Board of Governors approves contracts with faculty, professionals
Union members ratified agreements early this year
HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education unanimously approved two new collective bargaining agreements with unions representing faculty and campus professionals at the 14 state-owned universities.
Members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculties and the State College and University Professional Association ratified the contracts earlier in 2019. Both contracts include no pay increase for the first year.
“Our universities and students are poised for success during the next four years because of these new contracts,” State System Chancellor Dan Greenstein said. “I want to thank APSCUF and SCUPA’s leadership teams for their parts in what proved to ultimately be successful teamwork, and I look forward to what we all achieve together during the next four years.”
“We set out to establish a renewed relationship with our faculty and staff based on trust and honesty,” Board Chair Cynthia D. Shapira said. “I’m proud to be a part of this chapter in the State System’s history when so many are coming together meaningfully and for the sake of student success.”
“I appreciate the involvement of the board chair and the chancellor, and we hope that this cooperative relationship inspires the Commonwealth’s policymakers to adequately fund the State System,” APSCUF’s president Ken Mash said. “Pennsylvania ranks 48th, 49th, and 50th in most measures of higher-education support, and our students – many of whom are struggling under crushing debt – deserve far more funding from the Commonwealth.”
“SCUPA is proud of the roles our members have to support our students’ successes,” said Sheleta J. Camarda-Webb, president of SCUPA. “We’re building and maintaining a collegial relationship with the OOC and Board of Governors. Ratifying this contract enables us to continue serving our students collectively.”
The APSCUF collective bargaining agreement includes no general pay or step increases in 2019-20, then a step increase effective at the start of the Fall 2020 semester.
For fiscal year 2021-22, APSCUF members will receive a 2 percent general pay increase at the start of the Fall 2021 semester, and at the start of the Spring 2022 semester, a step increase will be in effect for most faculty, with a one-time cash payment of 2.5 percent for faculty at the top of the pay scale.
For fiscal year 2022-23, members will receive a 2.5 percent general pay increase at the start of the Fall 2023 semester and a step increase at the start of the Spring 2023 semester. Faculty at the top of the of the pay scale will receive a one-time cash payment of 2.5 percent in lieu of a step increase.
The contract also recognizes opportunities to respond to student demand collaboratively between the State System and APSCUF:
- Creates more flexibility for faculty to move within a university and across the system,
- Opens an opportunity for universities to develop concurrent enrollment plans with high schools
- Creates a joint group to address any System Redesign pilot programs in holistic advising, mental health and wellness, and online educational pathways
- Solidifies an agreement to allow students to participate in a given class using multiple delivery modalities throughout the semester.
SCUPA’s new 4-year contract includes:
- No pay increase for the first year.
- A 3 percent general pay increase on Nov. 1, 2020
- A 1.5 general pay increase and step increment at the start of Spring semester 2022
- A step increment at the start of Spring semester 2023 and a 2 percent general pay increase on April 1, 2023
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education oversees 14 four-year public universities educating more than 90,000 students. The State System offers more than 2,300 degrees and certificates in more than 530 academic areas. 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.
APSCUF represents about 5,500 faculty and coaches at the State System universities.
SCUPA represents assistant and associate directors of admissions, financial aid, student activities, residence life, judicial, registrars, tutorial and academic assistance services, career services, alumni relations, grant funded programs, and others working in student development across all 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.