YOUNGSTOWN - While talks between Youngstown State University and its faculty union continue, the university has suspended disbursing financial aid and scholarships to students.
University officials say they were given a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Education that it should not disburse the funds unless it is certain when school will begin.
Financial aid payments typically are sent out 10 days prior to the beginning of the school year, which this year is Aug. 29.
However, the union's filing of its 10-day intent to strike notice on Monday essentially means the faculty intends to walk out on Aug. 26 if an agreement is not reached, according to YSU spokesman Ron Cole. That, in turn, would put the beginning of the school year on hold.
"Because the union earlier this week exercised its legal right to file a strike notification, there now is uncertainty when classes will begin," Cole said. "We will not hold classes if there is a strike. We sent letters notifying students of the situation."
Officials with the YSU Ohio Education Association are calling the action unnecessary.
YSU-OEA President Julia Gergits said the university is penalizing students for its own failure to negotiate in good faith and to accept concessions from the union.
"The university did not take this kind of action when there was an actual strike in 2005," Gergits said. "This has never happened before. They never held up students' financial aid. This administration which has consistently claimed students are its top priority, should be ashamed of itself for this despicable attempt to divide students and faculty for its own political purposes."
According to Cole, talks between the two sides were ongoing as of 10 p.m. Friday. Stanley Guzell, chief negotiator for the union, said some progress had been made in Friday's talks, and he thought both sides needed to step back and take the weekend to think about their positions.
''We are closer because of today's work,'' Guzell said.
Both sides plan to meet again Monday.
Contract negotiations began in the spring, and the two sides entered the fact-finding process in late July.
Last week, the YSU Board of Trustees rejected the fact-finder's report despite the union's acceptance of it. The report called for a wage freeze the first year and an increase of 1 and 2 percent the second and third years, respectively. The report also contained a provision for employees to pay 15 percent toward their health care premiums.
YSU officials cited current economic factors as weighing heavily on their decision to reject the recommendations.