After nearly a year of negotiations,  UVM has announced it reached a tentative agreement on new contracts with the faculty union United Academics.

UA has been in negotiations with the University since June 2017, according to an October 2017 Cynic article. It represents roughly 850 full-time and part-time faculty at the UVM. Every three years, the union renegotiates its contract with the University.

In September 2017, UA President Tom Streeter, a sociology professor, announced via email that the group had reached an “impasse”, or a standstill in negotiations, requiring an outside mediator to assist the union and the University.

The contract with UA was approved by the UVM board of trustees, Friday May 18 at their triennial meeting.

Wanda Heading-Grant, UVM’s vice president for Human Resources, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, was quoted in the May 16 release as being pleased with the progress made by the faculty and the administration.

Heading-Grant said the deal is important for both faculty and students.

“UVM faculty are a highly valued resource who are essential to UVM’s success,” she said.

Heading-Grant said that UVM faculty are part of maintaining a commitment to students and their families to provide a high quality of education at the University in the release.

Specific terms of the three-year agreement will be available following the approval of them by the board of trustees.