Dear UIS Community:

We are writing to provide additional context on the key outstanding financial issues being discussed in collective bargaining between the University of Illinois Springfield and the union representing tenured and tenure-track faculty. We encourage you to continue to check our bargaining website for the latest updates. 

The University is meeting daily with the union, including this afternoon, to reach an agreement that serves the best interests of the entire university community. If necessary, we are ready and able to meet over the weekend to reach an agreement as soon as possible. 

UIS values the role faculty play on our campus and recognizes their contributions to student success. With approximately 85% of UIS income fund revenue supporting compensation, financial decisions related to salary and benefits remain a central factor in negotiations and long-term planning.      

For at least the past four years, the faculty represented by this union have been eligible to receive the same merit-based increases as other faculty, staff and administrators through the University Salary Program, while also receiving more than $800,000 in additional compensation through one-time payments of $1,500 and compression/equity increases. 

UIS faculty across all ranks are the fifth-highest paid among faculty at the 12 public universities in Illinois, according to the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education System (IPEDS). When not considering R1 research-intensive universities, UIS faculty are the third-highest paid in the state. The current median salary for bargaining unit members with a nine-month contract (approximately 20 workdays per month) is approximately $86,000, not including summer stipends or service-in-excess agreements, which can substantially increase an individual’s earnings. Approximately 1/3 of the faculty members in this union earn over $100,000 annually. 

The parties remain apart on several key financial issues, particularly those related to compensation. The University’s position is guided by its responsibility as a public institution to maintain fiscal stability while supporting its academic mission. 

UIS' Financial Situation and Deficit Reduction Initiatvies

The University has been transparent about the financial constraints that shape its proposals. For the past several years, UIS has been working to address a multimillion-dollar structural deficit, the result of years operating under a budget model misaligned with realistic revenues, combined with enrollment challenges and compensation growth. While the University is diligently working to reduce both our annual and cumulative deficits, we still project an annual deficit of $19 million this fiscal year. To sustain our mission, we must bring revenues and expenses back into balance and focus on long-term financial stability.

To that end, since 2024, the University has been advancing its NorthStar initiatives, including the Academic Program & Portfolio Review and Retention Plan to support enrollment growth, alongside cost-containment strategies. Actions such as a hiring slowdown, a voluntary separation program, unit closures and targeted budget reductions have produced incremental progress, but additional difficult decisions remain necessary to slow deficit growth and reach a balanced budget.

Compensation

For the current academic year, the UIS University Salary Program increase was 1% — this is the amount that all non-union employees (including the chancellor) received and is consistent with the proposals presented by the University in these negotiations. 

CURRENT UIS PROPOSAL: Based on the Union’s request for a compensation offer that includes an across-the-board lump sum payment to all bargaining unit members, the University has offered three options for the Union to consider:

Option 1 - A 0.5% annual increase plus a $480 flat amount added to base salary effective Jan. 16, 2026, followed by 1% or the University Salary Program, whichever is greater, for Year 2 and the University Salary Program for Year 3.

Option 2 - A 1% annual increase effective Jan. 16, 2026, followed by 1% increase or the University Salary Program, whichever is greater, for Year 2 and the University Salary Program for Year 3.

Option 3 - A 1% equivalent flat amount to base annual salary, divided equally amongst the members effective Jan. 16, 2026, followed by 1% increase or the University Salary Program, whichever is greater, for Year 2 and the University Salary Program for Year 3.

CURRENT UNION PROPOSAL: The Union has proposed higher increases, including a Year 1 compensation increase effective Aug. 16, 2025, of 1% plus $2,000 equity adjustment for every tenured and tenure-track faculty member added to base salary (adjusted for FTE). This is followed by a $3,000 lump-sum added to base salary or 1%, whichever is greater, in Years 2 and 3. The University has communicated that these proposals are not financially sustainable under current fiscal conditions.

Salary Minima

Current entry-level starting salaries for UIS faculty in this bargaining unit vary based on academic rank as indicated in the following chart: 

Assistant Professor               $55,000
Associate Professor              $60,000
Professor                               $73,192

CURRENT UIS PROPOSAL: The University has proposed targeted increases to salary minima that take into account experience and discipline while maintaining financial responsibility. These include increases of $5,000 for assistant professors (9.09%), $7,500 for associate professors (12.5%) and $4,308 for professors (5.89%). 

CURRENT UNION PROPOSAL: The union is seeking significantly larger increases of $11,000 for assistant and associate professors (20% and 18.33%, respectively) and $12,808 for professors (17.5%). The University has indicated that these proposed increases are not sustainable given current budget constraints and ongoing financial uncertainty.

Release Time for Union Business

In the prior contract, the University and Union established a memorandum of understanding allowing the union, pending UIS approval, to use external funds to “buy” release time that would cover a portion of the chapter president’s faculty salary, which would allow them to use the equivalent time to work on union matters. 

CURRENT UIS PROPOSAL: The University has proposed allowing the chapter president to reduce their appointment or take a leave of absence for union business, if operationally feasible. Under this model, the union would directly support that time rather than using a buyout approach. The University’s position is that UIS faculty’s priority should be fulfilling their responsibilities in teaching, research and service to the University.      

CURRENT UNION PROPOSAL: The union has proposed providing two course releases per academic year for one union officer. 

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As a public university, UIS must balance compensation goals with its responsibility to maintain long-term financial stability. We are eager to reach an agreement and have our faculty and students back in the classroom as soon as possible. The University remains committed to good-faith negotiations and believes there is still a path forward through continued dialogue. 

We encourage you to visit our bargaining website for the most up-to-date information on the status of negotiations. 

We will provide our next update to the campus community on Sunday evening unless otherwise warranted by progress in negotiations.