PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Faculty members at West Chester, Cheyney and twelve other Pennsylvania state-owned universities are expected to vote in early March on whether to ratify a new tentative contract agreement that would avert a strike.

They have been working without a contract since June 2011, but on Friday, faculty leaders from each school met and recommended that the entire membership vote on a tentative settlement.

Lauren Gutshall is a spokeswoman for the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties:

“After a very long and sometimes difficult negotiations process, APSCUF’s leadership is pleased to take this agreement to the full membership for ratification. We believe it is a fair contract and one that maintains quality education for students,” she said.

Gutshall says compensation is similar to what other statewide unions have gotten, but that the faculty contract will, for the first time, have a clause allowing for faculty input on the issue of class size.