In what labor organizers are calling a historic shift for higher education, faculty members at the Pennsylvania State University have voted overwhelmingly to unionize.
The results reveal that 2,510 faculty members voted “yes” to forming the Penn State Faculty Alliance (PSFA), while 847 voted against it. With nearly 75% of the ballots cast in favor, the move represents the largest public-sector union election in Pennsylvania in nearly 50 years.
The newly formed union will be affiliated with SEIU Local 668 and will represent over 5,000 eligible faculty members across all ranks—including tenured, tenure-track, contingent, and adjunct professors—at the University Park campus, the Commonwealth Campuses, and University Libraries.
The vote marks the end of a years-long organizing effort that gained significant momentum in early 2025 following university announcements regarding budget cuts and the planned closure of several Commonwealth Campuses.
Faculty organizers cited several core issues that drove the push for collective bargaining: a desire for a meaningful seat at the table regarding university-wide decisions, heightened concerns following the reorganization of the Commonwealth Campus system, addressing faculty pay scales which, according to union advocates, have lagged behind Big Ten peers while administrative compensation has risen, and ensuring protections for research and classroom instruction in an increasingly complex political climate.
“As faculty, we all came together to achieve a collective voice in Penn State’s decision-making,” said Marissa Baez, an adjunct lecturer and PSFA Organizing Committee member. “Now, we can move forward to create a better work environment and support the best learning environment for our students.”
The University administration, which held several informational meetings leading up to the vote that organizers characterized as “anti-union,” issued a brief statement following the announcement.
A Penn State spokesperson confirmed the university is aware of the preliminary results but declined further comment until the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) officially certifies the vote. Once certified, the university and the union will begin the process of negotiating a first contract—a cycle that experts suggest could take a year or more.
Penn State becomes the final of Pennsylvania’s four “state-related” universities to unionize its faculty, joining the ranks of Pitt, Temple, and Lincoln University.
