Teachers and students at the College of DuPage have felt pangs of anxiety regarding the possibility of the school’s full-time faculty going on strike this fall. The COD Board of Trustees ended those worries last Thursday with a unanimous vote to approve a new union contract. Student Trustee Jasmine Schuett also voted in favor of the deal.

Faculty Association President Shannon Toler urged the board to think of students prior to the vote.

“We need to think creatively about our students,” said Toler. “We need to think about appreciating them as individuals. We need to appreciate how they make us better teachers every day, better advisers every day, better deans every day, a better president every day, a better institution every day. We also need to make sure we appreciate all constituent groups at the College of DuPage. Whether they teach, counsel, protect, fix or organize. Developing the best in our people will help us develop the best in our students.”

“I think we can all agree, it’s nice to get back to a more normal rhythm around here,” said Toler. “I look at what is happening around us, and I am especially grateful that we were able to reach a compromise that will support innovative teaching, first class curriculum, continuous improvement and ultimately student success. One of the things that makes learning hard, is the listening, not just hearing, but really listening, and I would like to thank all of you for listening when we really needed you to.”

The next board meeting will be on Nov. 21.