Kenneth Mash re-elected leader of Pa. state university union

Kenneth Mash has been re-elected president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, the 5,000-plus member union for professors and coaches across the State System of Higher Education.

The union on Monday announced result of voting by delegates across the state. Mash, a political science professor at East Stroudsburg University, served as APSCUF president from 2014 to 2020. He later returned to the position in 2022.

With the retirements of state vice president, secretary, and treasurer, faculty delegates elected Kara Laskowski of Shippensburg University as vice president; Eric Hawrelak of Commonwealth University Bloomsburg as treasurer; and Patrick McGinty of Slippery Rock University as secretary, according to APSCUF.

Given the retirement of John Gum, coach delegates elected Rob Fulton of Shippensburg University their next coach executive leader.

“APSCUF is very fortunate to have had the benefit of dedicated and talented people working in leadership for many years, and we are incredibly grateful for their service,” Mash said in a statement accompanying release of the election results. “We are equally fortunate to have great people willing to step into leadership roles, and I look forward to working with these new, gifted leaders. I continue to be humbled by the faith my colleagues place in me, and it is an honor to represent my members who work hard every day to help students achieve their dreams.”

The association and State System recently agreed to new contracts for twin bargaining units within APSCUF representing faculty and coaches. The State System Board of Governors approved them this month, following ratification votes by the union members.

Also at the union’s legislative assembly, held April 19-20, delegates elected to the audit committee: Dave Backer of West Chester University, Dr. Lori R. Fuller of West Chester and Dr. Nitin Sukhija of Slippery Rock. Elected to the budget committee were Dr. Cristóbal Cardemil-Krause of West Chester, Michelle Jones-Wilson of East Stroudsburg, and Thomas Robinson III of Kutztown University.

The positions run from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2026.

The 10 State System universities also include Cheyney University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Millersville University and PennWest University (California, Clarion, Edinboro). Lock Haven and Mansfield are now part of Commonwealth University.