Wright State University President Cheryl Schrader sent the following message to the university community on Friday, August 24, 2018.
Dear Colleagues,
As students return to our campus, this is one of the most exciting times of the year at Wright State University. But while faculty and staff are eager for the start of fall classes, I know many of you may also be interested in the status of the continued contract negotiations and resolution process between the university and AAUP-WSU.
The university is working hard to reach a new collective bargaining agreement with the AAUP-WSU and avert a strike. While the parties have agreed on many articles in the next contract, several articles remain unresolved. We remain committed to continue working toward an agreement within the framework of the process both parties agreed to.
Talk that a strike is imminent is still premature. Next month, the independent Fact-Finder is scheduled to release his report, which we hope will present a compromise for both parties to consider to help resolve contract issues and satisfy both the university and AAUP-WSU.
We remain optimistic that an agreement can be reached via the negotiation and fact finding. I hope the campus community keeps an open mind as we await the Fact-Finder's report and its recommendations and evaluate next steps.
Throughout the negotiations, the university has consistently honored the confidentiality of our talks with the faculty union. We will not engage in a public debate about the negotiations, but I will continue to provide updates to our management team and the campus community when possible.
The university plans to make the independent Fact-Finder's report available online for the campus community to review when it is released.
Once the Fact-Finder's report is released, both parties will have an agreed upon period of time to reject the report as the new faculty contract. If either party rejects the contract, the negotiations will enter the final stage of bargaining. To reject the contract, at least one party must have three-fifths of its eligible voters vote properly and timely to reject the recommendations.
I want to assure you that our university is committed to maintaining the quality of our academic programs and preserving the opportunity we provide students to achieve their goals. We continue to make this clear publicly and at the bargaining table.
The last few years have been challenging for all Wright State employees and our students. I'm proud of the work our community has undertaken together to stabilize our finances and implement a fiscal sustainability plan that includes strategies for revenue enhancement and operational efficiencies for both the short and the long term.
Wright State University continues to offer an excellent and affordable education for our students thanks to the efforts of our dedicated faculty and staff.
Warmest regards,
Cheryl B. Schrader, Ph.D.
President
