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University of Akron faculty will take a strike authorization vote. More than 600 faculty are represented by the union.

(Karen Farkas, cleveland.com)

The button faculty plan to wear if a strike authorization vote is approved

AKRON, Ohio - University of Akron faculty, who have been negotiating a new contract for more than a year, will take a strike authorization vote next week.

If approved, the vote would authorize the leadership of UA's chapter of the American Association of University Professors to call a strike if deemed necessary. About 600 faculty members are represented by the union.

No immediate action is expected because negotiations continue.

Why a vote?

"The University administration is asking faculty to absorb the costs of failed administrative policies and actions by accepting a contract with no increases in compensation and notable decreases in health and retirement benefits," the union said in a press release. "These proposals come in the wake of the hiring of new administrators, in some cases with salaries almost $100,000 higher than their predecessors, as well as expenditures on a number of new initiatives."

The contract expired July 1, 2015. Faculty had asked administrators in October 2014 to begin negotiations, union president John Zipp, a sociology professor, said in an interview.

"There is really no reason for it to be going on so long and we need to be done and move on to real issues," he said.

What does the university say?

UA spokesman Wayne Hill released this statement: "The University believes it best to make its comments within the confines of the negotiations."

President Scott Scarborough announced Thursday he appointed David Gordon, dean of the college of health professions, to the new position of special adviser to the president for faculty affairs.

"The purpose of the appointment is to help improve communication and understand between UA's central administration and UA faculty," officials said in a statement.

Zipp said Gordon is well-regarded but he doesn't understand why Scarborough felt he had to choose someone to work with faculty.

"It sounds similar to the job of provost," he said.

Where do negotiations stand?

The strike authorization vote at Akron will be taken electronically from March 7 to 11. Results will be published March 14.

A "fact-finder," a neutral third party, was chosen by both sides to review the issues after negotiations failed. Meetings with faculty and administrators are scheduled for March 17 and 18.

The fact finder is expected to issue a report at the end of this month. Both sides have 14 days to accept or reject the report.

Kent State University's faculty union recently went through a similar process, including approving an authorization to strike. The university and faculty agreed with the fact finder recommendations and approved a new contract in January.

Do faculty have other concerns?

In February the Faculty Senate overwhelmingly voted no confidence in President Scott Scarborough's administration.

The action came after more than a year of discord over Scarborough's actions, including budget cutbacks, layoffs, program eliminations and rebranding the university as Ohio's Polytechnic University.

The no confidence resolution cited many concerns about UA and how the reputation and operation of the university has been negatively affected in several areas including:

* Declining enrollment for the fall 2016 class compared to 2015.

* Reduction of key services, including information technology, distance learning and admissions.

* Declining donations.

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