By Anthony Varriano
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
There was much concern over the amount Dawson Community College is spending to defend against wage claims during the monthly meeting of the DCC Board of Trustees Monday.
The grievances date back to May 2016, when four claimants (two of them current faculty members) sought wages for annual leave and holiday pay that they felt they should be accruing. Another claimant joined the party later.
The original decision was made for the claimants, but the appeal went Dawson’s way. Now the parties are in mediation.
Vouchers paid as of Jan. 23 included $4,137.50 for legal services regarding the faculty grievances brought against the college, and another $3,799.99 for an arbitrator fee for the grievances.
“When you’re looking for money to do things, that’s a good reason why it’s not there,” board chairman Chad Knudson said.
DCC Vice President of Administration Kathleen Zander said the college spent over $100,000 in legal expenses last year and has paid out $18,000 so far this year. There’s $30,000 budgeted for legal fees this fiscal year, but losing the wage claim would cost the college over $200,000, she added.
Dawson is the only Montana community college with faculty wage claims against it, Zander said, and no other educational institution allows for annual leave for faculty members. If the claimants were to win, it would set a new precedent for teachers receiving annual leave at all levels.
“We would have to put annual leave in a bank for faculty members to use during the academic year,” Zander said.
Board member Kathleen Fritsch questioned if the college has contacted the county attorney’s office for legal assistance.
“We did reach out to the county attorney previously … she was pretty busy,” Zander said.
Knudson reminded the board that the county attorney’s office mostly handles criminal law, and stressed the importance of hiring an attorney whose specialty is contract law.
“For $100,000 per year we could hire our own attorney and keep them on staff up here,” board member Rich Rowe added.
The current contract calls for full-time instructors to work seven hours per day per 35-hour work week for 160 days during the calendar year. That ends up being 1,120 hours compared to 2,080 hours worked as a full-time administrator. There are 100 days on campus during which teachers are not present and are still paid, Zander said.
Fritsch noted that she thought it was misleading that teachers only work 35 hours per week.
“I think it’s pretty pathetic that we’re backed into another corner again over something like this. My problem is paying law firms constantly … taking money away from other things we could be spending our money on,” board member Bob Stanhope said.
“This is my 43rd year in education, and this violates everything I’ve learned about education … it’s unprofessional and so self-focused,” John Bole said, adding later, “I’ve never met a teacher who expected annual leave while they were working on a contract.”
Reach Anthony Varriano at rrsports@rangerreview.com.