Southern Oregon University and its faculty union agreed to put off contract negotiations because of "funding uncertainties and budget challenges." Photo by Bob Palermini photo/palermini.com

Professors vote to accept 2% COLA and extend contract to 2027

Due to fiscal uncertainties at the state and federal levels, Southern Oregon University and its faculty union have signed an agreement that will postpone bargaining on a new contract for 18 months.

The current collective bargaining agreement with the Association of Professors of Southern Oregon University was set to expire in August. Instead, faculty members will receive 2% cost-of-living adjustments for each of the next two fiscal years, and the contract will be extended to January 2027. The 18-month postponement to negotiations on a new contract will allow the university to navigate what it describes as “ongoing federal policy and funding uncertainties, and budget challenges” currently being addressed by the Oregon Legislature.

“This university owes a huge debt of gratitude to the members of the SOU faculty union,” SOU President Rick Bailey said in a news release. “We would not be in this position without their initiative. This agreement is without question a testament to their love and commitment to our students, our university and our community.”

Members of the professors association voted overwhelmingly to approve the plan, according to the release. The university and APSOU leaders agree that the focus now must be on students’ academic experiences.

“APSOU is committed to student success and to working collaboratively with the administration to find solutions that prioritize stability and allow faculty to focus on the high quality teaching, scholarship and service that contribute so much to SOU’s reputation as an educational destination,” said Melissa Anderson, the APSOU president and an associate professor in the Hannon Library.

SOU and the faculty union most recently negotiated a contract in the spring of 2022 — a four-year agreement that provided for modest annual salary adjustments, along with health insurance coverage and guidelines on working conditions.

Information obtained from an SOU news release.

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