Salary increase approved for EPCC employees

By Tejano Tribune Staff Report

The EPCC Board of Trustees approved a 4% salary increase for faculty and staff at a special meeting August 7.

Steve Smith, VP Instruction and Workforce Education.

The increase is set to take effect for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The agenda for the special meeting included item 5.2 for discussion and action to approve the salary increases, although the final amount of the increase was subject to debate.

After a lengthy presentation regarding the college’s finances, Trustee Carmen Olivas Graham made a motion, which was seconded, for a 4.5% salary increase. Voting in favor were trustees Belen Robles (District 3), Olivas Graham (District 5), and Bonnie Soria Najera (District 7).

Voting against that increase percentage were trustees John Uxer (District 1), Brian Haggerty (District 2), and the newest member of the Board, Jesus Mendez (District 4). The motion for 4.5% was defeated on a 3-3 tie vote.

A new motion was made and seconded for a 4% increase. Voting in favor were Mendez, Robles, Najera and Haggerty. Voting against were Uxer and Olivas Graham.

That motion passed on a 4-2 vote. Uxer voted against both increases because he said he favored an increase of less than 4%. Olivas Graham voted against 4% because she said she was still pushing for her original motion to increase salaries 4 ½%.

According to EPCC Faculty Association President Albert Burnham, it was Olivas Graham who advocated for, and won, a 6% increase last year.

“Bottom line,” Burnham posted in an email sent to faculty, “EPCC employees will be receiving a 4% salary increase for the 2024-2025 academic year.”

The 2024-2025 contracts are now available. 

Go to MyEPCC – Services – Employment Contracts.  Compare your salary on this year’s contract with the salary on last year’s contract to make sure you received the four percent (4%) pay hike.