MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees approved a tentative five-year contract with its faculty on Monday.
In a special meeting held virtually, online, the NMU board unanimously approved the deal with the American Association of University Professors Union for the current upcoming fiscal year.
“The financial provisions that we have tentatively agreed to include an across-the-board increase for all full-time ongoing faculty,” said Senior Associate Provost Dale Kapla.
The agreement includes salary increases for all full-time faculty members throughout the contract period.
“And then we’ll also provide a one-time payment, not to base, of half a percent of the ongoing faculty of their salary,” said Kapla.
Part-time contingent faculty are slated to receive a one-time payment of $600.
“Continuing contingent faculty are part-time faculty who have been at the university for several years, and they’re very imparted of our very important to our university, and they are definitely worth a mention,” said Kapla.
Also, in the contract language are provisions that the board is to negotiate the remainder of the agreement sometime in 2027. Some of the remaining topics include the specifics of the salary increases and additional teaching assignments.
“We will need to negotiate for the remainder of the agreement, across-the-board salary increases. We’ll also be negotiating the additional teaching assignments, meeting the overloads beyond the normal 12-credit teaching load,” said Kapla.
NMU President Chris Olsen commended both bargaining teams for their efforts during the negotiations, noting that the process was productive and transparent from both sides.
