Pa. university system reaches tentative contract, but not with the faculty

Pennsylvania's state higher education system has reached a tentative three-year contract with some of its employees.

But don't get too excited.

It's not with the faculty union where negotiations have been tense and an Oct. 19 strike date has been set.

This agreement is with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's students services workers, including those that work in admissions, financial aid, residence life, career services and the registrar's office. The agreement will cover 700 employees at the 14 state system universities, said spokesman Kenn Marshall.

The university said no details about the pact would be released until it is ratified by both sides. The contract would run through June 30, 2019.

As for that other group, negotiations are scheduled to resume next week.

The state system's Chancellor Frank T. Brogan is scheduled to hold a live webcast on Facebook at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday to answer students' questions about a potential strike.

Meanwhile, faculty plan to rally from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday at the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg, where state system's board of governors is scheduled to meet.

It would be the first strike in the 105,000-student system's history.

The state system universities include: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities.

The sides have been divided on health insurance and salary costs, but also on work rules involving adjunct faculty, research and distance education. The union represents about 5,500 faculty and coaches.

The union's previous contract expired June 30, 2015. The starting salary for a full-time instructor is $46,609, with the top of scale at $112,238 for an experienced full professor.