COCC-Faculty Forum Negotiations

Updates

Oct. 2, 2026

COCC and Faculty Forum Reach Tentative Agreement 

We are very pleased to report that the College and Faculty Forum bargaining teams reached an overall Tentative Agreement for a new CBA during our October 2, 2026, mediation session. Out of respect for the process, we are allowing the Faculty Forum to communicate the agreement before sharing further details on the webpage. The terms of the tentative agreement will now be prepared for review and consideration by both parties in accordance with their respective ratification processes. 

Faculty Negotiations: Questions & Answers:

• What does the strike notice mean, and does it mean there definitely will be a strike?
  The strike notice is formal notification of the Faculty Forum’s intent to begin a strike on Oct. 5. It does not mean a strike will necessarily occur. Negotiations may continue, and the parties can still reach an agreement before that date.
• What happens between now and Oct. 5?
  COCC and the Faculty Forum may continue negotiating and participating in mediation. The College is also preparing to maintain operations and support students should a strike occur.
• What is COCC doing to prepare for a potential strike?
  The College has been preparing for a range of scenarios, with a focus on supporting students, maintaining College operations and minimizing disruption. COCC will provide additional information to students, employees and the community if circumstances change.
• What happens if a strike begins Oct. 5?
  COCC has been preparing for a range of scenarios to support students, maintain College operations and minimize disruption. Additional information will be communicated if a strike occurs.
• Will COCC remain open if there is a strike?
  Yes. Unless otherwise announced, College campuses and services will remain operational.
• Are negotiations continuing?
  Yes. A strike notice does not end negotiations, and the College and Faculty Forum can continue working toward an agreement before or during a strike.
• Where can students find information about their classes and enrollment?
  Students should visit the Faculty Negotiations: Information for Students page for information about classes, potential course changes, refunds, financial aid, veterans education benefits and other student-specific questions. COCC will also communicate directly with students if anything changes that affects their classes.
• Where can I find the latest information about negotiations?
  This webpage is COCC’s primary source for information about the bargaining process, including negotiation updates, proposals, salary history and financial information. The page will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.

Past Updates:

• Friday, Sept. 25

  On September 25, 2026, COCC and Faculty Forum bargaining teams met for a mediation session. During the session, the parties exchanged package mediation proposals that moved the parties closer to an overall agreement. The College increased the cost of its offer by approximately $1 million. The parties appear to have a conceptual agreement on a new salary schedule and pay increases. The average salary increase would include 18.97% in the first year of the contract, a 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in both years two and three, and step increases of 2% for pre-tenure faculty and 3.10% for post-tenure faculty in years two and three (in addition to the COLA).

  The following summarizes the salary-related cost differences between the parties' latest mediation proposals.

  	College	Faculty Forum	Estimated Cost Difference
  Adjunct Salary	Average 23.32% increase in year one	Average 54.15% increase in year one	$683,000
  Summer Pay	60% of salary steps	70% of salary steps	$119,000
  Overload Pay	60% of salary steps	75% of salary steps	$151,000
  TOTAL			$953,000

   

  The following summarizes the other open issues under discussion:

  • The amount of load assigned to Lecture/Lab and Lab B courses. The College has proposed 0.75 load units per weekly contact hour, and the Forum has proposed 0.8 load units per weekly contact hour.
  • Whether to provide additional course preparation compensation to faculty teaching at Deer Ridge.
  • Language regarding eLearning's role in ensuring online course quality.
  • Department chair and program director compensation during off-contract periods.
  • Contribution percentages for insurance premiums and the methods and processes for implementing and administering a new tiered-rate premium contribution system.
  • CBA expiration language.

  The College’s complete mediation package proposal can be viewed here, and the Faculty Forum’s counterproposal can be viewed here.

  The parties will meet again on Friday, Oct. 2.

• Thursday, Sept. 24

  The Faculty Forum has notified Central Oregon Community College of its intent to begin a strike on Monday, Oct. 5, if the parties do not reach an agreement by that date. A strike notice does not mean a strike will necessarily occur. The College and Faculty Forum are actively engaged in negotiations and mediation to reach an agreement before Oct. 5. COCC remains committed to working toward resolution while also supporting students and maintaining College operations should a strike occur.

  The College will continue providing updates to students, employees and the community as additional information becomes available. Students can find information about what a potential strike may mean for their classes and other student-specific questions on COCC’s Faculty Negotiations: Information for Students webpage.

   

• Thursday, September 17

  On September 17, 2026, the COCC and Faculty Forum negotiation teams met for a mediation session. COCC presented the Faculty Forum with six alternative options for revising the salary article included in the College’s final offer, which is posted on the ERB website. One of these options would provide full-time faculty with an average salary increase of 17% in the first year of the contract and would position COCC's salary schedule among Oregon community colleges as the third highest at entry level, fourth highest at year ten, and seventh highest at the maximum salary level. 

  The Faculty Forum countered by revising the salary article in the Faculty Forum’s final offer, which is posted on the ERB by reducing the post-tenure step increase in its final proposal from 3.75% each year of the contract to 3.25% in year one, 3.5% in year two and 3.75% in year three. The Faculty Forum also altered certain load provisions and changed the effective date from July 1, 2026, to September 1, 2026. Their counterproposal can be viewed here.

