State University Faculties Asked to Accept Pay Freeze

The State System of Higher Education is asking its employees to accept a pay freeze for the coming year, in place of their scheduled 3% raise. The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, the largest of the handful of these employees' unions, says it does not have enough information on enrollment numbers and has never entered into a collective bargaining agreement before. No decision has yet been made; however, State System spokesman Kenn Marshall says that information will not be known until the school year begins, whereas any such agreement would need to be reached before July 1, the start of the fiscal year. Marshall says the System has already made $200 million in budget cuts in recent years and the only other option is to raise tuition, which it is loathe to do.