University of Arkansas ups parental leave; NWACC raises pay

State of play: The University of Arkansas is offering new parents six weeks of paid leave, up from four weeks. The new policy, which affects all University of Arkansas System campuses, went into effect July 1.

• Employees can use the leave during the first year of their child's birth, adoption or foster placement.

Zoom out: NorthWest Arkansas Community College employees will also see raises as soon as this month after trustees in May approved $2.6 million for employee pay, according to a news release.

• All of the college's 156 full-time faculty members and 267 full-time staffers will receive a 3% cost-of-living adjustment. Baseline raises also will be awarded to both full-time and part-time employees.

Flashback: NWACC raised pay in 2023, primarily focusing on the school's lowest-paid employees.

What they're saying: The initiative to increase wages started in 2022, when NWACC's then-new president, Dennis Rittle, held listening sessions. More pay was the biggest request.

Go deeper: Why K-12 schools aren't implementing paid maternity leave

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