. I have to juggle caregiving with all of those commitments. and am at a constantly high level of stress. Despite all of these obstacles I love working at Bristol Community College and have made it not just my job but my home for over 25 years

“I am not sure how I will be able to retire. It scares me. I may have to take an 8th course in the fall to put more money aside. It is a shame that our work isn’t respected enough to make a living wage. ”

My name is Rebecca Benya-Soderbom and this fall is my 25th year teaching at Bristol Community College. I started as a part time Adjunct Professor, but in 2011 I became full time. I am now an Associate Professor of History at Bristol Community College. I’ve spent my career helping students overcome obstacles, especially their lack of confidence in their own abilities. My most rewarding moment was when an 83-year-old World War II veteran was debating with another student about whether the atomic bomb should have been dropped. They were both very passionate about their perspectives but argued in a way that showed courtesy to the others. Respectful discourse is a skill that is much needed today, and I feel that I am doing this work. 

I am about 12 years to retirement, and I am not going to be able to live on my retirement wage, as it is now. Fair compensation allows me to avoid destitution in my golden years. I am really worried about this. I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but I already teach seven courses, just to pay my bills now. If I was in the private sector, I would make much more money. But I love my job, and the students need passionate, connected teachers that encourage and believe in them. I do this, and I see it being done by my colleagues every day. We are truly on the “front lines” with these students, every day. We know them!

My wage level has impacted our (my husband and my) decision not to buy a second car, when ours was hit and totaled. We are running on one car, for the first time in my life. It has been quite an adjustment! I was raised solidly in the middle class, and my education and expertise reflect that. Unfortunately, my income does not.

Community Colleges serve everyone: adult learners, dual enrollment, Honors students, etc. Faculty always go above and beyond what is written on our college service every semester. I know I take on committees and other work (for free) because it’s important. The instruction is quality, in terms of education. The cost is minimal (or free now, depending on a student’s situation). And, yet our wages are stagnant. High schools and four-year colleges have had significant increases (as they should), but we are constantly left behind. We do the work because it is necessary, but burnout is high.

Every semester, I teach what amounts to a part-time job in adjunct classes, and that’s only because I have enough seniority to get the courses. It’s exhausting, and it means my time with my family is impacted. I am resentful of having to “defend” what I do every day. After 25 years of a successful and fulfilling career, I want to be SEEN. Community

College faculty support students at every level. I work constantly to ensure student success.

In terms of my own well-being, there isn’t much time to reflect on that. I take walks to de-stress and I sometimes hike on the weekend, when the weather is nice. Being in nature helps. To clarify: students can be challenging, but generally working with them is really engaging. But, having to work extra courses to make ends meet, that is my biggest challenge. All the extra grading and time that goes into doing it well…that is hard.

I have two sons, who are 20 and 23 years old and I am unable to help pay for books for my youngest, who is taking courses at Bristol.

I am not sure how I will be able to retire. It scares me. I may have to take an 8th course in the fall to put more money aside. It is a shame that our work isn’t respected enough to make a living wage.

MassEducate has increased our student population significantly. Every single course I teach (all 7) are full. That means I read 300 essays every time my students take a test. I am totally bogged down with grading and emails. Since Covid, we are expected to have our assignments online but teach face to face now and/or have multiple modalities (I am teaching two modalities now). That means much more grading and no extra compensation, because even hybrid and face to face courses have an online aspect. We are trying to figure out what adult students want, but the truth is that every population is diverse. That is why we need so many different modalities: asynchronous, synchronous, hybrid, face to face courses. I grade late into the evening at least 3 days a week (sometimes 10 pm if I have meetings during the day). I do this to ensure that students get their work back in a timely manner. I make comments on every post, for example, so they can learn where there are gaps and modify their assignments. But, there may come a time when I just can’t respond to every post. There is only so much time in a day. And, frankly, I am trying to have a better work-life balance. Work tends to take over my life.

If we really care about MassEducate and student success, I feel it’s important to recognize that Community College educators have been invisible. We do important work. And we are the backbone of MassEducate. It could not happen without us. And, it is a crucial time, with so many teachers leaving the profession.

