ID S1269

Empowers higher education institution administrations to enter into negotiation agreements with local faculty organizations and negotiate in good faith on wages, hours, and employment terms and conditions.

Designates local faculty organizations as exclusive representatives for all professional employees (professors, instructors, lecturers, graduate teaching assistants) and establishes four separate negotiation units: tenured/tenure-track faculty, law school faculty, non-renewable contract instructors/adjuncts, and graduate teaching assistants.

Requires negotiation records be kept and available for public inspection at state board of education offices, with all final settlement offers ratified in open meetings.

Establishes mediation process if parties cannot reach agreement, followed by fact-finding if mediation fails, with fact-finders appointed by mutual agreement or by the state board of education executive director within 30 days and required to submit written findings and recommendations within 30 days of designation.

Preserves all powers, duties, and responsibilities of the legislature, state board of education, and institutional boards of trustees, and allows administrations to take necessary emergency actions without negotiation.