Written by Sergio Bichao
BRANCHBURG — They teach the most classes and are probably seen by the most students, but unlike their full-time counterparts, the adjunct professors at Raritan Valley Community College are afraid they won’t get a raise.
The college of Somerset and Hunterdon counties recently settled contracts with its full-time professors, administrators and staff, awarding them a 3 percent raise next year and no raise this year.
The negotiations come as students face a $450 tuition hike next year.
The counties slashed their tax-funded support of the school by 5 percent this year, contributing to a $3 million budget shortfall for the school.
RVCC’s $49 million budget calls for the elimination of 12 full-time administrative and staff positions, which have not been identified, spokeswoman Donna Stolzer said Friday.
School officials declined to comment on ongoing negotiations, but union officials this week said the administration was pushing for new raises for the adjunct faculty, which teach nearly 55 percent of the classes at RVCC and who outnumber the full-time professors 441 to 122, according to the school.
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