For me, I take on extra work (at least in part) because I work with amazing colleagues that I want to help. And, if they ask…I will usually say YES! I’m not unusual in this respect. But staff workloads have increased, and students can’t always reach someone to answer their questions. Some adjunct faculty can’t hold office hours, because they have to run to the next school or campus (Bristol has four campuses) to teach. That means full-time faculty are trying to help students make contact with other areas of the college more often. Bristol has a Women’s Center, a Veterans Center, an Honors Program, mental health services, just to name a few… I personally have a holistic view: a hungry student (or homeless student) can’t learn. We meet our students where they are.

Lastly, I believe the work I do matters, and that I have made a positive impact on students’ lives for 25 years. I am proud of my students. Community Colleges have been misunderstood for a long time. The stereotypes are lessening but not gone. And MassEducate shows that.

I appreciate that you’ve read this letter and I hope my love for learning is apparent. Thank you!

“The services they [students coming because of fee college] need are in new categories that we have not dealt with previously. ”

I have never made more than $25,000 a year and receive no benefits, aside from accumulating sick leave hours. 

I have had to rely on my partner’s health insurance throughout. 

I have paid into a mandatory deferred compensation plan, which will not come near to funding retirement.  Community college employees do not pay into Social Security, so that will not be an option for me.  

If I did not do this work, students would lose services. I celebrate MassEducate and Free College. With the influx of students because of these programs, there is more demand for services.  The services they need are in new categories that we have not dealt with previously.  Older students sometimes have no experience with computers – none!  Due to limited staffing, most of their orientation is online.  What a disconnect!  Many of these students did not originally continue their education because of undiagnosed disabilities.  We need staffing to address these issues.  There are not enough hours in a day to fill these gaps for students with the demands we have on our time.  Believe me; we WANT to fill those gaps.

“I was shocked at the salary that was offered.  There were long days of discussion and debate with my husband over whether we could afford for me to take my dream job at a 30% pay cut.

Ultimately, I decided to follow my dream.  I love my job, but it has cost me and my family dearly.”

My name is Lauren Dalton and this is my first day of school picture!  I remember how excited and scared I was on this day.  It was September of 2020 and I was about to begin my first semester as a full-time professor of Early Childhood Education at Massasoit Community College during the pandemic.  I spent over 20 years working as a teacher in Early Childhood Education and 12 years teaching Kindergarten, Integrated Preschool, and serving as the Early Childhood Coordinator for a public school district but it was always my lifelong dream to be a teacher educator.  

When I applied for the position and was offered the job, I was shocked at the salary that was offered.  There were long days of discussion and debate with my husband over whether we could afford for me to take my dream job at a 30% pay cut.  

Ultimately, I decided to follow my dream.  I love my job, but it has cost me and my family dearly.  I have two grown daughters and a young son.  My husband is a self-employed construction company owner.  Since accepting the position, we have incurred significant debt in college loans for my daughter, home equity loans, and credit card debt as a result of using this credit to get by.  Like many of my colleagues, I work three other part-time jobs to try and make ends meet.  I work doing training workshops in the evening and I teach as an adjunct professor at Massasoit and another MA community college.  I am teaching the equivalent of 2 full-time faculty jobs.  This leaves little time for me to spend with my young son.  Even more frustrating is that although I get one paycheck for both my full-time and adjunct teaching, only my full-time salary will count toward my retirement which will have to provide for both me and my husband.  

But enough about me, let’s talk about my students!  I’m so happy that MassEducate has provided an opportunity for more students to access higher education especially since there is a major workforce shortage in Early Childhood Education and Care in Massachusetts.  Childcare centers are struggling to find qualified staff to educate and care for children during the critical early childhood years when 90% of brain development takes place and without childcare, parents cannot work and this hurts the overall economy. 

My students typically work at least part-time while attending school and rely on nights and weekends to complete assignments.  I want to go above and beyond to help create a professional early childhood workforce that provides quality early childhood experiences that will shape the lives of the children and families they serve for years to come.  But….. I. am. exhausted. My students deserve better.  My family deserves better.  I deserve better.  It’s time for the state to step up and pay Community Colleges a living wage.

