USNH Board of Trustees Affirms Collective Bargaining Role and Support of President Huddleston
By Ed Dupont, Chair, USNH board of trustees
May 4, 2011
The University System board of trustees on Thursday, April 28, unanimously passed a resolution expressing full confidence in UNH President Mark W. Huddleston - specifically his effective advocacy for UNH and willingness to address head-on the state’s fiscal crisis and the broader challenges facing higher education.
The board of trustees also unanimously affirmed its responsibilities and duties regarding collective bargaining. Specifically:
• Only the USNH board of trustees has the authority to set parameters for contract negotiations regarding salary increases and fringe benefits.
• Only the board of trustees can approve any decisions related to compensation and benefits for any faculty and staff -- including those in collective bargaining units.
The campus leadership does not have that authority.
All of us who care about and who are advocates for the University System have a lot of hard work ahead of us in the state Legislature, and that’s where our focus needs to remain. There is not a moment to spare in making our case. We have among us some of the country’s best professors, the best and brightest students from the Granite State and beyond, and staff who are committed to their respective institutions. We all will work together to preserve the very best of what we have so that we can pass on to the state the very best of what we do.
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