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Background
Because it has a great staff, the Wisconsin Technical College System
(WTCS) is one of the best of its kind in the nation. WTCS serves more
than 430,000 students every year and prepares a highly skilled workforce
for Wisconsin employers. More than 80% of the students trained in WTCS
continue to live and work in the state.
There is a disturbing national trend in higher education to hire part-time faculty members. Nationally, while the number of faculty increased by 10 percent over the last 5 years, the number of part-time faculty increased 22 percent and full-time faculty only 4 percent.
The WTCS faculty reflects this alarming trend. It is estimated that 70% of the instructors at WTCS are part-time teachers. Even though they meet the same certification standards as the full-time teachers, the part-time teachers receive disproportionately low pay and lack health care coverage. It is estimated that part-time teachers are paid less than 40% of a full-time teacher for teaching the same class.
Great schools require a teaching staff, whether part-time or full-time, that is afforded the salary, benefits and stability of a profession that is working to train the highly skilled workforce of today to meet the growing needs of Wisconsin's employers.
Legislative history
WEAC supported 2001 Senate Bill 314 which required that the salary and
fringe benefits of all technical college instructors who are employed
on a part-time basis be prorated based on the salary and fringe benefits
that they would receive if they were employed full time.
Similar legislation passed in California and the state of Washington in 2001, providing pay equity for part-time faculty.
WEAC position
The Wisconsin Education Association Council supports professional salary
and benefit levels for all Wisconsin Technical College System teachers,
both part-time and full-time. Resources should be provided to attract
and retain great teachers. Maintaining professional, experienced teachers
helps build great schools for Wisconsin's students.
Talking points
Additional information
Contact Bob Burke at WEAC at 800-362-8034 ext. 254 or by e-mail at burkeb@weac.org
with any reactions, comments or questions.
Posted March 30, 2004