There are probably 50 instructors at the Payson Campus of Gila Community College (GCC), give or take. To do a front page story (in Friday's Roundup) with a headline that implies we, the faculty, are unhappy over our pay and our contracts when, in fact, only two teachers were actually unhappy, is grossly misleading. I am an instructor at GCC. In the course of a week I probably talk to 10 instructors. Not one of them expressed displeasure over pay or contracts to me. In fact, we were informed in a timely manner by the administration that there was a pay discrepancy and it was being investigated. We got paid. We have signed contracts. It didn't, in this instructor's opinion, deserve to be a front page story -- nor did it deserve to be called a "disaster." Come on guys, there's got to be more important stuff to put on the front page..
Jim Keyworth
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2 comments:
As to whether the current/ongoing pay issues are front page worthy or not, I couldn't say; it's a small town with an even smaller newspaper. However, you appear not to have much in the way of accurate information.
First of all, more than two instructors complained about the original pay debacle. I don't know the exact count, only that it is more than 10.
In fact, many issues exist at GCC concerning faculty not only pay, and to the point where every full-time employee and most of the adjuncts have complained to at least one member of the governing board. The first words out of their mouth? "Please don't use my name, or tell anyone that I called you." That speaks volumes for the level of fear on the campus. I know of at least 4 instructors who have been threatened with their job.
And with that level of fear Mr. Keyworth, you're not going to hear much of anything. The good news is that the times they are a changin' and more quickly than current administrators might think. Pretty soon they're going to be unemployed, and then maybe GCC will go back to being the fine student-centered college it has been in the recent past. And no, I am not talking about ASU coming to town.
According to the Roundup article, 2faculty members showed up at the GCC board meeting to complain. If there were others, they complained privately and, as you suggested, anonymously. I just find it odd that all the faculty members I have contact with, and I am there three days a week, seem happy as clams. Malcontents usually flock to me, and I have met nary a one.
Jim Keyworth
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