The System recognizes the value of intercollegiate athletics as part of the overall educational environment, and also recognizes the efforts and dedication of the coaches.

“Athletics contribute to the college experience, but providing an intercollegiate athletic program is not the universities’ core function,” said Chancellor James H. McCormick. “The State System’s first priority must be to direct limited resources to meet the primary mission of providing students the highest quality education at the lowest possible cost.

“We want to maintain a system that provides our students the opportunity to enjoy the many sporting events held on our campuses, both as competitors and spectators. But we must be able to do so within our budget constraints. First and foremost, we must provide our students with the highest quality education, and keep it affordable.”

Because there is a wide variation in the sports that are emphasized from one university to the next and in the resources available to support them, the State System believes it is important that universities retain the ability to offer coaches individual contracts of employment in order to maintain the necessary flexibility to manage the various sports programs.

The System’s proposal would establish a salary range that would include minimum and maximum levels, within which individual coaching contracts could be negotiated by the various university presidents. It also would provide for a 3 percent merit pool for salary adjustments effective this fall, and another 3.5 percent in fall 2001.

The union has proposed a tenure-based compensation package that would include automatic salary increases based solely on years of service, plus a general pay increase of 3.5 percent for all coaches in the 2001-02 school year. It makes only a minor concession on merit.

In addition, the union’s proposal includes provisions for health care benefits for domestic partners, no full or partial layoffs, guaranteed employment after five years of service similar to faculty tenure and sabbatical leave.

The State System has indicated that each of those provisions would be unacceptable.

The State System has offered job security to coaches through contracts of employment.

Regular, full-time head coaches who have completed five full consecutive years of employment would receive a three-year “rolling contract,” which could be extended annually one additional year at the discretion of the university president. Regular, full-time assistant coaches could receive an employment contract of up to three years.

The State System also would continue to provide regular full-time coaches and their eligible dependents with full hospital and medical insurance coverage. Part-time coaches who work at least half-time and their eligible dependents would receive 50 percent paid hospital and medical insurance.

Eligible coaches and their dependents also would receive supplemental benefits such as dental, prescription and vision care. Eligible coaches also would be entitled to vacations, sick leave, extended medical absences without pay, parental leave, family care leave, work-related injury leave, holidays and personal leave.

The next negotiating session is scheduled for Aug. 8 and 9.

The State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 350,000 System alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. The regional centers are part of the Educational Resources Group, which is responsible for coordinating statewide programming.