HARRISBURG — Members of the faculty union at the 14 State System of Higher Education universities, including Slippery Rock University, will hold a demonstration Thursday calling for a fair contract. Patrick Burkhart, president of SRU’s Association of Pennsylvania College and University Faculties chapter, said that 23 SRU professors, including himself, will attend the demonstration, which will be at a meeting of the state system’s board of governors. “I want our voice to be heard,” Burkhart said. A bus, which will take professors from SRU, Edinboro and Clarion universities, will head to Harrisburg Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday morning, protesters will hold a demonstration outdoors on the steps of the Dixon University Center, where the state system is headquartered. Later, protesters will crowd the room where board of governors meets. APSCUF’s contract expired June 30, 2011, along with the contracts for the other six unions in the state system. APSCUF is the final union that has not settled with the state system. The union represents more than 6,000 faculty, including about 475 at SRU.
