What the Evidence Tells Us

Mid Michigan College has seen significant growth in the number of employees in the last seven years as shown below. Today, with more than 400 employees, Mid Michigan College is among the largest employers in the region.^[32]

Mid is able to effectively retain its employees – most have been with the College for at least 6 years, as indicated below.

The unique nature of the College’s workforce makes compensation comparisons to other regional employers difficult. In comparison to state and regional data, Mid full-time salaries are above average, as shown in the chart below. U.S. census data from 2009-13 puts the median household income for Clare County at $32,668, for Gladwin County at $37,626, and for Isabella County at $36,372.^[33] The State of Michigan puts annual average earnings across the state in 2014 at $46,458.88.^[34]

Mid employees are highly skilled, with the vast majority holding an Associate’s degree or higher. However, new requirements on Faculty Qualifications, promulgated by the Higher Learning Commission for implementation in 2017,^[35] will require careful consideration by the College. Under the new requirements, faculty teaching most courses must hold a Master’s degree or higher in the discipline to which they are assigned. As shown below, 40% of the adjunct instructors at Mid have not yet completed their Master’s degrees.

The importance of maintaining instructional continuity has been cited as a significant dimension of student success and completion.^[36] Mid relies heavily on its adjunct instructors. Working conditions for adjunct instructors in community colleges, nation-wide, and at Mid, have gained greater attention in recent years. The Affordable Care Act has limited the number of hours any part-time employee (including adjunct instructors) can work. Thus a limited pool of instructors is available to meet the curricular demands of a wide range of course offerings in different locations and at times that are convenient for students. These forces are converging and will require greater attention. The development of new instructional models may be required.

Campus growth in Mt. Pleasant, both in enrollment and in facilities, adds a new dynamic to employee interactions. In 2005, almost all employees worked primarily in Harrison, with satellite offices in Mt. Pleasant. In 2015, while the College’s main location remains in Harrison, approximately 20% of all employees are primarily located on the Mt. Pleasant campus. Many travel between campuses on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.

As is true for many organizations today, four generations work at Mid. Each generation – The Silent Generation, The Baby Boom Generation, Generation X, and the Millennial Generation – brings its own set of values and expectations to the workplace. And, like many other organizations, Mid is preparing for a generational shift as more than 20 faculty and staff members are expected to retire from the college in the next five years. The face of the College in 2020 is likely to be significantly different than it is today.

The rising cost of health insurance has been a major concern: Employees saw a 22% jump in their employee premium contributions in 2014-15. While the recent decision to adopt a self-funded insurance model reduced the monthly premium amount for employees in 2016, broader strategies for promoting health, managing chronic conditions, and reducing prescription drug costs are best avenues for minimizing future claims and increases.

^[32] Mid Personnel PowerPoint: https://drive.google.com/a/midmich.edu/file/d/0B5RM-mfdgVmFM0JQdFVYU1VIbTg/view?usp=sharing

^[33] https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/

^[34] http://www.michigan.gov/documents/wca/2014_Annual_Report_485649_7.pdf

^[35] Determining Qualified Faculty. Higher Learning Commission. https://www.hlcommission.org/Document-Library/determining-qualified-faculty.html. 2015

^[36] Higher Learning Commission, “Determining Qualified Faculty,” https://www.hlcommission.org/Document-Library/dete... (accessed November 18, 2015).