There is a tentative agreement on a new contract for the faculty at IUP and the thirteen other State System of Higher Education universities.
In a joint statement issued yesterday, the faculty union, APSCUF, and the State System announced a new four-year agreement in principle, after five consecutive “marathon” days of “interest-based bargaining” at the State System offices in Harrisburg. The new deal replaces a contract that expired June 30th.
Details will not be released to the public until the contract is ratified by both sides. The legal counsels for both sides are working to finalize the language before they make it available to union members.
APSCUF President Kenneth Mash says the “principle components are fair, they address a number of faculty concerns, and they establish a solid foundation for the future of public higher education in Pennsylvania.”
Speaking on behalf of the State System, Board of Governors Chair Cindy Shapira said the new method of arriving at a contract is “another example of what System Redesign is all about.”
Negotiators met for a total of twenty-one days since the start fo talks in mid-May. State System Chancellor Dan Greenstein says the new contract “puts students first, honors the important work of our dedicated faculty, and takes another important step toward overcoming our financial challenges.”
