BENTONVILLE -- Some full-time faculty members are unhappy about a new rule implemented this semester at Northwest Arkansas Community College that requires them to spend at least 32 hours per week working on campus, diminishing the flexibility they say is essential to their jobs.
Numerous faculty members complained about the rule in an anonymous survey done by the faculty senate earlier this month. Some also criticized the way the rule was imposed without faculty input. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette obtained the survey results through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The survey asked faculty members to rate their morale on a scale of 1-10. A total of 142 faculty members -- 102 full time and 40 part time -- responded with an average morale rating of 5.3. The full-time faculty members rated their morale at an average of 4.9.
The survey also invited faculty members to provide comments to elaborate on the ratings they gave.
Those comments varied, but 40 full-time faculty members referenced the 32-hour rule in their comments, with 37 of those expressing a negative opinion.
One person -- echoing the sentiments of several others -- wrote the hours requirement "completely disregards the amount of time I spend on nights and weekends working for the college, it's a slap in the face. I spend well over forty hours a week working for the college, not all of those hours are on campus, and now these new rules make me feel like my hard work and dedication are not appreciated at all."
Another full-time faculty member called the 32-hour mandate "very upsetting," adding longtime employees are contemplating leaving.
"They feel a mandate has been decreed unfairly. They feel unappreciated and undervalued."
Another said there's no reason for them to be in their office 32 hours a week, because most of their classes are online with students who ask the faculty member to meet with them online on evenings or weekends.
"I have been in my office every week since this has been mandated, and I have seen one student two times," the full-time faculty member wrote.
About 30% of the college's courses are being taught fully online this fall semester, according to Grant Hodges, director of communications, government relations and marketing.
Northwest Arkansas Community College is by far the largest community college in the state, with a reported enrollment of 7,839 as of Sept. 7.
University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock -- the state's second-largest two-year school -- asks its full-time faculty to spend at least 25 hours per week on campus, with at least five hours devoted to on-campus office hours, according to the procedures outlined in the school's policy on faculty time.
Other Northwest Arkansas Community College faculty responding to the survey raised concern about the way the rule came about. Wrote one faculty member, "What happened to democratic process where faculty and staff have an opportunity to give feedback on proposed policy/procedural changes before these are mandated?"
The faculty senate constitution declares a commitment by the college to the concept of "shared governance" whereby the faculty should have a say in matters relating to "teaching, learning, the classroom environment, academic standards and employment."
A few faculty members have reached out to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette by phone to express their misgivings about the 32-hour rule, though they declined to go on the record. They said the spirit of shared governance wasn't followed in this case.
Dennis Rittle, who began as the college's fourth president in July, declined the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's request for an interview on the topic, according to Hodges.
Hodges, however, provided a statement on behalf of the college.
"As a community college, it is vitally important for us to be here on campus to maintain our NWACC culture, learn from one another, build trust and teamwork and be present to serve the needs of our students. The pandemic disrupted all our lives, but our NWACC students, faculty and staff have modeled the way to a return of campus life. Our presence shares the message, 'Students Come First at NWACC!'"
Gloria Mallow, faculty senate president, last month declined a request for an interview on the topic, writing by email, "As faculty senate president, I am not an authorized spokesperson for the college."
But Mallow did provide a statement through Hodges on Thursday. She said while she couldn't speak for all 400 faculty members, "my 20 years at NWACC has me confident that all employees are united in supporting the mission and vision of the college."
The faculty workload policy has been in place since 2000 and was not changed; it was the procedures within the policy that were altered to establish the 32-hour on-campus rule, Hodges said. The procedure was approved following the same process always used for adding or editing procedures, Hodges said.
The policy was moved from academic affairs to human resources because it relates to compensation and was approved by the vice presidents over those areas, he said.
The college employed 149 full-time faculty members as of the end of September, according to the administration.
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NoneFaculty pay
Salaries for Northwest Arkansas Community College faculty members are based on nine-month and 12-month pay scales.
Pay also depends on the faculty member’s experience and education level.
The pay range on the nine-month scale starts at $39,430 and goes up to $70,166. The maximum is for someone with a doctorate and 28 years of experience.
The pay range on the 12-month scale starts at $52,573 and goes up to $78,523.
Source: Northwest Arkansas Community College