“Each year we cut down on Christmas and birthday presents. We can’t give gifts to our other family and friends. I swap kids’ clothes with people in our town because we can’t afford new, and I utilize QCC food pantry so that I can get help with food costs. I do not know how to stress how every dollar counts for our family and how deeply I am affected by the small increases in our pay in relationship to the increasing cost of living in Massachusetts.”

My name is Aaron, and I am a full-time staff member at STCC. I have been working here for almost 3 years now, and have seen my department staffing be cut in half. Within my first 6 months, I watched one colleague go away on parental leave, another move to a different office, and our coordinator retire. I was left to oversee the center for an entire semester with no additional compensation, unless I worked extra hours for comp time. My colleague has recently gone on parental leave again, and while we were more prepared this time around, we are not putting our best foot forward and our students are suffering. As a success coach and community outreach counselor, I primarily work with students who are on Academic Warning and Suspension, to help them improve their academic skills and transition back to classes. My caseload of students this semester is 345 students, plus an additional 129 while my colleague is away, bringing us to a total of 535. I’m unable to answer students’ messages in a timely manner, not able to spend as long working with them, or not able to meet with them as often as needed to ensure their success. On top of this, I have other responsibilities with the Success Center and making sure our daily operations are running smoothly.

To share some examples, I recently had many students who I met with after midterm grades were released. I have to book these students out for 1-2 weeks at time, as they need help with things such as organizing their assignments, understanding their professor’s expectations, catching up on missed work, and managing their time. By the time I meet with them, their assignments are overdue and they are more overwhelmed than ever. It becomes that much more difficult to help them get back on track, especially when their academic standing and financial aid is at risk.

We have seen a massive influx of students returning to school with the implementation of the Mass Reconnect and Mass Educate programs. With only myself and our coordinator working in the center, we simply do not have the time or resources to work with the number of students who need support. Our salaries and campus resources have not gone up with this drastic increase in students and work. This is not a middle management issue, but a matter of budgets, resources, and staffing. I drive an hour from across the state in Connecticut because I cannot afford to live here in Massachusetts. I rely on my telework days in order to save money on gas and be able to afford other bills. My personal situation impedes my ability to be flexible with students or with my schedule, and I’m not able to allow for more evening appointments. I know there are students I am not reaching, as many students do not answer our messages or calls after finding out how hard it is to get in to see us.

“Each year we cut down on Christmas and birthday presents. We can’t give gifts to our other family and friends. I swap kids’ clothes with people in our town because we can’t afford new, and I utilize QCC food pantry so that I can get help with food costs. I do not know how to stress how every dollar counts for our family and how deeply I am affected by the small increases in our pay in relationship to the increasing cost of living in Massachusetts.”

I am closing the year my tenth year of service at Quinsigamond Community College, and I have always been grateful for the opportunities for growth that the college has provided me which truly life changing. Getting my first job at QCC helped me recover from the financial distress my mother’s unexpected passing had left behind, helped me pay for my very modest wedding, and helped me get a second car.

Since I’ve started here, I’ve had three children. In 2018 I had my first child and the laws surrounding family leave were very different and I couldn’t take a proper maternity leave. His birth was traumatic and life threatening to us both. I suffered injury and great mental distress, and just as I was able to walk without pain, I needed to come back to work after 5 short weeks. My husband, a dedicated EMT who has worked for companies based in Boston and Worcester, would not have been able to support his family of three in our small one-bedroom apartment. Childcare being as outrageously expensive as it is, he switched to working overnights so that I could go to work during the day. The stress and pressure of trying to survive on two stable jobs on no sleep almost tore our family apart and put us in a mountain of credit card debt as rent increased and food and utility prices continued to rise. 

I continued to move up at QCC, getting two promotions since 2018. We were able to purchase a small house in Barre, MA so we could escape the rising rent, but put us further in debt with home improvements needed to make our home safe. As the financial pressure began to rise, my son received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder before the age of three. This came with many new medical costs and time off from work for appointments and evaluations. To become a higher earner, I decided to go to grad school and get my MBA, which for the cost of the program and accrued student loan debt, has not paid off in my salary.

