Your recent articles on HVCC's cuts in adjunct faculty hours to avoid providing health insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act underscore HVCC's continuing assault on its core mission.
HVCC says it still awaits guidance on this 2014 requirement for full-time staff. Yet, immediately before fall 2013 class registration opened, HVCC slashed authorized adjunct hours and yanked classes. Students scrambled for fewer and less flexible alternatives. Some risked graduation. Excellent adjunct faculty found their family income reduced. While students are HVCC's reason for being and adjunct classes are a cost-effective strategy, HVCC claims these cuts minimize budget and student service impacts.
Given the ACA's 2014 effective date and apparent lack of firm federal state guidance, why is this cut needed in the fall? Possibly for short-term fiscal savings? Might it undermine ACA's insurance goals? If true, would HVCC's leadership rather pay possible federal penalties than invest those dollars in health care for faculty who teach their students, live and spend in their communities, and pay their salaries through taxes?
Why wouldn't HVCC, a taxpayer-funded SUNY institution, ethically want to provide loyal adjunct faculty with health benefits as federally envisioned? The University at Albany already does. Has HVCC looked creatively at implementation options? If not, how can HVCC declare it cannot afford coverage? HVCC proudly hosted President Obama in 2009. Would leadership be willing now to tell him face-to-face that they don't intend to fairly implement the ACA?
HVCC, please lead creatively to fix this wrong.
Debra Renner
Delmar