SAN MARCOS — Faculty has a better contract going into the 2017-2018 academic year.

At the beginning of the semester, lead negotiator for the faculty contract, Jenny Fererro, announced to the Faculty Senate that over the winter break, she and other team members had negotiated a new contract for faculty in the upcoming year.

Negotiations for the contract began last July, and was finalized on Jan. 26, of this year. Fererro expressed that she was pleased with the way the negotiations went on behalf of the team; which was made up of half part-time and half full-time faculty, under the leadership of Palomar’s Vice President of Human Resources, Lisa Norman.

Part-time employees gained several benefits from the contract. Here are some of the highlights:

• All employees at the contract received a 1.56 percent cost of living adjustment to all salaries and stipends, retroactive to July of last year.
• A pay increase for part-time office hours from $45 an hour to $55 an hour, retroactive to fall of last year.
• Part-time faculty who have their classes cancelled up to two weeks before the semester, and any time after it begins, will receive pay for the first week of instruction regardless.
• Part-time faculty who serve on specified councils/committees will receive $11 an hour pay for the time spent at those meetings.

Fererro and the team plan on beginning negotiations for the 2018-2019 contract as soon as next month.