On Monday, March 24, the University met with UFISU for their forty-third negotiation session—the eighth conducted with assistance from an independent federal mediator. During this session, the University presented two revised economic proposals that included improvements to paid sabbatical leave and compensation improvements. The Union also presented two economic proposals. Discussion and clarifying questions/responses continued around these and other unresolved topics.  

Three takeaways from the March 24, 2025, mediation session:
Key takeaways from the University’s economic proposal as presented at the March 24 mediation session include: 

1) Salary increases that outpace inflation and place us above Illinois State’s peer institutions with average cumulative increases, over the next 33 months, for Assistant Professors of over 13%, for Associate Professors of over 18% and for Professors of over 19%.      

2) Beginning in Academic Year 2026-2027, tenured faculty will be eligible for a full-year sabbatical to be paid at 66.7% of their annual base salary after six academic years of teaching— Illinois State will be the only Illinois public R2 university to offer this benefit at this level.    

3) We have reached agreement with the Union to establish, for the first time, effective on the first day of the first full month after ratification, minimum entry-level annual base salaries for each tenure-track faculty rank, to guide compensation for Assistant Professors and Professors moving forward. We are continuing to negotiate minimum entry-level base salaries for Associate Professors. Any faculty member whose current salary is below these minimums will automatically increase to the new base salary.

While the mediation session was still in progress, the University learned that UFISU had announced that the Union has filed a Notice of Intent to Strike with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB). While this action means that the Union can opt to strike any time after a ten-day waiting period, no sooner than April 4, it does not mean that a strike will occur.

Read the most recent update from university leadership on this mediation and the academic contingency planning efforts underway.

The next mediation date with an independent federal mediator is scheduled for Friday, March 28, 2025, with additional sessions planned for April 2 and April 4, 2025.  

Additional information on the University’s most recent economic proposal, as well as guidance for students, faculty, and staff, should a strike occur, can be found on the University’s negotiations status website.