2008 Woodie Awards
AAUP and Administration come to tentative contract agreement
This article was originally published on Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Erica Brien
Issue date: 5/6/08 Section: Year in Review
On March 28, the UNH chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the UNH Administration announced a tentative contract agreement that will cover from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009. Along with the contract agreement, the AAUP informed the administration that they would not hold a boycott on this year's summer session.
According to Bruce Mallory, the university provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, both sides will most likely vote to approve the contract.
"The contract is fair for both sides and it represents a compromise," said Mallory.
According to Deanna Wood, the vice president of the AAUP, the AAUP will not be boycotting the summer session and all courses they have been expected to teach will be offered.
Wood said the AAUP was finally able to reach an agreement with the university because the faculty was finally offered the salary increase it was looking for.
Wood said that one of the AAUP's main concerns has been inflation, and that everyone's need to have more money has been a major issue for the two sides in previous negotiations.
The contract includes an across-the-board salary increase of 14.5 percent over the three-year contract period, along with a $225 increase per faculty member during the second year of the contract. The contract also includes a merit/equity constituent of .75 percent during the third year and new salary minimums, stating that all associate professors will be making at least $62,000 per year and full-time faculty will be making at least $78,000 per year.
The contract also asks the faculty to pay the same portion of the health insurance premium the staff currently pays. According to Mallory, this is a 4 percent increase from 12 percent to 16 percent.
Wood said she has mixed feelings about the health insurance premium, but she understands that healthcare nationwide is rising faster than people expected it to.
"I think we did the best we could," said Wood. "The university is struggling with this issue as well."
According to Bruce Mallory, the university provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, both sides will most likely vote to approve the contract.
"The contract is fair for both sides and it represents a compromise," said Mallory.
According to Deanna Wood, the vice president of the AAUP, the AAUP will not be boycotting the summer session and all courses they have been expected to teach will be offered.
Wood said the AAUP was finally able to reach an agreement with the university because the faculty was finally offered the salary increase it was looking for.
Wood said that one of the AAUP's main concerns has been inflation, and that everyone's need to have more money has been a major issue for the two sides in previous negotiations.
The contract includes an across-the-board salary increase of 14.5 percent over the three-year contract period, along with a $225 increase per faculty member during the second year of the contract. The contract also includes a merit/equity constituent of .75 percent during the third year and new salary minimums, stating that all associate professors will be making at least $62,000 per year and full-time faculty will be making at least $78,000 per year.
The contract also asks the faculty to pay the same portion of the health insurance premium the staff currently pays. According to Mallory, this is a 4 percent increase from 12 percent to 16 percent.
Wood said she has mixed feelings about the health insurance premium, but she understands that healthcare nationwide is rising faster than people expected it to.
"I think we did the best we could," said Wood. "The university is struggling with this issue as well."
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