After meeting with a mediator for almost eight hours on Monday, Feb. 25, the American Association of University Professors and UNH Administration agreed to continue negotiations and scheduled another meeting with the mediator for March 13.
According to Bruce Mallory, the UNH vice president for academic affairs, the two sides did make progress in reaching an agreement. However, he is not certain whether the two sides will arrive at an agreement during the March 13 meeting.
"I am not going to raise anybody's hopes, including my own," said Mallory.
Dale Barkey, the president of the AAUP, said that he read the Student Senate's resolution presented earlier this week asking the AAUP not to boycott the summer session. He said that he understands the students' position regarding a summer session boycott and that the AAUP is trying as hard as possible to reach a settlement with the administration. However, he said that if the two sides do not reach an agreement, the AAUP will take action.
"[The administration] controls the money," said Barkey. "President Huddleston described a settlement as the most important issue facing him and it is within his power to settle. If we can't settle in mediation, the AAUP will be forced to take action."
Mallory said that he also read the Student Senate's resolution earlier this week and he appreciates the students for using their voice. However, Mallory said that he is not sure if the resolution will have an effect on the negotiations or the AAUP's decision to boycott the summer session.
"I honestly do not know if it will have an effect on negotiations, but I hope that it will effect the faculty's actions concerning this summer," said Mallory.
Student Senate's Academic Affairs Council Chair Kevin Linton presented the resolution on Monday and said that the Faculty Senate responded to the resolution very positively, although some felt it was biased towards the administration.
"Faculty Senate encouraged Student Senate to recognize that the administration can just as easily end this conflict in negotiations," said Linton.
On Wednesday, Feb. 27, the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees approved a salary increase for faculty and staff who are not part of the AAUP. The board approved to add one percent into the pool for salary increases. This addition will become effective July 1, 2008. The trustees also approved a health reimbursement account that will become effective Jan. 1, 2009.
The administration and AAUP began negotiations in February 2006 and continued negotiations throughout the spring and summer. On Sept. 30, 2006 the two sides declared impasse. In the beginning of December 2006, the two sides began their first round of mediation before engaging in fact finding in April 2007. The fact finder issued his findings in July 2007, which the UNH Administration accepted while the AAUP rejected them. The two sides then agreed to informally resume negotiations that lasted through the fall of 2007. This January, the two sides declared a second impasse, and will be meeting with a mediator for the second time since then on March 13.
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