How Does STLCC Score as the Best Place to Work?

St. Louis Community College

College employees speak out about salary disparity, college culture in anonymous survey

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

Despite the college’s best hopes, STLCC did not pass the test to qualify as a Best Place to Work through the St. Louis Business Journal.

The college submitted itself as a contender in St. Louis Business Journal’s Best Places to Work program. This program, used across the nation in various big cities, determines what organization in the given metropolitan area is the best workplace through a variety of factors, including employee feedback. While Chancellor Jeff Pittman and Board Of Trustees Chair Kevin Martin expressed optimism regarding the college’s future and expressed their intentions to continuously work to improve STLCC, the employee responses told a much different story.

The Numbers Behind the Survey

The survey found that of the 503 employees that participated in the survey, 149 (29.62%) were considered to be “highly engaged” while 159 (31.61%) were considered to be “moderately engaged.” Meanwhile, 66 (13.12%) employees were considered to be “disengaged” while a staggering 129 (25.65%) were considered to be barely engaged.

Meanwhile, the survey found that the college’s benefits score is higher than many colleges of the same size in the region, and four points greater than the average of the finalists.

Pittman touted that result in his email to faculty and staff.

“Our benefits rated high,” he said. “In fact, STLCC’s benefits score ranked higher than the average finalist of similar-sized organizations.”

Regarding the employee participation in the survey, he said, “We had 503 employees complete the survey – an impressive number that shows people want their voices heard.”

Some employees definitely made their voices heard, and none of the comments contained in the copy of the report provided to The Montage were positive.

Faculty and Staff Responses

One unnamed Meramec employee was not happy with the college, saying “There are many other aspects to the student experience I’d like to divulge but there won’t be enough space in this survey to digress. The lab spaces are antiquated and crowded and equipment needs to be updated as do the science buildings. The lighting is dim and dreary down the hallways, the buildings are covered in mold and the roof leaks. No one on the Meramec campus can understand why we are not getting an Allied Health building, and why so much money is being put into the Florissant Valley campus.”

Later on, this person continued, “The Meramec campus is strategically located to serve a greater population and is in proximity to the greatest number of hospitals (greater opportunities for clinical opportunities) and contains a vast population of students whose needs and desires are NOT being met in the area in which they live, and they will NOT drive to North County to satisfy their needs, they will go to another college, plain and simple.”

Regarding this matter, Pittman said, “The College has strategically planned for an expansion of all its health care programs across the Region and will construct new health care structures and expanded programming at the Flo Valley and Wildwood campuses as a part of STLCC Transformed. In addition, there are plans to expand our health care programs at South County with the addition of a new Licensed Practical Nursing program. These expansions were carefully planned by assessing area hospital clinical capacities and in aligning with current workforce needs.

He continued, “While Meramec continues to be an important part of the district’s overall expansion plans, the College is dramatically expanding several workforce programs to meet area workforce needs as determined by the employers we serve. Our Meramec campus focus under STLCC Transformed will include the construction of a financial services center and an emerging technologies center. These projects are currently estimated to cost more than $138 million.”

CONTINUED ON P. 4-5

The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program.

I,II,III,IV

Meetings every Tuesday at 1 PM via Zoom or in Student Center, Room 220A

I,II,III,IV

MUS 150 Fundamentals of Music Technology

MUS 152 Audio Engineering

MUS 154 Music Recording with ProTools I

MUS 211 212 Music History I II

Interested in performing in an ensemble?

All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required! MUS131, 132 and 134 are CORE42 performance courses!

ENSEMBLES

Music 131 – Concert Choir

Music 132 – Orchestra

Music 134 – Symphonic Band

Music 138 – Jazz Improvisation

All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal. Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers

For more information, contact Music at Meramec Dr. Jerry Myers, Program Coordinator, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638

To get you where you need to go, PTK offers opportunities to help you develop and discover your personal, academic, and professional potential.

Contact Shannon Philpott-Sanders at ssanders147@stlcc.edu

Honors offers qualified students a variety of opportunities in and outside the classroom, including honors classes, special projects, workshops, and mentoring. New students can qualify through high school GPA, ACT score, or Accuplacer. Returning students qualify through their college GPA. Once admitted, honors students are never obligated to pursue a minimum amount of honors work each term.

PHI THETA KAPPA - XI LAMBDA CHAPTER

INTERNATIONAL

HONORS SOCIETY FOR TWO-YEAR COLLEGES

Phi Theta Kappa is an international honors society for two-year colleges. It’s mission is to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students, as well as to provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service, and fellowship programs.

To be eligible to join Phi Theta Kappa - Xi Lambda, Meramec’s local chapter, students must have a GPA of at least 3.5, have taken 12 or more credit hours, and must be enrolled in at least one course currently at Meramec.

If you are interested, contact Chapter Advisor Jerry Meyers at gmyers34@stlcc.edu or 314-984-7638.

If you are interested, contact Chapter Advisor Jerry Myers at gmyers34@stlcc.edu or 314-984-7638

If you are interested, contact Chapter Advisor Professor Rich Peraud in CN 217 or go to PTK.org for more information.

Humanities

Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser