“That really accelerated things,” Anna Pegler-Gordon, James Madison College professor and UTSF member, said. 

In December 2023, UTSF announced that a majority of tenure-system faculty had signed authorization cards supporting the union. That milestone required MSU to take steps toward voluntary recognition.

The requirement stemmed from a 2021 Board of Trustees resolution committing the university to neutrality on collective bargaining and cooperation with unionizing efforts.

But cooperation was strained as arbitration negotiations that began in 2024 slowed progress.

The back-and-forth included rallies and public comments at board meetings where faculty accused the administration of intentionally stalling the process.

Today, that battle came to an end as both parties signed a recognition agreement after a neutral party confirmed a majority of tenured faculty had submitted authorization cards supporting the union, according to a press release.

Pegler-Gordon said concerns over budget cuts and academic freedom fueled support for a union among tenure-track faculty.

UTSF’s victory came after thousands of conversations with colleagues she added, which coalesced in nearly 1,000 cards voicing support for the union. Yesterday MSU and UTSF, alongside an arbitrator, sifted through that pile to ensure that a majority was reached.

With this newfound recognition, tenured faculty can now work alongside other unions on campus like the Union of Non-Tenure Track Faculty (UNTF) and meet the administration on equal ground.

The UTSF Organizing Committee said, “We can secure a legally binding contract that requires administration to work with us.”

“I’m excited about what this means for the university as a whole,” she said. “To have that respect that comes with recognition and to know that we can sit down as equals with MSU administration and negotiate a contract for tenure system faculty that protects their work, protects academic freedom and bread-and-butter issues like our salary and benefits.”

MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant confirmed the university notified UTSF members of its recognition earlier today.

“Michigan State University is committed to the collective bargaining process and our ongoing efforts to recruit and retain world-class faculty and staff,” she said.

Work is only beginning for UTSF, Pegler-Gordon said. Next steps include holding elections and setting bargaining priorities for faculty.

“It's going to be a very active period this fall semester and throughout the whole year,” Pegler-Gordon said.