We Have Agreement on a New Contract!
5/20/2025
Dear Colleagues,
We are very happy to announce that the FSU Core Bargaining Team (CBT) and the Administration have reached agreement on the terms of a new contract. This agreement was reached after a 15-hour marathon bargaining session on May 15th that lasted until midnight. Our team was committed to bringing bargaining to a close before the end of the semester so that our contract could be approved and sent to the state for funding.
Below is a summary of the agreement we reached. We believe the new contract has important gains for our members in many key areas. But we also recognize that we were not able to get all our proposals across the finish line--and many of our proposals that we did reach agreement on were significantly changed from when we first proposed them. There is more work that needs to be done to ensure that we receive the salaries, benefits, and work conditions that we deserve.
One quick note regarding next steps on the agreement: the parties (the Administration and the CBT) are writing the language for the new contract. Once the parties have agreed on the new language, members will vote on whether to ratify the new contract. Once the contract is ratified, it will be formally implemented. Stay tuned for more information on ratification.
We wish you all a restful and relaxing summer.
The FSU Core Bargaining Team
Caroline Coscia, Senior Lecturer II, Political Science
Ellen Frank, Senior Lecturer II, Economics
Maria Hegbloom, MTA Field Representative
Jessica Holden, Librarian IV, Healey Library
Keith Jones, Lecturer, Africana Studies
Lorenzo Nencioli, FSU Senior Staff Member
Jason Rodriquez, Associate Professor, Sociology
Heike Schotten, Professor, Political Science
Steve Striffler, Professor, Labor Studies
SUMMARY OF THE 24-27 FSU AGREEMENT
Raises and Merit- Across-the-board (ATB) raises of 3.5% effective January 2025 (to be retroactively applied); 2.25% July 2025; 2.25% January 2026; 2.25% July 2026; 2.25% January 2027. A total of 12.5% over the three-year term of the contract.
- We rejected Admin’s proposal for merit pay. The rejection of merit pay is not a rejection of additional raises. The state determines the amount of money allocated to raises. Admin proposed dividing that amount between merit and ATB raises. Given the increasingly high cost-of-living in Boston, and the insufficient raise parameters given by Governor Healey’s office, the CBT took the position that the full value of the raises should go to everyone, and any merit proposal should be in addition to the above raises. Admin declined to make available merit funds beyond the ATB raises.
Salary Floors- We got 10-15% increases to salary floors for all ranks effective 9/1/25. These new floors will result in de facto raises for many of our members, especially those who are Lecturers and Assistant Professors.
- Lecturer/Clinical Lecturer= $60,000 (from $53,000); Senior Lecturer/Clinical Senior Lecturer= $70,000 (from $61,000); Senior Lecturer II/Clinical Senior Lecturer II= $73,000 (from $65,000); Senior Lecturer III/Clinical Senior Lecturer III= $76,000 from $69,000
- Assistant Professor= $80,000 (from $70,000); Associate Professor= $88,000 (from $80,000); Professor= $110,000 (from $100,000)
- Librarian I= $62,000 (from $54,000); Librarian II= $67,000 (from $60,500); Librarian III= $76,000 (from $68,500); Librarian IV= $86,000 (from $78,000); Librarian V= $97,000 (from $88,500).
Promotional Raises- Increases to promotional raises to the following ranks effective 9/1/25:
- Senior Lecturer II/Clinical Senior Lecturer II= $7,000 (from $6,500); Senior Lecturer III/Clinical Senior Lecturer III= $7,000 (from $6,500)
- Associate Professor= $11,000 (from $9,400)
- Librarian II= $7,000 (from $6,500); Librarian III= $8,500 (from $8,000); Librarian IV= $10,000 (from $9.400); Librarian V= $11,000 (from $10,600).
Associate Lecturer Per Course Rates- $5,800 effective 9/1/25 (from $5,500); $6,000 effective 9/1/26. After it was clear the Administration would not eliminate the category completely (our original proposal), we proposed (over and over again) raising the per course rate to $7000. In the end, the Administration budged very little, keeping our per course rate among the lowest in the region.
Non-Tenure Track Faculty- Associate Lecturer conversion period to Lecturer to change from 4 consecutive semesters at 50% or more to 3 consecutive semesters at 50% or more; continuing appointment (CA) percentage of time to be automatically equated to actual work history with automatic increase to CA if percentage of time changes; clarification on language for course releases for Senior Lecturer II and III; clarification on language for NTT service; new PMYR process for full-time Senior Lecturer III (to be done 7 years after promotion; $1,500 available to every member undergoing the process).
Professional Support Funds - RES is eliminated and the money is transferred to the following:
- Increase in travel funds from $1,150 to $1,700 (money is now allowed to pay for professional membership when tied to conference travel). Total pool of travel funds increased from $325,000 to $400,000.
- For NTTs and Librarians, a $100,000 Professional Development Fund is established, which will be distributed in the same way as RES money had been (which had been $37,500).
Academic Freedom- Modification to language to strengthen protections for members in their exercise of academic freedom in the classroom and in their teaching.
Summer/Winter Per Course Rates- $5,800 effective 9/1/25 (from $5,500); $6,000 effective 9/1/26.
Anti-Racism Grant Funds – Increased to $50,000 from $45,000 per year.
Financial Support for International Faculty Visas and Visa Related Costs- Agreement for an FSU-Administration committee to bargain over parameters, reimbursements, etc. to codify language.
Parental, Other Leaves - Paid semester of parental leave will now include NTT with continuing appointments at any percentage of time; expanded timing of parental leave; increases in personal days for Librarians and calendar year faculty; enhancement to bereavement leave.
Librarians- Paid leaves will count as service time for promotion; shortened timeline toward promotion; new language on procedures for campus closures and remote operations; $1,500 for PMYR
Parking- Agreement for a coalition bargaining committee to negotiate parking rates, etc. This committee will be comprised of members of all UMB unions and will negotiate an agreement with Admin to take effect on July 1, 2026. We made our position clear to Admin months ago that we would not entertain a parking proposal at the main table because it violated the ground rules signed by both parties prohibiting new proposals to be made after a certain date. But Admin insisted they needed some agreement on parking to reach agreement on the broader contract. We ultimately agreed to a side table coalition bargaining committee that would negotiate details on parking separate from the main table. We worked with our coalition union partners every step of the way to ensure we had their blessing to proceed. The FSU remains committed to working in coalition on matters related to parking.
Research Intensive Semester (RIS) For Junior Faculty- Option for junior faculty to request release from all service or to request remote-only service.