• Monday, Aug 31

  On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the Faculty Forum sent the COCC negotiation teams a package offer including Fringe Benefits; Salary Compensation; and Teaching Assignments, Compensation and Agreements. The Faculty Forum's offer would increase College expenditures by approximately $8.5 million over the three-year contract term. This offer includes an average salary increase of 26.1% for full-time, continuing faculty and 68.1% for adjunct faculty in the first year of the agreement. In years two and three, probationary faculty would receive a 2% step increase and tenured faculty a 3.75% step increase, in addition to a 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each year.

  On Friday, August 28, the College rejected the offer primarily due to costs and the College provided a bargaining counterproposal. This proposal agrees to restructure the salary schedule from 23 steps to 15, along with approximately $4.1 million in additional expenditures over the three-year contract term.

  The College's proposal includes an average salary increase of 9.4% for full-time continuing faculty and 13.5% for adjunct faculty in the first year of the agreement. In years two and three, the proposal includes a 2% step increase for probationary faculty and a 3.1% step increase for tenured faculty, along with an additional 2.75% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in each year.

  After receiving the College's proposal, the Faculty Forum declared impasse on Friday, August 28. Final offers and cost summaries are due on Friday, September 4. A mediation session is scheduled for Thursday, September 17.

• Monday, Aug 24

  
  On August 20, 2026, the Faculty Forum and COCC negotiation teams completed their third mediation session. As a reminder, the parties reached seven tentative agreements during the previous mediation session. Most of the remaining open articles are tied to economics. The following is a summary of the most current economic proposals from both parties.

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  College Proposal

  The College’s current proposal includes raising the minimum starting salary by 12.1% and the maximum salary by 4.3%, excluding longevity steps. 

  In years two and three, the proposal includes a 2% step increase for probationary faculty and a 2.5% step increase for tenured faculty, along with an additional 2.75% COLA in each year.

  Faculty Forum Proposal 

  The Faculty Forum's current proposal includes raising the minimum starting salary by 26.7% and the maximum salary by 25.7%, excluding longevity steps. 

  In years two and three, the proposal includes a 2% step increase for probationary faculty and a 3.75% step increase for tenured faculty, along with an additional 3% COLA in each year.

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  No additional tentative agreements were reached during the August 20 session, and the four articles (Salary Compensation; Teaching Assignment, Compensation and Agreements; Fringe Benefits; and Duration) remain open.  The next mediation session is scheduled for Thursday, September 17.

• Wednesday, Aug 19

  The Faculty Forum and COCC negotiations teams met for their first two mediation sessions on August 12 and August 13, 2026. We agreed to seven tentative agreements during these meetings. We are scheduled for our next mediation session on August 20, 2026 and currently have four articles still under negotiation.

• Thursday, June 18

  Central Oregon Community College has requested mediation through the Oregon Employment Relations Board as part of its ongoing negotiations with the faculty bargaining unit. The College's decision follows more than 150 days of bargaining and reflects a desire to continue making progress toward an agreement throughout the summer.

  Mediation is a standard part of Oregon's collective bargaining process and involves the assistance of a neutral third party who helps both sides work towards resolution. The College previously offered multiple bargaining dates throughout June and July. The next currently scheduled bargaining session between the parties is August 12. COCC remains committed to bargaining in good faith and believes it is important to continue discussions and work toward resolution before the start of fall term.

  The College's priorities remain:

  • Supporting students and minimizing uncertainty heading into fall term
  • Continuing productive negotiations
  • Reaching a fair and sustainable agreement
  • Maintaining stability for students, faculty and the broader college community
• Thursday, June 11 Meeting Summary

  The COCC negotiations team provided responses to the following articles: Salary Compensation; Evaluation and Personnel Files; Intellectual Property Rights; Fringe Benefits; Faculty Appointments; Tenure; Promotions; Professional Improvement; and Teaching Assignments, Compensation, and Agreements.

  The College’s current proposal includes an increase of approximately 5.19% for full-time faculty in year one. This figure is based on total salary costs at a specific point-in-time and reflects not only increases for current faculty, but also the impact of staffing changes such as discontinued positions, new hires, and retirements or resignations replaced by new faculty. For continuing full-time faculty from this year to next (excluding one mid-year hire), the average increase is approximately 6.4%.

  In years two and three, the proposal includes a 2% step increase for probationary faculty and a 2.25% step increase for tenured faculty, along with an additional 1% COLA in each year.

  The Faculty Forum’s proposal includes an increase of approximately 25.37% for full-time faculty in year one, based on the same point-in-time salary cost calculation as noted above. For continuing full-time faculty from this year to next (excluding one mid-year hire), the average increase is approximately 25.9%.

  In years two and three, the proposal includes a 2% step increase for probationary faculty and a 4.25% step increase for tenured faculty, along with an additional 4% COLA in each year.

  No tentative agreements were reached and eleven articles remain open.

  The 150-day good-faith bargaining period has concluded. The COCC negotiations team proposed multiple meeting dates in June and July to continue progress; the Faculty Forum proposed a next meeting date of August 12. The teams are working to confirm next steps.

  Below is a list of requests from the Faculty Forum that the College has already agreed to or is prepared to accept as part of a broader package.

  Requests From Forum - Agreed by College

• 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.

• 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.