4.20.26

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

Late last night, UIS and UPI Local 4100 Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Union reached a tentative agreement on a three-year collective bargaining agreement, and we were pleased to have all UIS faculty return to the classroom today.

As we approach the end of the academic year, our shared priority is clear: helping students finish the semester successfully. We recognize that this has been a challenging period for students who have experienced disruption and uncertainty, and we are committed to ensuring you have the support needed to finish the semester and stay on track toward your goals. You have my assurance that our administration, faculty and staff will work together to support your progress toward completing coursework.

I want to thank the UIS and Union collective bargaining teams for their tireless work to reach this tentative agreement. The path was not easy, but both sides remained engaged and worked through complex issues to reach a tentative resolution. This agreement must now be ratified by both the Union and University as they go through their respective processes. At that time, further details about the contract agreement will be publicly available.

The University continues to bargain with the union chapter that represents our clerical, service and technical colleagues. These employees play an essential role in the daily functioning of our campus, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement that supports them and serves the best interests of the entire university community. As I did with the faculty contract, throughout this process, I will remain in close contact with the bargaining team and will be involved in key decisions related to the contract.

Moving forward will require a shared commitment from all of us. UIS is strongest when we work together in support of our mission.

Thank you for your continued dedication to UIS.

Janet

Janet L. Gooch, Ph.D.

Chancellor

University of Illinois Springfield