2008 Woodie Awards
APSCUF contract finalized after months of debate
By Megan Careless
Issue date: 11/12/07 Section: News
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APSCUF faculty members and coaches at Pennsylvania's 14 state-operated universities voted to accept new four-year contract agreements with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).
A tentative pact reached July 2 barely prevented a threat to walkout by the professors. According to the Daily Local News, each of the professors were scheduled to receive an immediate $1,750 cash bonus, "followed by raises of three percent in the second and third years of the contract and four percent in the fourth year." A total of 3,871 faculty members or 77.3 percent of those eligible, took part in the election. The final tally shows 2,699 (69.7 percent) voted for ratification, while 1,172 (30.3 percent) opposed the pact. The last contract ratification vote in 2004 yielded similar results when 72 percent voted to ratify; 28 percent voted not to. Over 75 percent of eligible coaches participated in the ratification vote, and the pact was ratified by a 200-7 margin. Campus voting was conducted on the campuses from Oct. 1-4. The final contract was agreed to on Oct. 9, 2007.
"The faculty vote indicates acceptance of the terms of this agreement," said state APSCUF President Pat Heilman. "Faculty weighed the pros and the cons of this agreement and decided the pros outweighed the cons."
"The coaches' contract, their third, is a solid one, providing sound raises and some monetary acknowledgement of some coaches' longevity with their universities," Heilman said. "The language on compensatory time, a new addition to this contract, assures coaches will be remunerated for all of the extra hours they put in assisting our student-athletes."
Even though the vote was final and the contract for PASSHE- APSCUF will run through June 30, 2011, Clifford Johnston, APSCUF-WCU President said there are still some technical issues that need to be worked out.
"The vote was the closest it's ever been, and even though we have come to an agreement there are still some technical changes that need to be worked out," Johnston explained.
A tentative pact reached July 2 barely prevented a threat to walkout by the professors. According to the Daily Local News, each of the professors were scheduled to receive an immediate $1,750 cash bonus, "followed by raises of three percent in the second and third years of the contract and four percent in the fourth year." A total of 3,871 faculty members or 77.3 percent of those eligible, took part in the election. The final tally shows 2,699 (69.7 percent) voted for ratification, while 1,172 (30.3 percent) opposed the pact. The last contract ratification vote in 2004 yielded similar results when 72 percent voted to ratify; 28 percent voted not to. Over 75 percent of eligible coaches participated in the ratification vote, and the pact was ratified by a 200-7 margin. Campus voting was conducted on the campuses from Oct. 1-4. The final contract was agreed to on Oct. 9, 2007.
"The faculty vote indicates acceptance of the terms of this agreement," said state APSCUF President Pat Heilman. "Faculty weighed the pros and the cons of this agreement and decided the pros outweighed the cons."
"The coaches' contract, their third, is a solid one, providing sound raises and some monetary acknowledgement of some coaches' longevity with their universities," Heilman said. "The language on compensatory time, a new addition to this contract, assures coaches will be remunerated for all of the extra hours they put in assisting our student-athletes."
Even though the vote was final and the contract for PASSHE- APSCUF will run through June 30, 2011, Clifford Johnston, APSCUF-WCU President said there are still some technical issues that need to be worked out.
"The vote was the closest it's ever been, and even though we have come to an agreement there are still some technical changes that need to be worked out," Johnston explained.
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