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Guest column
Students ask for contract compromise
Dear Mt. Hood Community College,
On Wednesday, the Faculty Association voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike for full-time faculty. This is a result of months of failed negotiations between the Board of Education and the Faculty Association. As we have seen negotiations deteriorate, we have compiled information and fielded questions regarding an impending strike.
Until now, we have not taken an official stance or chosen a side. As student leaders, we feel it is our civic role to advocate for and represent students at MHCC. Our concerns continue to grow about what the quality of our education will be if faculty strike. The questions and student demands expressed at the "What About Us" rally held in February remain unanswered and unmet! We as students are the consumers and must be treated as such.
As the Associated Student Government Executive Cabinet, we strongly disagree with the decision made by the MHCC Administration to hire an attorney for the negotiation of the faculty contract. The Board of Education has authorized $275,000 for the services of Randy Stedman ("The Negotiator"). To put that in perspective, that is more money than the college would receive for a one dollar increase in tuition. We feel it is the inherent right of the administration to make decisions based on what is best for the institution but paying for the services of a firm that has only proved detrimental to the college is not in the college's best interest.
To the administration, we ask that you to do what is best for the students, not for one entity or one attorney. We are asking the administration to let Mr. Stedman and his firm go for the sake of the students and the college, so the faculty association and administration can work directly together.
Additionally, as students we feel strongly that all salaries and positions should be fairly and conservatively looked at to make sure lavish spending in these economic times are eliminated, not just those of the faculty associations and classified staff. In hard times, there should be no stone unturned. We, the students would willingly entertain open forums to discuss contract negotiations or any other pertinent issues that would encourage a community atmosphere as well as a relationship of transparency.
To the full-time faculty, we understand your overwhelming concerns about the current climate as well as the future of this institution. We know many of you have served for the good part of your life pouring into the students and future of this community and for that we are thankful. We also understand that you deserve to be fairly compensated for teaching at MHCC. However, as the ASG Executive Cabinet, our biggest concern is that if you strike, as students we will lose hope that a deal will eventually be reached.
With that being said, we will support whoever is interested in negotiating without a third party, committed to keeping tuition low despite budget shortfalls, as well as creating a transparent process on campus. We understand this is a contentious issue and both sides have a lot to lose, but ultimately it will be the students that will lose if the faculty strikes!
Respectfully,
ASGMHCC Executive Cabinet
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