United Faculty, the union representing tenured and tenure-track professors at the University of Illinois Springfield, have been marching and chanting for a contract for three days.
They've been in negotiations for almost two years, and say the main sticking points are the retention and promotion policies, not salaries.
But Thursday, in her first public comments about the strike, Chancellor Susan Koch said money is an issue too.
"So we have put what I think is a robust salary package in front of the union leadership despite the fact that these are very, very difficult budget times. And you know, we're anxious to hear back from them what they think about what we're offering."
Koch said her negotiating team has offered to be at the bargaining table all day Friday and through the weekend, in hopes of settling the contract talks soon.
Students are scheduled to take final exams next week.
