WMU and its faculty reach tentative agreement
Sept. 18, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- Negotiators for Western Michigan University and the WMU chapter of the American Association of University Professors, representing the WMU faculty, have reached a tentative agreement on specific items reopened for the final two years of an existing three-year contract.
Included in the discussions were compensation, health care and a retirement/severance incentive plan. Details of the agreement are not available, pending ratification by vote of the faculty and the WMU Board of Trustees.
Announcement of the tentative agreement was made by Robert J. Ricci, a WMU professor of music and chief negotiator for the WMU AAUP, and by Chester B. Rogers, WMU associate vice president and director of academic collective bargaining, and co-chief negotiator representing the university. Kalamazoo attorney Thomas P. Hustoles is the other chief negotiator for WMU.
In a joint statement, Ricci and Rogers said, "We are pleased to announce that after extensive negotiations that began last May, Western Michigan University and the WMU chapter of the AAUP have reached a tentative agreement on compensation and health care, reopened for the last two years of a three-year contract, and on a window retirement/severance incentive plan. The university and the association, recognizing the difficult economic climate, have reached an agreement that allows us to provide a quality education for our students."
Media note: Robert Ricci may be reached at (269) 345-0151, and Chester Rogers may be reached at (269) 387-4307 for further comment.
Media contact: Matt Kurz, 269 387-8400, matt.kurz@wmich.edu