The contract, which outlines rights, compensation and benefits for non-tenured faculty, expires May 15.
President of the Union of Non-tenure Track Faculty and assistant professor Penny Gardner spoke out at the meeting, asking for better conditions.
“Fair working conditions for faculty means higher quality education for students and the timeliness for earning their degree,” she said.
Assistant professor Brian Holcomb also spoke at the meeting, addressing non-tenure track faculty salary.
MSU ranks last among Big Ten schools for assistant professor salary and instructor pay, Holcomb said.
“This is one ranking MSU needs to change to be taken seriously as an institution of higher learning,” Holcomb said during the meeting.
Per negotiation rules, union members and university officials said they were not allowed to comment further.
“Our Human Resources team is working closely with members of the UNTF on coming to an agreement on a new contract,” MSU spokesman Jason Cody said. “MSU officials do not comment on ongoing labor negotiations so that both sides can bargain in good faith. We appreciate the concerns of union members and are working with them to reach a contract that satisfies both sides.”
Holcomb said MSU is offering its fixed-term faculty raises of 3.75 percent over the next four years. Tenured faculty are poised to receive a 4 percent raise in the next year alone.
Holcomb said he felt the offer of a half percent raise for fixed-term faculty was disrespectful.
Visiting assistant professor Megan Inbody spoke and brought attention to the job security of fixed-term faculty.
Fixed-term faculty have the opportunity to be hired for one semester, one year and three year terms.
Additionally, Inbody said faculty should be notified of their appointment at least one month before the end of their current appointment. A recent MSU proposal suggested all such notices be eliminated, Inbody said.
“An instructor who knows in advance what she is teaching can plan her classes with the care they deserve,” Inbody said.
University officials also settled a dispute in February with the Graduate Employees Union over a pay discrepancy where more than 300 teaching assistants were owed more than $100,000 in back wages. Representatives from the union were also there to show solidarity with the non-tenure track faculty.
