Dear AU Community,

I hope you are enjoying the remaining days of summer. The academic year is nearly here, and excitement is rising on campus. As we prepare for the semester, I want to share an update about our ongoing contract negotiations with the Provost and Enrollment division staff bargaining unit, represented by SEIU. The unit also includes some staff in Student Affairs, the AU Museum, the Office of Information Technology, and University Communications and Marketing.

We appreciate our staff and their vital contributions, and we support a safe, collaborative, and productive working environment. This principle has been our central focus throughout our negotiations. We have made good progress, and we continue to bargain in good faith with the goal of reaching a new agreement soon. Our negotiations have featured:

• More than 25 extensive bargaining sessions with the union since April;
• Agreements on articles for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that address probationary employment status, immigration matters, the Joint Labor Management Committee, and the Grievance Procedure;
• Constructive dialogue and progress toward agreement on articles regarding performance evaluations, employee leave, and layoff procedures;
• University proposals that would incorporate new CBA articles about reorganization procedures, artificial intelligence, and workplace environments; and
• University compensation offers that repurpose funds previously set aside for one-time payments as FY26 base-building increases for employees making less than $60,000 per year. We also put forward discussions of compensation increases in future contract years at a time when many universities are freezing wages and a collaborative process for developing a future pay structure. These proposals specifically address key union concerns.

Details about the negotiations are available on the Labor Relations page and updates are published every Wednesday in AU Now.

The negotiations are taking place amid the unprecedented financial pressures affecting universities across the country. Institutions from the University of Southern California and Duke University to our neighbors at George Washington University and the University of Maryland are facing large deficits and implementing layoffs. This difficult reality and our own FY26 budget work affect considerations for a new contract. While many universities are just now addressing financial challenges, we already conducted a comprehensive, collaborative process that yielded more than $80 million in FY26 savings and enhanced revenue. Building on this successful work, we are focused on negotiating a new contract that meets the goals of the university and the union, acknowledges the challenges in higher education, and maintains fiscal responsibility.

In preparation for the negotiations, we determined FY26 financial resources available to support a potential new contract. As we have done in the past, any compensation changes in the contract will be applied consistently to all eligible union and non-union employees. Our team and the union agreed that supporting our employees at the lower end of our pay structure was an equitable and efficient use of our limited funds. These team members have been an ongoing focus of our compensation updates over the past three years. As a result of these discussions, we proposed reallocating the funds previously set aside for one-time payments as FY26 base compensation increases for employees making $60,000 per year or less. This proposal uses the resources allocated earlier this year; no new or additional funds were proposed or employed.

We will continue bargaining, with more sessions scheduled this month. The union is planning public activities about bargaining during certain times that intersect with student move-in on August 18 and 19. This lawful activity is a typical bargaining strategy employed by unions intended to seek university concessions in the contract negotiations. We are taking measures to make sure that this activity does not interrupt move-in and any related events. Team members will be on-site to address any questions or concerns that may arise. Restricted areas will be in place in and around the residence halls to support safe, efficient, and effective move-in activities. We respect union members’ right to express their views, and we informed them that any activity must comply with all university policies. Supporting our students, particularly as our new Eagles arrive on campus for the first time, is vital to their experience and our future as a community.

I am hopeful that the continuing good-faith negotiations will soon conclude with a mutually beneficial contract. As I’ve said many times, our people are our most important asset, and we value all our colleagues. This is a priority for all of us.

I look forward to seeing you on campus in the coming days for the exciting new year at AU.

Sincerely,

Jonathan R. Alger
President, American University