Update on Progress and Values in Collective Bargaining
February 26, 2026
The University of Kansas deeply values the dedication and contributions of our faculty and academic staff and remains committed to treating employees with respect and bargaining in good faith. Since initiating negotiations on the initial bargaining contract, the parties have held 58 negotiation sessions and reached tentative agreement on 31 proposals that define core aspects of the faculty role, including academic freedom, shared governance, appointments, workload, evaluations, promotion and tenure, union rights, university rights, benefits, and health and safety. After extensive work and substantial progress on many parts of this first contract, KU and United Academics of KU continue to hold fundamentally different positions on core economic terms and certain structural provisions. To move the process forward KU has delivered its best and final offer to UAKU on 2/26/26. If we still cannot come to an agreement within seven days thereafter, KU will initiate the impasse procedure in accordance with applicable state law. This is a procedural step that allows for additional review and potential resolution when the parties’ positions remain too far apart to reach agreement at the table alone; it is not a judgment on the importance of our employees’ work or their right to advocate.
The University defines a fair contract as one that is sustainable, competitive with peer institutions over time, and consistent with KU’s obligation to maintain student access and affordability. KU cannot responsibly commit to wage structures that would require ongoing tuition increases or compromise the quality of academic programs and student services.
KU’s compensation philosophy is to provide market‑competitive pay over time, differentiated by role and discipline, and anchored in fiscal sustainability and student affordability. We must deliver for our current students, honor our commitments to future students, and sustain KU’s mission of teaching, research, healthcare and service to Kansas. That means structuring compensation in a way that aligns with realistic, recurring revenues. We do not believe that large, uniform, multi‑year across‑the‑board increases— especially those that could be dependent on tuition increases—are a sustainable path to market pay. KU’s current proposal includes new base salary minima for all faculty and academic staff classifications and ranks, providing targeted increases for hundreds of bargaining unit members, a general adjustment for all members, and additional unit allocated funds to address retention, compression and performance, together representing several million dollars in new ongoing compensation. We will continue to implement our multi-year market compensation strategy and explore additional adjustments as our financial position allows.
KU respects the union’s right to organize and advocate. At the same time, we have an obligation to maintain a safe, respectful environment for learning and work, including students, staff, and campus visitors who are not parties to bargaining. Our focus remains on facts, stewardship, and the long-term health of the university.
As we enter the impasse process, KU will comply with all legal requirements, continue essential university operations, and remain open to solutions that advance shared goals: recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty and staff, protecting student access and affordability, and sustaining KU for generations to come. We will keep our community informed as the process continues, and additional information about the bargaining timeline, areas of agreement, and KU’s compensation proposal.