By Fuller/WSIU
Carbondale, IL – Faculty at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale say they'll walk off the job in two weeks if an agreement isn't reached with university administrators. The SIUC Faculty union set November 3rd as the walkout date but they say they'll stay on the job if a contract is reached. The union says it remains deeply concerned about academic freedom and tenure issues, including the level to which faculty members can decide how and where their classes are taught. School Administrators say they remain dedicated to the negotiations, but say the new contract must address the increased budget constraints as well as advancements in the delivery of education. The two sides have been negotiating a new contract for 18 months, the last contract ended in June of 2010.