October 05, 2016
State System, APSCUF coaches continue making progress toward new agreement
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg 鈥� Negotiators from Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education and the union
that represents athletic coaches at the 14 state-owned universities continue to make
progress toward a new agreement.
Over the last two bargaining sessions, the two sides have moved closer to an overall
agreement on a new contract, essentially agreeing on a variety of issues, including
a communications process when a university is considering eliminating a sports program
and the payment process for interim coaches. The two sides are discussing additional
meeting dates to continue the talks.
The State System on Monday announced it had reached a tentative agreement on a new
three-year contract with the State College and University Professional Association
(SCUPA), the union that represents about 700 professional employees who provide a
variety of student services, working on each of the campuses in admissions, financial
aid, residence life and career services, and in the registrars鈥� offices. The System
also is preparing to meet with separate unions that represent university health center
nurses and campus police and security officers.
鈥淭here have been a number of positives at the bargaining table, with both APSCUF coaches,
and, obviously, with our professional employees represented by SCUPA,鈥� said State
System spokesman Kenn Marshall. 鈥淲e are hopeful we can keep the momentum going as
we prepare to meet with our other employee groups.鈥�
Seven separate unions represent State System employees. Combined, they cover about
85 percent of the System鈥檚 workforce, not including student workers. About 4,000 of
those employees are represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal
Employees (AFSCME), which negotiated a contract with the Commonwealth earlier this
year. The State System follows the terms of that contract for its employees who are
represented by AFSCME.
Pennsylvania鈥檚 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.