Skip to main content

MCC Daily Tribune Archive

President's Wednesday Message


As the term draws to a close, I am meeting with student leaders to hear their reflections on the year―their experiences, their impressions, what we do right and where we have room to improve. I can tell you that our students think very highly of their college! I know that their assessment is a direct reflection of your work. So, with the end of the academic year fast approaching, I thank you for your hard work and your service to our students.

In this race to the end of the year, I also know that some are concerned that we have not yet reached agreement on labor contracts with the Faculty Association and the Civil Service Employees Association. I very much want to reach responsible contracts that ensure a sustainable future and maintain the College as a great place for all to work and students to study and grow.

As you know well, our college’s mission is to educate our students so that they may pursue future education and/or employment opportunities. This satisfying and worthy mission is one about which we are all passionate. It’s the reason we do what we do. I want very much to work with the unions to achieve agreements that allow us to continue to accomplish our mission.

I believe that the goal of maintaining a vibrant, impactful college for the benefit of our community is shared by all members of the MCC family. This goal requires me and the Board to look at the present with an eye toward the future.  I am tasked with creating a sustainable future for MCC in an unstable economy; I know that I can’t do it without you.

As we work to create that future, we must deal with economic realities, many of which we can’t control. These include state and county funding, escalating health insurance costs, and the number of students who graduate from high school. State aid alone remains at the level we saw in 2000. Each of these factors and others plays a role in determining the path we take to achieve our goals.

To maintain fiscal stability, we must look at responsible ways to control expenses, increase revenues and ensure that students are not negatively impacted. With 82 percent of our budget devoted to personnel costs, the negotiating teams have the challenge of continuing to respect and honor our colleagues, while managing ever increasing health care costs and maintaining fair salaries and staffing levels. This is indeed a challenge, but one I am confident management and union leaders can negotiate to successful conclusion.

We are in this together. We will continue to negotiate in good faith and hope to have agreements as soon as we possibly can. As always, I welcome your thoughts
on my blog as we continue to negotiate with representatives for both unions.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you again for all you do to make MCC great.

Anne M. Kress
President
05/16/2012