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С��è��ý reaches tentative deal with its faculty union, effectively ending nearly three-week strike

Story by Staff.

С��è��ý and its Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals (FFAP) have reached a tentative agreement, marking an end to a three-week strike that began March 11.

Thanks to this tentative agreement and possible ratification, С��è��ý is planning for spring includes a condensed 10-week schedule, with most classes beginning on April 6. Only some classes are meeting this week, including non-credit Community Education classes and Professional Development and Training (PDT). This allows С��è��ý to keep published start and end dates in place while supporting continuity for students.

The tentative agreement includes a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) this year and 3% for 2026-27. In addition, lump sum payments of $5,475 for full-time faculty, $5,000 for Academic Professionals and $1,400 for part-time faculty. The offer also provides doctoral pay for both faculty and APs and invests in part-time faculty pay equity by increasing the pay scale from 75% to 76%, a $600,000 commitment. APs will also get 40 vacation hours to cash out and no instructional days will be added. On health care, the proposal includes full coverage at the most common tier, a new option for college contributions to a Health Savings Account, and additional insurance contributions for part-time faculty. С��è��ý has roughly 1,600 faculty and APs.

On March 25, the college reached a deal with the Federation of Classified Employees (FCE) union. In that deal, employees approved a 0% COLA for this year and 5% for 2026-27. Classified employees will also receive a $1,350 lump sum payment upon ratification of the agreement on the next payroll cycle and be able to cash out of up to 40 vacation hours. С��è��ý has approximately 700 classified employees.

“This tentative agreement is an important step toward stability for С��è��ý and the students we serve,” said С��è��ý President Dr. Adrien Bennings. “We are pleased to be moving forward and refocusing on our core mission of educating students and serving our community.  At the same time, our hearts are heavy because we know that this agreement is so far outside of our budget that it will result in significant additional cuts in the future.”

С��è��ý continues to face mounting fiscal pressures that threaten not only the college’s future, but also its contribution to Oregon’s economy. Like many colleges and universities across the state, С��è��ý is confronting persistent structural budget challenges as it works to remain financially sustainable while continuing to meet the needs of students, employers, and the broader community.

That challenge carries real consequences. С��è��ý serves more than 57,000 students each year across four campuses and ten centers, providing a critical pathway to education, workforce training, and economic mobility. Sixty percent of С��è��ý students attend part-time while balancing jobs or family responsibilities, and two-thirds rely on financial aid. С��è��ý plays an outsized role in opening doors for underserved students and preparing Oregonians for family-wage careers. When funding falls short, the risk is not just to programs and services on campus, but to the state’s ability to build a skilled workforce and sustain broad-based economic growth.

The college’s expenses outpaced revenues by $26 million last year. With revenues constrained and costs rising, С��è��ý has already made $14.7 million in reductions to balance its 2025–27 biennium budget and is now facing an additional $21 million in cuts for the 2027–29 biennium. Long-term planning is made even more difficult by growing uncertainty around federal funding, creating further instability for institutions that Oregon depends on to expand opportunity, strengthen workforce development, and support long-term economic resilience.

The stakes are high because С��è��ý is far more than a college system, it is a major economic engine for the region and the state. A recent economic impact study found that С��è��ý contributes $2.3 billion to the regional economy and supports 25,314 jobs. The same study found that students gain about $5.10 in higher future earnings for every $1 invested in their education. Across Oregon’s 17 community colleges, the impact is even greater: together they generate $9.6 billion in annual economic activity statewide and support roughly 118,000 jobs. Continued underinvestment in С��è��ý and community colleges does not just strain campuses, it weakens Oregon’s workforce pipeline, limits economic opportunity, and puts at risk one of the state’s strongest returns on public investment.

“Higher education institutions across Oregon continue to face serious fiscal challenges,” Bennings added. “С��è��ý is proud to play a vital role in creating opportunity, strengthening the workforce and supporting the regional and state economy, and it is important that we continue working together to ensure community colleges have the resources needed to sustain that impact.”

For complete details on the bargaining process and history, visit: /president/bargaining-updates/