Negotiators for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the union representing 5,500 faculty are planning to burn the midnight oil in the hope of averting a strike.

Negotiations for a new contract resumed at 11 a.m. today, and both sides said they were preparing for hours of talks.

"0We're going to keep negotiating through the night, if we have to," said Pat Heilman, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, which represents the faculty and 350 coaches at 14 state-owned universities. A tentative agreement for the coaches was reached Thursday.

By late this afternoon, state system spokesman Kenn Marshall said the parties had made "some pretty good headway" on faculty health care but had a "ways to go" on salaries. Asked to confirm the progress, Dr. Heilman said the parties hadn't reached any agreement on health care.

The contract expires today, and the union has threatened a strike as early as next week. A work stoppage would affect 25,000 students taking summer classes.

First Published: June 30, 2007, 9:45 p.m.