Talks on Tuesday between the State System of Higher Education and the union that represents Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities including West Chester University, once again fell short of achieving a new contract agreement, writes Bill Schackner for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The State System of Higher Education and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties have been without a contract since June 2015.

According to union representatives, the talks have inched forward, however, a strike authorization vote remains a possibility for either later this month or the next.

The negotiations are taking place in the midst of increasingly strained campus finances as well as lower enrollment numbers at most system schools.

The APSCUF added that its emergency legislative assembly conference call is still scheduled for August 25th, which is only four days before the start of fall semester classes. Delegates from the individual campuses could then decide to call for a full union membership vote on a strike.

Read more about the negotiations at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette here, and check out previous VISTA Today coverage of WCU here.