COCC-Faculty Forum Negotiations
Updates
Thursday, June 4 Meeting Summary
The Faculty Forum team provided responses to two articles: Salary Compensation and Evaluation and Personnel Files.
No tentative agreements were reached.
At this time, eleven articles remain open, and both teams continue to work toward resolving outstanding issues.
The final meeting within the 150 calendar day good faith bargaining period is scheduled for Thursday, June 11. The COCC negotiations team has expressed strong interest in continuing discussions and maintaining momentum and has shared potential meeting dates with the Faculty Forum team for the remainder of this month and through July.
Past Updates:
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Thursday, May 28 Meeting Summary
Several articles were passed from the Faculty Forum team to the COCC negotiations team, including Faculty Appointments; Tenure; Promotions; Teaching Assignment, Compensation and Agreements; Fringe Benefits; Professional Improvement; and Intellectual Property Rights.
No tentative agreements were reached.
Eleven articles remain open, with both teams continuing to work toward resolving outstanding issues.
An additional meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2026. After that, only one more meeting on Thursday, June 11 remains before the 150 calendar day good faith bargaining period concludes.
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Thursday, May 21 Meeting Summary
Several key articles were passed from the COCC negotiations team to the Faculty Forum team, including Faculty Appointments, Tenure, Promotions, Salary Compensation, Discipline and Dismissal, and Evaluation and Personnel Files.
Tentative agreements have also been reached on the Grievance Procedure and Forum Rights articles.
Discussions included a presentation outlining the projected budget impacts should the College adopt the current salary compensation proposal from the Faculty Forum. The College's most recent offer incorporates items previously requested by the Faculty Forum, including overload and summer compensation as well as salary compression.
Eleven articles remain open, with both teams working toward responses on outstanding issues.
COCC has requested an additional meeting on June 4, 2026, with both parties working to confirm the date.
Overview
Central Oregon Community College engages in collective bargaining with the Faculty Forum, represented by Oregon Education Association (OEA), as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting students, faculty and the broader community. Collective bargaining is a structured, legally defined process in which designated negotiation teams from COCC and the Faculty Forum meet to negotiate working conditions, compensation and other employment‑related matters.
Negotiations occur over time and involve multiple steps, including the development, discussion and review of proposals. This webpage serves as a resource and will be updated on a regular basis.
While not all details can be shared during active negotiations, COCC remains committed to clear communication, transparency and continuity for students, employees and the community throughout the process.
Timeline
COCC and the Faculty Forum bargaining teams began formal negotiations on Thursday, January 15 under Oregon’s Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA). Per ORS 243.712, PECBA mandates at least 150 calendar days of good faith direct bargaining following the exchange of proposals. If no agreement is reached by the end of that period (Monday, June 15), either party may request mediation.
Once mediation begins, which may occur after the 150 day negotiation phase or be jointly requested earlier, the parties have a minimum of 15 days in mediation. If mediation does not result in an agreement, either party may declare impasse. At that point, they must submit final offers and cost summaries within seven days, followed by a 30 day cooling off period while further resolution efforts may continue.
For more details on the full PECBA process, visit the Employee Relations Board website.
Current Contract
The current Faculty Bargaining Agreement can be found on our Contracts and Manuals webpage.
COCC Budget
For the most current budget reports and financial forecasts, please refer to the latest Board meeting packet.Bargaining Calendar
General Fund Reserve
All dollar figures in thousands (000s)
| Fiscal year | Type | Ending balance | Reserve req. (10%) | Reserve % | Days |
|---|
Historical Wage Increases
Full salary increase data is available in the table below the chart.
| Fiscal year | Full-time faculty avg. increase | Admin avg. increase |
|---|---|---|
| Average | 5.01% | 3.65% |
Articles Under Negotiation
The following existing articles are currently open for bargaining; any not listed are not presently open.
| Article | Status |
|---|---|
| Article 1 – Recognition | Tentative agreement reached |
| Article 2 – Forum Rights | Tentative agreement reached |
| Article 3 – Management Rights | Tentative agreement reached |
| Article 4 – No Strikes and Lockouts | Tentative agreement reached |
| Article 5 – Grievance Procedure | Tentative agreement reached |
| Article 6 – Faculty Appointments | Under negotiation |
| Article 7 – Salary Compensation | Under negotiation |
| Article 8 – Teaching Assignment, Compensation and Agreements | Under negotiation |
| Article 9 – Fringe Benefits | Under negotiation |
| Article 10 – Discipline and Dismissal | Under negotiation |
| Article 12 – Evaluation and Personnel Files | Under negotiation |
| Article 13 – Promotions | Under negotiation |
| Article 14 – Professional Improvement | Under negotiation |
| Article 16 – Intellectual Property Rights | Under negotiation |
| Article 18 – Duration | Under negotiation |
| New articles proposed by the Faculty Forum bargaining team | |
| Tenure | Under negotiation |
| Academic Freedom | Tentative agreement reached |
| Artificial Intelligence | Under negotiation |