Response to Letter Received from HACC Faculty Union - Oct. 22, 2025
Greetings, high school students, parents, teachers, counselors and superintendents.
We hope you are well.
On Oct. 22, 2025, we learned that you may have received a letter from the Harrisburg Area Community College Education Association (HACCEA) - the union that represents the faculty at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College.
The letter is full of grossly inaccurate information.
We are here to set the record straight:
- The granting of high school credits will NOT be affected.
- High school graduation requirements will NOT be delayed.
- Transcripts from HACC will continue to follow the standard business practice.
- The HACC administration continues to bargain in good faith and maintain four guiding principles throughout negotiations:
- Prioritizing student success
- Supporting the affordability of its offerings
- Providing all employees with comparable benefits
- Increasing wages for all employees while ensuring fiscal stability as outlined in the College's strategic plan
- The union's latest demand over three years is as follows:
- Year 1 of the contract: 9.6%
- Year 2 of the contract: 3.85%
- Year 3 of the contract: 3.85% and all full-time bargaining unit employees at the time of ratification request a one-time payment of $5,000.
- If these unreasonable demands are granted, the cost to attend the College will be unaffordable for current and future HACC students.
- These unreasonable financial demands are occurring during a time when the College has experienced a 40% decline in enrollment, headcount and student credit hours over the past 10 years.
- Per our website, HACC faculty are generously compensated.
- HACC's proposal for wage and salary increases is competitive:
- In 2024, 68% of HACC full-time faculty had gross wages over $80,000.
- HACC adjunct faculty earn more money per credit hour than any other PSEA-represented community college in Pennsylvania based on data shared annually through the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges for 2024.
Please visit this webpage for detailed information:
I am sorry that the HACCEA is involving you in this matter and distributing inaccurate information. This type of behavior is inappropriate and disappointing. We look forward to returning to the bargaining table to find solutions that benefit our students - the reason we are here - and their successes.
If you have any immediate questions or need additional information, please let us know:
Thank you.
Sincerely,
John J. “Ski” Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D.
Pronouns: He, Him, His
President and CEO
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College
