MT. PLEASANT, MI -- A university is in crisis after failing to agree on a contract deal with Central Michigan University, and Monday morning, professors picked up picket signs.

But Monday night, an Isabella County Circuit Court Judge is ordering them back to class, at least until he can decide if the faculty has the right to picket.

This is all over contract negotiations that stalled over the weekend.  The old agreement between CMU and Faculty Association expired at the end of June.

The key issues are money and benefits.   

The CMU Faculty Association is demanding a $7.6 million increase in pay over the next three years.

The university is offering a $3.6 million raise.

As for health benefits, the Faculty Association wants to pay a five percent contribution, and CMU wants them to pay nine percent.

The disagreement has caused quite a stir on the first scheduled day of fall classes.

Some have sided with the professors, calling for the university to negotiate.

Others say the faculty demands are unfair and they need to step back to reality.

Last week, the Faculty Association warned that this could happen, and Monday morning at 7, more than 600 members of the faculty association went on strike.

Central Michigan Faculty Association members were dressed in the school-color yellow holding signs, chanting, on every street corner on campus, picketing and demanding what they call a fair contract..

“Standing up for what I believe in," explained one Faculty Association member.

“This is what we needed to do to say we want you to bargain in good faith," explained Laura Frey, the Faculty Association President.

“I must say to you candidly I am extremely disappointed by the action taken this morning by the faculty association," said CMU President, Dr. George Ross.

In a late morning news conference, Dr. Ross said salary and health-care benefits are the big issue, and they're a long ways from a deal.  He suggested both sides should enter fact-finding, and have an outside mediator help find a reasonable solution.

“We have to find a way to get back in the classroom and educate our students, I’m not blaming anybody, I would ask more decorum from Faculty Association leadership," said Dr. Ross.

Thousands of students picketed with the members, saying it was important to be apart of this day.

"It takes resources to recruit and retain top talent, and that's our education, if we don't have good talent, we don't get good education," said six-year student Thomas Wiedenbein.

Other students said enough is enough.

"It’s a bunch of garbage.  They really need to realize where they're at, what they already have, and stop being so greedy," said CMU Junior Tyler Arthur.

The Faculty Association says they will obey the judges order and return to the classroom.  There is a hearing Friday, and that is when a judge will hear from both sides to determine if the faculty has the right to picket.

Although Faculty Association members say they're going back to the classrooms, they made it clear this is far from over, because they feel what they're doing is legal.

But what happens "if" members are allowed to go back to the picket lines and classes are cancelled?

We asked CMU’s President.

"I'm not going to be answering speculation questions about "what ifs," the reality now is we've filed an injunction this morning, with circuit court, we believe we understand the strike is illegal," said Dr. Ross.

He wouldn't answer questions of whether or not this semester could be cancelled or if students would get money back if the work stoppage continues.