In 2021 I unexpectedly became pregnant with twins. I am blessed with my three wonderful children, but a son with autism and twin newborns poses many financial challenges. With our combined income, we make too much for any sort of assistance other than supplemental mass health due to our son’s documented disability, so the struggle and surmounting debt continues. With a son on disability, we were able to be placed on a waitlist for childcare assistance, but the waitlist is so long our children will outgrow the need for childcare before we’re able to receive any benefit. 

No longer able to escape the costs of childcare, I now pay $1,800 a month for three days of care for my kids. From what I understand, in Massachusetts, that is incredibly modest. Now I have a small house that we have outgrown and cannot afford to leave or improve, I have three children to feed and clothe, an unbearable amount of healthcare expenses, taxes, car repairs, and utility bills etc. There is no end in sight to the debt that we are accruing just to get by. In another attempt to get some relief, I have taken on a second job at the college and my husband has started taking on overtime on the weekends. We are rarely together as a family, and when we are, we are struggling to get balance maintaining a household, food shopping, and keeping our kids as involved in activities as possible within our financial limits. We want our children to have a good life, and it truly hurts me when I have to make such balances that harms their social development. 

Each year we cut down on Christmas and birthday presents. We can’t give gifts to our other family and friends. I swap kids’ clothes with people in our town because we can’t afford new, and I utilize QCC food pantry so that I can get help with food costs. I do not know how to stress how every dollar counts for our family and how deeply I am affected by the small increases in our pay in relationship to the increasing cost of living in Massachusetts. 

I am so proud that our state has given our students new opportunities with the MassEducate programs, but it adds to the ever-growing pressure of my already burnt-out self and coworkers. There is no stopping to breathe. There are no vacations. There is no room for professional development, no room college service, and no room for self-care or reflection. 

Society tells us to go to school, get a good job, get married, buy a house, start a family, and then all will be well until we retire. Each one of those decisions got me further and further away from a life that I can afford to live and now I am feeling punished by those choices. I am one of many who shares a similar story, and it is only a matter of time before we are too burnt out to persist in this matter. So I appreciate the opportunity to share my voice with you.

“Unfortunately, the reality was and still is that I found myself working for the love of teaching and not so much for the love of my earnings. It was great to have health insurance and other benefits of full-time employment, however, the net paycheck was and still is meager.”

Thank you for reading a brief account of my experience as a Massachusetts Community College faculty member. My teaching career began 29 years ago as an adjunct. For the first 12 years I made ends meet by working at various higher ed institutions. I felt although the pay wasn’t great and I ran around from one college to another in both RI and MA, there was definitely a sense of fulfillment working with young adults who had aspirations of meeting their educational and ultimately career goals. I joyfully always did my best to bring students a positive and meaningful classroom experience. This was the upside of my job. However, I can definitely speak to the challenge of having to stretch every dollar as an adjunct instructor to meet my household expenses. I longed for a full time position which doesn’t come up often in most areas of the college. You can imagine my sense of relief when a full-time position did come up for me. I thought there would be a bit of financial relief when I was hired as a full-time faculty member. Unfortunately, the reality was and still is that I found myself working for the love of teaching and not so much for the love of my earnings. It was great to have health insurance and other benefits of full-time employment, however, the net paycheck was and still is meager. As a single mom raising children and now always in one way or another supporting my children, I found the reality is that it is not possible to support a household on my net full-time paycheck. Pay raises never really cover inflation, cost of living nor the ability to have a more comfortable lifestyle. As a result, I found myself taking on extra work as an adjunct mostly at night. For many years and until the day I retire, I will have to carry a full time day load including college service, advising and the other duties of a full time faculty member, as well as, having to work 2-3 nights per week as an adjunct. Unfortunately, even these efforts to keep up with expenses are starting to pale in the face of rising cost of living expenses and continued low wages. I assure you that my annual income working full-time days and part-time nights (sometimes full time at night) allows me and my family a ‘very’ modest lifestyle. Aside from the impact of low wages on me personally, there is also an impact on the joy, energy and time I can afford students while working so many hours per week. I remain committed to my passion for being able to make a positive shift for students, however, I admit there are aspects of my approach and ability to reach as many students as possible that are fatigued. Additionally, increased enrollment due to Mass Reconnect, adds to the workload which makes a currently difficult situation even more challenging. There is so much more to my story that’s beyond the scope of this letter. I hope the takeaway is that you can try to imagine the quest of a sincere teacher who loves teaching, who’s greatest joy is watching students gain skills, yet who consistently feels defeated by the fatigue of working day and night having to live within the confined budget of an underpaid professional. Your support to pass legislation for equitable wages for Massachusetts Community College faculty and staff is very much appreciated for the wellbeing of not only my family but also for that of my colleagues.

