October 3, 2012
During its September meeting, the Shawnee State University Board of Trustees approved a successor three-year contract with Shawnee Education Association (SEA), representing the faculty of SSU.
The successor agreement was ratified by SEA members earlier this month.
"We believe this agreement strengthens the mission of the university and paves a path for continual advancement in higher education in our region," Dan Mooney, SSU board chairman, said. "We want to thank the faculty and staff who worked together to produce an agreement that would help us attract and keep quality faculty, maintain quality programs for students, and plan for future growth."
The new agreement moves faculty employment from the current "continuing contract" model used at Shawnee State since its beginnings to a tenure-track system consistent with universities throughout the nation. This new system will begin fall 2013.
"The tenure track is one of many developments made by the team in this three-year agreement that will help us continue to move forward with a focus on quality education for our students," Dr. Rita Rice Morris, SSU President, said. "Shawnee State University is a teaching institution and our primary criteria for tenure will be quality teaching. This model helps to support and strengthen our role and mission."
The agreement also includes an increased employee share of the cost of health plan coverage and a modified faculty pay system that more closely aligns its average faculty salaries to peer institutions and that acknowledges the quality outcomes of a rigorous promotion and tenure process. Faculty will realize an average salary increase of about three percent each year of the agreement.