The Rocket

Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: News

Negotiations for a new contract for faculty continues as members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties prepares for a vote and march to be held next week on campus.

An authorization vote will determine if faculty are in favor of striking if a contract is not met by June 31, when the current contract expires. A majority vote is needed in order to strike after the contract expires, as long as a new contract has not been drafted and signed by all members.

"In the two previous contract negotiating years, faculty and coaches worked without a contract in the fall semester," said Tom Daddesio, SRU APSCUF vice president and assistant professor of Modern Languages and Culture. "This year, state APSCUF has decided we will not work without a contract as we have done in the past."

In the last few negotiation years, faculty voters have been overwhelmingly in favor of a strike.

SRU APSCUF President Jace Condravy and professor of English, said she hopes this year will be the same.

"I expect that we will have a strong turnout from APSCUF membership," she said.

APSCUF met with representatives of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education April 13 to further discuss a new contract.

"I think it was a productive session," Condravy said. "It was a half step forward. We're closer to generating language for proposals both sides are willing to look at positively."

In addition to the vote, a campus march in support of APSCUF will be taking place next Thursday during common hour. Anyone interested in joining is welcome, Daddesio said.

The walk will begin at 12:30 p.m. on April 26 outside the McKay Education Building and is expected to proceed to the University Union and back again.

In other efforts to ensure a reasonable contract is met, members of the Student Government Association have stepped up to take action

Patterson Hall senator, Alex McNeill, motioned at the March 3 meeting to "adopt a neutral stance through the negotiation period and serve as a source of student-centered, unbiased information."

SGA President Amie Homa drafted a letter to Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell expressing student's concern about the lack of information being provided to students regarding the negotiations.

"We just hope that the governor knows the student body of Slippery Rock is concerned about this matter and that he will keep this in mind when he goes to approve the budget," Homa said.

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