LAWRENCE (Mercer) — Rider University and its faculty union have reached a three-year contract agreement.

"The Rider University Administration and the Rider University Chapter AAUP have reached a tentative agreement today on a three-year contract for faculty, librarians and athletic staff, subject to ratification by the Board of Trustees and the AAUP membership," according to the statement released Friday by both sides.

The union's website said members will be emailed details of the agreement "soon." A ratification meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14, in the school's Yvonne Theatre.

The contract expired on Thursday at midnight and the college with over 5,000 graduate and undergraduate students said it would not extend the contract as it had in the past. Negotiations continued until 1 a.m. on Friday and resumed talks at 11 a.m.

Both sides were fully prepared for a strike as the union website said over 400 faculty members, students and staff had signed up for picket duty. Rider had advertised for fill-in faculty as part of a contingency plan.

Rider's move-in day for new students is Sunday with classes starting on Wednesday.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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