A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to implement A PLAN FOR MOVING FACULTY AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF SALARIES IN THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
Whereas, in order for a new economy to emerge and be sustained in North Carolina, the State must have competent and skilled workers who are educated and supported by high quality, well-credentialed, and responsive faculty and professional staff; and
Whereas, there is a direct link between the success of adults in learning to think critically, solve problems, and be productive employees, and the quality of instruction, counseling, and placement support they receive at an institution of the North Carolina Community Colleges System; and
Whereas, over the past two fiscal years, the North Carolina Community Colleges System has enrolled record numbers of displaced workers, transitional workers, and persons entering post-secondary school for the first time in many years, all of whom require intensive instructional and support services; and
Whereas, according to the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB), the average salary of the faculty of the Community Colleges System is approximately 80% of the national average salary of full-time instructional faculty of public two-year colleges; and
Whereas, full-time faculty rank fifteenth of the sixteen SREB states in average salary; and
Whereas, the average salary of professional staff in the North Carolina Community Colleges System is approximately 81% of the national average salary of full‑time professional staff; and
Whereas, it is imperative that the State move community college faculty and professional staff salaries to the national average; and
Whereas, this may be accomplished by implementation of a five-year plan that includes annual incremental increases in community college faculty and professional staff salaries; and
Whereas, in the event that fiscal conditions do not permit the full implementation of the planned annual increment in a fiscal year, the remainder of that increment may be included in a subsequent year appropriation; and
Whereas, the estimated annual incremental costs are $19,438,000 for the 2003-2004 fiscal year, $17,370,000 for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, $17,770,000 for the 2005-2006 fiscal year, $18,185,000 for the 2006-2007 fiscal year, and $13,168,000 for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of nineteen million four hundred thirty-eight thousand dollars ($19,438,000) for the 2003‑2004 fiscal year to increase the salaries of community college faculty and professional staff.  The State Board of Community Colleges shall adopt rules to ensure that these funds are used only to move faculty and professional staff to the respective national averages.  The funds shall not be transferred by the State Board, or used for any other budget purpose by the community colleges.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2003.