“The students of today vary widely in their cognitive, academic, executive functioning, and communication-social skills, as well as their emotional intelligence and ability to regulate or remain resilient.”

As a certified educator since the early 1980s, I have experienced 40+ years of evolution in the field of education. I have witnessed incredible changes in our students and our understanding of brain development and the impact of trauma. As educators, our responsibilities have expanded far beyond the role of content specialist. At any given time, it may be necessary to not only facilitate competency acquisition academically, but also socially, emotionally, physically, behaviorally, vocationally, and even financially. I am expected to protect my students at all costs including, quite possibly, my own life. 

I have been valued, respected, appreciated, thanked, hugged, and remembered fondly. I have also been devaluated, disrespected, unappreciated, bitten, kicked, punched, and hit by flying objects. I have had to search lockers and our campus for weapons while also participating in practice or actual lock downs and evacuations. I have supported the academic success of numerous students, but I have also regularly supported students: 

• who might need a self confidence boost, someone to truly hear them, and/or a high five or granola bar, fruit, or chocolate multiple times per day 
• who would not have been able to participate in co or extra curricular activities without financial aid from staff 
• who had been abused by family members/guardians/peers/others
• who require assistance in securing and maintaining friendships or a job
• who need assistance navigating the transition to, and funding of, post secondary education
• for whom the police and ambulance were called because they were at serious risk to themselves or others

The students of today vary widely in their cognitive, academic, executive functioning, and communication-social skills, as well as their emotional intelligence and ability to regulate or remain resilient. Add compounding challenges of trauma, housing and/or food insecurity coupled with what is proving to be higher levels of mental health concerns and students identified with one or more educational disabilities, it is no wonder that educators are burning out more rapidly. Class sizes and case loads, in addition to job duties, continue to grow while our salaries, respectful treatment, and support diminish or are not @ par with other career fields given our levels of education, expertise, and ongoing professional development. 

I have my Masters in Education, plus additional course credit and thousands of professional trainings under my belt. My tool kit is vast. What is not vast is the money I earn given all of the above. In 1983, my 1st job as a year-round educator who worked 40+ hours/wk. was $10,800! When I transitioned from the K-12 system to the Community College system, I was earning in the mid $70K range – better, but certainly not comparable to those in other career fields. Until my mid 50s, even with a spouse contributing to household expenses, I needed a second job and/or worked during the summer months to care for myself and family. When I was hired by Middlesex Community College, I was shocked to learn that regardless of my years of experience, education, and training, (relevant to my present job duties and the reason for my hire), I was to be paid less than half of my per diem rate! Think about this a moment. A professional with a considerable amount of value added contributions is making half of what they would be making if working in a public school and that salary was also low comparatively. While I love my job @ MCC, and am continuing to effectively support students, I can not make ends meet once again. It’s incomprehensible to me that in my mid-sixties I now have to take on 2 supplemental jobs to offset that loss in income in order to work at Middlesex. I am hopeful that changes are made to enable us to do right by students while not making personal sacrifices.

“I used to be a community college instructor. It’s important that you understand why I’m not anymore… I chose to leave community college teaching due to low wages well before the influx of students from MassEducate, and well before bursts of inflation exacerbated strain on earnings. ”

I loved my job, and please forgive this expression of pride, but I was very good at it. I enjoyed crafting tailored plans to the individual personalities and needs of each class that incorporated their experiences and related to the world around them. As you can imagine, this takes time, effort, and constant dedication to meeting evolving best practices, which requires more time and effort on top of that. I’m not special either; this is just what good teaching is. Any teacher with the spirit of a modern educator strives to do this, and they do it because they feel called to uplifting their communities through education. They certainly aren’t doing it for the money. I did this for nearly ten years before I had a difficult choice to make because I was not making a livable wage doing this work. I could have continued this way at the expense of my own wellbeing, or I could have done my job poorly just so I could fit in an untenable amount of it, or I could have left the profession. I chose to leave.

