Chicago City College Presidents Get Pay Raise
By aaroncynic in News on Aug 19, 2013 5:45PM
Chicago’s seven City College presidents now all make $170,000 a year, thanks to a pay raise approved by the City College Board of Trustees on Aug. 1. The Sun-Times reports the raises, based on a recommendation from an executive compensation firm, went into effect on Aug. 5 and will be part of the system's 2014 budget. Spokesperson Katheryn Hayes said the raises were awarded because the firm, Pearl Meyer & Partners, concluded the salaries of City College presidents ranked below those of their peers both locally and nationwide.
Hayes told the Sun-Times:
“We have a balanced budget with no tuition or property-tax increase, and we have a healthy operating surplus of $25 million going into fiscal year 2014, so we can invest in academic affairs, student support, infrastructure improvements and the key talent who have helped us deliver an 80 percent increase, to about 4,000, in the number of associate degrees conferred in 2013 — the highest in City Colleges history.”
The raises however, come at a time where part-time and administrative employees of Chicago City Colleges are fighting to keep the limited amount of hours they’re allowed to work. Two months ago, the colleges stepped back from a move to make employees who are both tutors and adjunct instructors choose between the positions. An anonymous employee and a union representative theorized the move was to keep employees’ workweek under 30 hours so they wouldn’t qualify for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Presently, Chicago City College employees who work both positions make $15.65 a hour for tutoring and on average, $100 to $150 per class instructed.
Maria de Jesus Estrada, chair of the Harold Washington College chapter of the Cook County College Teachers’ Union told the Sun Times “Our part-time workers can barely get by working the multiple jobs they do. If they are forced to choose one job, I don’t know how they’re going to make a living.” Hayes said colleges would abide by the Affordable Care Act and that no decision has been made on a 30 hour work week limit.