After months of negotiations, a last-minute tentative agreement was struck between Oakland University and the faculty's union represented by the Oakland University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (OU-AAUP). As reported by CBS News Detroit, the agreement arrived on the eve of the commencement of classes, forestalling a potential strike.
The deal, set for ratification in the coming weeks, will be a five-year contract with provisions for salary increases of 3% to 4% each year. Special lecturers were specifically mentioned as being refused retirement contribution proposals by Oakland, as FOX 2 Detroit reported. The tentative terms also include a $500,000 allocation for adjustments based on inflation in the second and third years and stipends for full-time and part-time instructors.
Among the terms widely regarded as significant is a "historic compensation package" mentioned by the university in The Detroit News. This includes a 4% merit pool increase for raises, market adjustments funds, promotion raises, and enhancements to retirement and travel funds for faculty.
Oakland University's President, Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, emphasized the critical role that faculty members play in meeting the university's mission and strategic goals, as per CBS News Detroit. OU-AAUP President Mike Latcha similarly acknowledged the importance of faculty working conditions, which directly influence student learning environments, putting forth the sentiment that this agreement allows him to "get back in the classroom to deliver the excellent education Oakland students deserve."
