PRCC increases minimum hourly wage

POPLARVILLE – Pearl River Community College announced that it would increase the minimum hourly wage for all workers to $10 next month.

The proposal, approved by the PRCC Board of Trustees at its December monthly meeting on Tuesday, affects 38 employees at the school. The $10 minimum hourly wage is higher than the current federal minimum of $7.25.

Many of these employees work in PRCC’s physical plant. Roger Knight, Vice President for College Operations, told the board the increase would cost the school nearly $55,000 for the remainder of the 2018 fiscal year.

PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood said he sees this increase as a commitment to, and investment in, its employees and local communities.

“Many of these employees go above and beyond to make this campus one of the best looking in Mississippi,” he said. “These are hard-working individuals who live, shop and spend money in our local communities. We want to employ and retain outstanding people. The approval of this increase is a reflection of the leadership and vision of our Board of Trustees. This is a big step in our continued focus of investing in the Pearl River Community College family.”

Back in June, the PRCC board approved a budget of $37.2 million for the 2017-2018 academic year, an increase from last year’s budget of $36,767,231. That was followed by a fall enrollment increase of 6.5 percent, or nearly 5,000 students. A continued increase in enrollment could mean additional state funding for the school, some of which can be used for raises.

“As Pearl River Community College continues to grow and move forward, it is important that we recognize the hard work of all our employees,” Breerwood said. “I want to express my thanks to all of them and look forward to more good things happening at PRCC in the future.”