Richland Community College
PAE-11: Sustainable Compensation

Richland Community College maintains total compensation systems designed to deliver competitive wages and salaries. Examples include: Administrative Employees In 2007, the College began working with KG&Associates to upgrade its pay program for administrative employees. Similar to the former program, the new pay system groups jobs into similar pay grades and defined pay ranges for each job. The new pay plan also allows the college to obtain better salary data through the consultant’s extensive data base of pay surveys. The revised pay plan was implemented in July 2008. The new pay system for administrative employees utilizes pay bands, which help define the range of competitive pay levels. Pay ranges typically begin at 80% of the range midpoint; the range midpoint designed to approximate the average rate in the applicable labor market. Ranges extend to 120% of the range midpoint. In 2008, special attention was given to the lowest paid workers in each pay grade. In particular, the College identified any administrative workers below 80% of the range midpoint, ie the range minimum, and provided for special pay adjustments to increase pay to the new range minimums. In 2008, 34 such administrative employees were identified. The pay for all 34 administrative employees was adjusted upward to ensure their pay rates met the competitive pay objectives of the College. The rates of all 34 were adjusted to at least the range minimum for their position. This resulted in a structure for the administrative employees in which all employees are paid within the pay range for their position, as defined by the evaluation system and the consultant’s market pay data. Full-time Faculty In 2009, the College entered into contract negotiations with representatives of our full-time faculty employees. During the negotiations, joint survey work found that Richland faculty salaries were both within the range of median salaries reported of the 39 Illinois Community Colleges surveyed, and within the range of six benchmark Colleges chosen jointly by the negotiating committee. A similar process is underway in conjunction with our 2010 contract negotiations with our Adjunct Faculty employees. Adult Education Instructors Annual pay surveys on competitive rates for this employee group finds the pay rates within the range of pay rates surveyed. Benefits Comment Richland Community College currently provides employee health and dental care at no cost to its employees. This significant benefit adds to the attractiveness of the Total Compensation Package extended to Richland Community College employees. Contractor The institution does not define sustainability guidelines for contractor compensation.