At a meeting Monday, the Board of Trustees approved a collective bargaining agreement between the Akron chapter of the American Association of University Professors (Akron-AAUP) for an 18-month term ending on June 30, 2015.

The union voted last week in favor of the agreement and the Board of Trustees voted to accept the agreement during public session on Monday morning.

According to university officials, the new agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2013 and will remain in effect until June 30, 2015.

In addition, regular full-time non-administrative faculty will be able to participate in the selection process for a provost or president. The language in the previous agreement only allowed bargaining unit faculty to participate.

AAUP President Stephen Weeks, a biology professor, said he was pleased with the agreement.

“It shows that there’s been a good relationship between the AAUP and the university,” Weeks said. “We are maturing in our relations.”

According to university officials, Chief Financial Officer David Cummins will present a revised 2013-14 budget to the Board of Trustees at their October meeting.

Cummins said “The budget will reflect the additional $1.3 million expense resulting from the new collective bargaining agreement with the AAUP, as well as the revenue impact of fall enrollment.”

Board Chair Richard W. Pogue indicated that consideration was given to the faculty’s role in ensuring student success and carrying out the strategic vision for university growth.

“Everyone at the university — administrative, staff, faculty, students — play a vital role in whether our students are successful in completing their studies, graduating and moving on to rewarding careers. We know that the faculty is on the front lines of that effort, and this new contract acknowledges the importance of their role,” Pogue said.

According to university officials, current salary structure for the faculty places them in the top third of public
university faculty in the state of Ohio.