The Schenectady County Community College Board of Trustees is currently negotiating with President Quintin Bullock on a new contract.
Bullock has been president since July 1, 2009, and his existing three-year deal expires at the end of the month. Board Chairwoman Denise Murphy McGraw confirmed that the board has made an offer to Bullock but could not provide further details.
“We are in the process of negotiating with him,” she said in an email. “The attorneys are going back and forth as I type. Until they have an agreement for me to share with my colleagues, I don’t believe it is anyone’s best interest to discuss the matter.”
The board will meet again on July 30.
Bullock became president July 1, 2009, after taking over for Gabriel Basil, who stepped down in 2008 after a 17-year tenure. Within the last year, Bullock was a finalist for the presidency of two different colleges — Frederick Community College in Maryland and Stark State College in Ohio but didn’t get either job.
He came under criticism during the interview for the Frederick job when he compared SCCC to a Chevy and said he was looking to move up to a Cadillac. The trustees stood behind Bullock, who apologized for his choice of words.
Bullock is currently making $158,875 at SCCC. Before his current position, Bullock was provost at Tidewater Community College in Virginia.
Bullock was on vacation Friday and could not be reached for comment.
Among the college’s accomplishments during Bullock’s tenure are the nearly completed 264-bed student housing facility across the street, the 13,000-square-foot addition to the music wing, and the $11.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to train people for health care careers.
Professor Ralf Schauer, former SCCC Faculty Association president and spokesman for the group, said faculty members hadn’t heard about Bullock’s job status. He criticized the process for dragging on so long.
“I think the majority of the membership in the association feels that this is an example of failure of leadership on the Board of Trustees to make a stand,” he said. “To let the man dangle for so long is totally disrespectful for a man of his status. To have so much uncertainty, doesn’t help.”
If anything the uncertainty is generating more support for Bullock, according to Schauer.
Faculty morale was hurt by the college’s protracted contract negotiations with the 80-member union, according to Schauer. The county finally approved a new deal last June after the previous contract expired at the end of August 2010. The new contract contains 1.5 percent raises each year retroactive to 2010 and increased contributions to health insurance.
Because of the low pay and contentious contract negotiations, Schauer said some faculty have left for other positions at other colleges such as SUNY Adirondack. “I heard a lot of my colleagues. They’re all looking elsewhere. If something opens up, they’ll jump ship,” he said.
However, Schauer believes that a majority of faculty supports Bullock.
McGraw said Bullock himself wanted to hold off on his contract discussions until the faculty contract was resolved.
Bullock has also told the board he didn’t want a raise outside of what other staff is getting.
Categories: Uncategorized
