RCC trustees increase minimum pay 2.5%

Jan. 25—LUMBERTON — Robeson Community College's board of trustees voted Monday to increase the minimums on the college's pay scale during a special-called meeting held via Zoom Meeting.

The minimum pay across all positions at the community college will now see an increase of 2.5%, according to Kyle Chavis, chair of RCC's Finance Committee. Chavis said the decision was prompted by the recently approved state budget which directed all eligible community college employees to receive a salary increase of 2.5%, effective July 1.

"The primary reason for increasing our scale on our college would be to prevent further salary compression due to the legislative increase," Chavis said.

Pay compression is when newer employees are paid near or more than another employee who has worked longer in the same role.

The pay scale increase will be retroactive to Jan. 1, Chavis said.

In other business, the trustees voted to change the construction plans and resubmit bids for renovations to the Law Enforcement building.

"The additions and the renovations that we had put out for bids on the law enforcement building, what we budget, was well short of the lowest bid we had received," said Les Noble, chair of the Building and Grounds Committee.

Noble proposed making a change to the original proposal by eliminating one of the classrooms to be added on the rear of the building to save costs and then resubmit so that they align with the project's budget.

Trustee Denny Stedman asked if it would be possible to seek more funding from the Robeson County government.

"We need classroom space," Stedman said.

RCC President Melissa Singler told Stedman that the college has multiple projects that have been subject to supply chain that will have to be brought before the county commissioners.

"I just want to look at those options if they're out there," Stedman said.

Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at [email protected] or 910-416-5865.