Thank you for your COHE membership and all that you do to improve higher education in South Dakota!

As you may know, we are moving rapidly to closing the current bargaining round with perhaps a final collective bargaining agreement, which would be signed by both sides.   If so, events will proceed apace in the next few weeks!

This Wednesday, April 17, the state COHE Board will discuss the few remaining items and perhaps recommend a ratification vote to the membership.

If the COHE Board supports a ratification vote, I will provide a thorough analysis of the 

contractual items to which both sides have tentatively agreed.  I anticipate releasing this comprehensive message to dues-paying COHE members by Sunday, April 21.

We are arranging meetings to possibly discuss ratification during the last week of April.  I will personally attend meetings at each of the East River campuses:

Tuesday, April 23, 4:00 p.m., DSU, Madison, Room TBA

Wednesday, April 24, 4:00 p.m., SDSU, Brookings, Tompkins Alumni Center

Thursday, April 25, 4:00 p.m., NSU, Aberdeen, Room TBA

Friday, April 26, 5:00 p.m., USD, Vermillion, Room TBA

Please place these on your calendars and strongly urge you to attend.  If you rarely attend COHE meetings, this should be the one you make every possible effort to attend!

I also anticipate a statewide conference call for faculty at the West River campuses and those who must miss these meetings.   This conference call is currently scheduled for Monday, April 22, 4:00 p.m., Central (3:00 p.m., Mountain).  Confirmation and further details will be forthcoming.

If we reach a final agreement, I will recommend the state COHE Board hold a ratification vote administered by SDEA staffers in very early May.  

Also, the state COHE Board will need to decide when non-COHE members will receive the contractual information newsletter and whether they will be invited to attend these meetings.  If so, I will notify them via this Constant Contact distribution system.