7:00 p.m., Oct. 20

As the sun sets over Shippensburg University, dozens of faculty members picked up their picket signs and headed home.

They will be out again at about 7:30 a.m. and will be picketing rain or shine until about 7:30 p.m., said Debra Cornelius, SU sociology professor.

While union members gave a TV interview at the North Prince Street picket line, faculty at the Earl Street line waved to honking cars.

SU physics professor Alan Cresswell said he was picketing since 11 a.m. and the support from passersby was amazing.

People dropped off water and food for faculty members said Allison Watts, SU associate professor of management.

Cars and trucks honked their horns and passengers waved and shouted support. One person yelled, “get a job,” and Watts said two people gave faculty the thumbs down.

Compared to yesterday, Watts and Cresswell said support from students and the public has been even greater.

When it got dark, faculty members packed up their canopies and food to call it a night.

3:30 p.m., Oct. 20

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) gave a statement detailing how it is dealing with the strike on Wednesday, Oct. 19, saying it will provide services for short-staffed universities.

Although 14 of the 18 PSAC university faculties are officially on strike, all athletic matches are to be played as scheduled. All 14 PSAC games were played Wednesday, and all future games will continue regardless of missing personnel.

Athletic directors and athletic trainers are part of the teacher’s union, so they will not be available to student-athletes for the duration of the strike. Coaches and teams will have temporary replacements if necessary to aid athletes. The PSAC Office will provide these aides.

“Our first priority is the care and service to our student-athletes,” PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray said. “I am hopeful that this issue will resolve quickly and normal operations return to our member campuses as soon as possible.”

Murray and his staff have been working closely with universities to provide assistance wherever it is necessary. “We are in communication on a daily basis,” Murray said.

The strike has raised questions as to how smooth sports operations will operate during the strike, but the PSAC is ready for whatever the strike entails.

“I’m impressed with how the campuses have prepared and implemented their plans,” Murray said.

So far, the PSAC has not had to intervene in university affairs. “Most of the schools have contracted outside certified athletic training coverage or [are] using certified graduate assistants,” Murray said.

All SU athletic events are scheduled to proceed as planned; this includes the football team’s game at Millersville University, the cross-country PSAC Championships at Kutztown University, men’s soccer’s Senior Day match, field hockey’s match against East Stroudsburg University and the weekend’s volleyball matches that are being held at Heiges Field House this weekend.

1:30 p.m., Oct. 20

PASSHE Chancellor Frank Brogan said he is “anxious” to return to the negotiating table, SU professor Debra Cornelius announced at the North Prince Street picket line.

Cornelius said Brogan shared these feelings in a recent interview, according to a Facebook Live video posted on the APSCUF page.

“Our folks sat at the negotiation table all night long until 5 a.m. waiting for the state system folks to come back, and they did not come back,” Cornelius said.

As the professors nodded in agreement behind her, Cornelius said they are very hopeful that the state system will return to the negotiations.

“The state system is now seeing that they can’t really run the universities without the faculty,” Cornelius said.

12 p.m., Oct. 20

Students and APSCUF members are picketing outside PASSHE’s office in Harrisburg today, waiting for negotiations to start again.

“We’re ready to negotiate,” said Kenneth Mash, APSCUF’s president, during a live Facebook address. “They know how to get in touch with us.”

While PASSHE Media Relations Manager Kenn Marshall was giving an interview outside of the office, students chanted “talk at the table, not to the media.”

Mash said Marshall told the media that Chancellor Frank Brogan is eager to come back to the table.

APSCUF is ready to get back to the negotiations table at anytime, Mash said.

10 a.m., Oct., 20

Protests continued at Shippensburg University this morning as faculty rallied at each entrance to campus.

SU faculty members began filtering in at the entrances to the university around 7 a.m., carrying signs, snacks and umbrellas.

“Our mood is good, but we miss you guys — we want to be in the classroom,” political science professor Alison Dagnes said.

Psychology professor Steven Haase said they have continued to experience great faculty turnouts, with professors often staying at the picket lines longer than they had originally signed up for.

Several SU students arrived at campus entrances by 8 a.m., carrying signs of their own in support of the union. Others stopped by briefly to deliver water bottles and snacks.

Many SU professors, including Dagnes, said they have been moved by the overwhelmingly positive response the faculty has received from SU students and the Shippensburg community.

“[The support] makes me love SU and the students even more,” Dagnes said.

Sociology professor Debra Cornelius said that even if the state system were to return to the negotiating table today, it is “likely to take a while” before a contract can be agreed upon.

At this time, no update was available as to when negotiations between APSCUF and PASSHE will resume.

Jenna Wise, Ali Laughman, Troy S. Okum and Blair Garrett contributed to this article.

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