Others chose to leave as well. More will do so, and our community college students will suffer for it. A QCC colleague with a PhD and 15 years of teaching community college students admitted that her child’s much younger elementary school PE teacher makes $30,000 more a year than she does. How much longer do you expect her to hold out? In a recent statement, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education, Noe Ortega, asserted that, “Now more than ever, it is essential to ensure that all individuals – regardless of background or circumstance – have support, resources, and pathways to success. Higher education must remain a guiding force for inclusion, excellence, and social and economic mobility.” We’re thrilled that MassEducate removes the financial barrier for students to achieve this, truly, but it’s not enough to just get students in the door at community colleges. We’re not going to move the needle on their preparedness for the workforce or further education without the faculty and staff to get them there.

For those that don’t leave the profession, and for the diminishing number of young professionals who choose to enter the profession, consider the other options: sacrifice their own wellbeing and compromise the quality of their teaching just so they can fit more classes into a semester or take on multiple jobs out of pure necessity to meet the basic cost of living in Massachusetts. Is this the quality of education you’re saying you want to provide for already disadvantaged students? An inadequate number of faculty and staff who are too burnt out to innovate, to evolve, to stay current, or to even respond to students’ questions and concerns? It flies in the face of MassEducate’s promise of economic mobility for all its residents if we don’t also commit to quality education.

I haven’t even mentioned yet that I chose to leave community college teaching due to low wages well before the influx of students from MassEducate, and well before bursts of inflation exacerbated strain on earnings. That’s why funding MassEducate without funding pay equity for community college faculty and staff feels performative. It’s also objectively unsustainable and unproductive. What is your plan to retain and adequately serve vulnerable community college students through graduation and transfer without recruiting and retaining properly trained faculty and staff? If you truly believe in uplifting our Massachusetts communities through education as much as its educators do, you’ll see why it’s imperative to raise their wages to match the cost of living of today.

“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.

“It’s amazing to finally have weekends off for the first time in my life. When you work weekends, you constantly have to miss important events such as weddings, anniversaries, cookouts, etc. because you can’t afford to take the time off since you have no benefits such as vacation days.”

I have been an Adjunct Faculty at 4Cs since 2003. Only once in all of that time have I been offered more than 1 course per semester, and then it was only 1 other course. Consequently, I have had to supplement my income with a wide variety of other jobs. Despite having multiple W2s and 1099s every year, I never earned enough to be above the federal poverty level. Only recently, when I should be retiring, have I finally landed a part-time job on campus that allows me to keep my head above water financially.

Prior to that, I nearly always had a part-time restaurant job either bartending or waitressing.

In addition, here is a small sample of other jobs I’ve held in my 21 years as an Adjunct Faculty:

• Substitute Teacher
• Crisis Intervention
• Census Worker
• Dinner Theater
• Puppeteer
• Dancer/Musician/Actor/Costumes/Playwright/Stage Combat
• Fortune Teller
• Art Model
• Seamstress/Tailoring
• Newspaper Delivery
• Musical Instrument Salesperson
• Amusement Ride Operator
• Dance/Aerobics/Fitness/Martial Arts Instructor
• Home Improvements (Painting and Wallpapering)
• After-School Youth Arts Programs
• Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Counselor and Hotline
• Customer Service

It’s amazing to finally have weekends off for the first time in my life. When you work weekends, you constantly have to miss important events such as weddings, anniversaries, cookouts, etc. because you can’t afford to take the time off since you have no benefits such as vacation days.

I hear full time instructors complain about teaching 6 or 7 courses and can’t understand why those extra courses aren’t given to starving Adjuncts. Perhaps allowing faculty to teach across disciplines could alleviate this imbalance.