June 21, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
David Pidgeon, or 717-720-4054
Kathryn Morton, or 717-236-7486
Contract negotiations continued this week between faculties at Pennsylvania’s state-owned universities and Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. The negotiation teams met Wednesday through today for interest-based bargaining sessions at Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.
The teams did not release information about topics covered thus far.
“We’re tackling difficult issues, but we are making progress,” Dr. Kenneth M. Mash, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, said of the process overall. “We appreciate the willingness of the System’s representatives to engage openly about important topics.”
State System Chancellor Daniel Greenstein also commented on the negotiators’ work.
“We continue to be pleased with the new approach and the progress we have seen through working together,” Greenstein said. “I remain optimistic, and look forward to future sessions with our faculty colleagues.”
Interested-based bargaining will continue June 24–28 at the APSCUF office in Harrisburg. The IBB strategy focuses on collaboration instead of traditional exchange of contract proposals.
The current contract expires June 30, 2019.
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education comprises 14 public universities, which combined enroll the largest number of Pennsylvania residents among all four-year colleges and universities in the Commonwealth. With nearly 100,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs, the State System is a vital contributor to the Pennsylvania economy, generating an estimated $6.7 billion of economic activity annually. Collectively, the State System universities offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. The universities have nearly 800,000 living alumni, the vast majority of whom reside in Pennsylvania.
The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield (Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.
APSCUF represents about 5,500 faculty and coaches at the State System universities.