Updated 1/21/15: Kishwaukee College has learned that the KCEA union membership has voted to suspend the strike previously planned for Wednesday, January 21 at 12:15 pm. The union membership will schedule a separate meeting to vote on ratifying a contract, but no date and time has been announced. A tentative agreement was reached by both negotiation teams on Monday, January 19. Classes will continue to meet as scheduled. Visit www.kishwaukeecollege.edu for further information.
Kishwaukee College has been notified that the faculty union intends to strike on Wednesday, January 21st at 12:15 pm. Classes will continue as scheduled until the faculty walk off the job at 12:15 pm. While all credit classes will be postponed, the College will remain open with all support services still available to students.
Negotiators from the Kishwaukee College Education Association (KCEA) have stated that the adminstrators who walked away from the bargaining table. KCEA represents 81 faculty members at Kishwaukee College and is affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers.
Members of the KCEA overwhelmingly voted for the work stoppage on January 21st during a closed session meeting on Thursday January 15th. KCEA had previously filed an intent to strike which allowed faculty to walk off the job as soon as Friday, January 16th.
Dr. Tom Choice, President of Kishwaukee College states, “Why walk away when you are so close? Today I received my answer. The faculty were less interested in getting an agreement than they are about striking and disrupting the education of our students. I can’t think of anything more disruptive than walking away in the middle of a school day.”
According to KCEA president Matt Read the union set its strike time for 12:15 to cause the least disruption to students since most classes are over by then.
The average salary for faculty at Kishwaukee College is lower than the state average, including downstate, according to Fiscal Year 2013 Salary Report for the Illinois Public Community Colleges by the Illinois Community College Board. The average contractual base salary for full time faculty (9 month contract) was $55,370 compared to the state average of $70,246.
UPDATED: However tuition costs are generally higher at Kishwaukee College than at other state community colleges. In 2014-2015, the average tuition costs for colleges in Illinois was $ 7,303 for in-state and $ 17,241 for out-of-state. Tuition costs at Kishwaukee College was $8,910 for in-state and $11,940 for out-of-state. See this report.
Kayte Hamel at Kishwaukee College disputed the figures provided by the College Tuition Compare website. According to the Kishwaukee College website tuition per credit hour are as follows:
- In-District Students – $113.00
- Out-Of-District Students – $294.00
- Out-of-State Students/Foreign Country Resident – $473.00
Those per hour rates calculate closer to comparison numbers provided by College Illinois. That chart has replaced the College Tuition Compare chart below.
Kishwaukee College and KCEA bargaining teams are set to meet with a Federal mediator on January 21st at 6 pm.
ILLINOIS COMMUNITY COLLEGES (College Illinois)
Illinois Community Colleges 2014 – 2015 Annual Tuition & Fees | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk College | $3,840 | Lincoln Trail College | $2,954 |
| Carl Sandburg College | $4,690 | Malcolm X College | $3,248 |
| College Of DuPage | $4,664 | McHenry County College | $3,374 |
| College Of Lake County | $4,165 | Moraine Valley Community College | $4,198 |
| Danville Area Community College | $4,118 | Morton College | $3,508 |
| Elgin Community College | $3,658 | Oakton Community College | $3,494 |
| Frontier Community College | $2,954 | Olive Harvey College | $3,248 |
| Harold Washington College | $3,248 | Olney Central College | $2,954 |
| Harper College | $4,286 | Parkland College | $4,208 |
| Harry S Truman College | $3,248 | Prairie State College | $4,516 |
| Heartland Community College | $4,448 | Rend Lake College | $3,200 |
| Highland Community College | $4,318 | Richard J Daley College | $3,248 |
| Illinois Central College | $4,000 | Richland Community College | $3,687 |
| Illinois Valley Community College | $3,562 | Rock Valley College | $3,246 |
| John A Logan College | $3,168 | Sauk Valley Community College | $3,424 |
| John Wood Community College | $4,544 | Shawnee Community College | $3,040 |
| Joliet Junior College | $3,855 | South Suburban College Of Cook County | $4,408 |
| Kankakee Community College | $4,000 | Southeastern Illinois College | $3,104 |
| Kaskaskia College | $3,808 | Southwestern Illinois College | $3,552 |
| Kennedy-King College | $3,248 | Spoon River College | $5,280 |
| Kishwaukee College | $4,192 | Triton College | $3,858 |
| Lake Land College | $3,689 | Wabash Valley College | $2,954 |
| Lewis & Clark Community College | $3,872 | Waubonsee Community College | $3,584 |
| Lincoln Land Community College | $3,664 | Wilbur Wright College | $3,248 |
| WEIGHTED AVERAGE TUITION AND FEES | $3,809 | ||
A FAQ on Kishwaukee College operations during a strike is available here. The KCEA has a Facebook page to keep members and the public updated.
Click Here To Submit A News Tip Or Story