Long-time employees at Allen Community College will receive the same longevity bonuses that teachers receive, ACC trustees decided this week.
The new policy affects employees who have reached 10- or 15-year anniversaries at the college, Trustee Vickie Curry noted.
Up to now, those employees received $500 bonuses upon those anniversaries, Curry said, while teachers received $1,000 bonuses at both intervals.
“I don’t think that’s fair,” Curry said. “We have staff here just as vital as faculty.”
Trustees unanimously endorsed her proposal, that both faculty and other college employees receive $500 bonuses at their five-year anniversary; $1,000 bonuses after 10 and 15 years; and a $500 bonus upon their 20-year anniversary.
The policy caps longevity bonuses at 20 years.
Roberta Nickell, Allen’s chief financial officer, said the new policy will tack on about $16,500 to the college’s salary budget, “which is not something I’d worry about.”
That’s because the college usually carries a buffer in its salaries budget, she said, that rarely is used.
College President Dr. Bruce Moses spoke in favor of the bigger bonuses, noting it would cost the college more in the long run to find and train replacements for long-term employees.
Tuesday’s meeting was Moses’s first as college president. He replaced the retiring John Masterson July 1.
SEVERAL personnel moves were approved at Tuesday’s meeting.
• Tosca Harris, Allen’s dean of academic affairs-onsite, has been appointed as interim vice president for academic affairs. Jon Marshall, who previously held the position, resigned in June to take a similar position at Metropolitan Community College.
• Tricia Stogsdill has been hired as the next Allen theatre director. Stogsdill replaces Trevor Belt, who moved to Baker University. Stogsdill has been an associate theatre instructor at Neosho County Community College.
• Trustees approved a new position, vice president of finance and operations, and appointed Nickell to fill that position. The college will seek a replacement for Nickell’s previous job as college comptroller, and will search for a replacement.
• Searches also will commence for an administrative assistant to the president, and an information technology support technician.
• Trustees accepted the retirement announcement of Deanna Carpenter, director of institutional research and reporting; and the resignation of Savannah Williams as a business office assistant. Replacements will be sought for both.
