Faculty Strike Continues at Rock Valley College

Faculty members at Rock Valley College voted Sunday night to reject a proposed deal that would have ended a strike that started last week and that has led the college to call off classes. The college issued a statement in which it said that "not only are we disappointed, but we believe this to be a tragic decision." The college said faculty members would have received raises that were meaningful in a time of tight budgets in Illinois. But faculty leaders said professors opposed the deal in large part because of provisions on health insurance. “The faculty was concerned about the increased costs through the board’s proposed health care plan,” said a statement from Michael Youngblood, Rock Valley College Faculty Association president and an economics professor. “The board cut off health insurance for professors since Wednesday, but the terms of the board’s proposal would mean overwhelming health care costs for many educators, particularly those with illnesses and special needs.” The association is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.