August 24, 2016
State System assures students that fall classes will begin as scheduled despite APSCUF strike threats
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg – As representatives from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education and its
faculty union continue negotiations toward a new contract, State System officials
assured students this week that classes will begin Monday, as scheduled, despite the
union’s threat of a strike.
Leadership of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties
(APSCUF) have announced they will meet Thursday to consider calling for a strike authorization
vote among the union’s full membership sometime during the fall semester. Such votes,
which would give APSCUF leadership the authority to call for a walkout at any time,
have become a regular part of the contract negotiations process between the union
and the State System.
In fact, APSCUF has conducted similar votes during each of the last four rounds of
contract negotiations with the State System. In each case, while the membership voted
to grant its leadership the authority to call a strike, a faculty strike has never
occurred.
“While we continue to bargain in good faith to reach a deal that is fair to everyone—most
important, our students—the union has threatened our students and our universities
with a strike from the earliest days of these negotiations,” said State System spokesperson
Kenn Marshall. “We want to be sure our students know that, no matter what they might
hear to the contrary, classes will begin on Monday.”
This week, the State System sent a message to all incoming students that read, in
part:
“With classes set to begin Monday, you might have heard about the faculty union’s (APSCUF) ongoing consideration of a potential strike. First, please know that the academic year will start as planned regardless of any action the faculty union might take.”
“With classes set to begin Monday, you might have heard about the faculty union’s (APSCUF) ongoing consideration of a potential strike. First, please know that the academic year will start as planned regardless of any action the faculty union might take.”
The State System negotiates a single contract for all faculty who work at the 14 state-owned
universities. It has been bargaining in good faith for nearly two years with APSCUF
in an attempt to achieve a new contract to replace the last agreement, which expired
June 30, 2015.
“Our faculty members are remarkable men and women who are critically important to
the success of our students and our universities,” the message to students continued.
“The current salaries of State System faculty are among the highest in the nation—ranking
near the top 10 to 15 percent among their peers at similar public institutions—a fact
acknowledged by an APSCUF campus leader and posted on the union’s website earlier
this year.
“The State System is proud of the fact that our faculty are compensated so well, but
we also acknowledge that rising tuition is putting a strain on students and their
families. As such, we are committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to everyone—faculty
and students. We will continue to work toward that goal.”
“We can only hope that APSCUF recognizes the potentially devastating impact that a strike would have on our students, and shares our commitment to continuing to bargain toward a new agreement in order to ensure there will be no interruption in the fall semester,” Marshall said.
“We can only hope that APSCUF recognizes the potentially devastating impact that a strike would have on our students, and shares our commitment to continuing to bargain toward a new agreement in order to ensure there will be no interruption in the fall semester,” Marshall said.
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher
education in the Commonwealth, with more than 100,000 degree-seeking students and
thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs.
Collectively, the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300
degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State
System university alumni live 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.