Thanks to the hundreds who responded. A reminder that the UFF bargains for the entire faculty. We need to know what you think! We also need your support. The more members we have, the more effective our bargaining is going to be.
THE GENERAL MOOD
After recovering from lows in 2009 after faculty cuts, satisfaction and morale have flattened over the last three years. Very few (14%) feel that loyalty to the University is returned, and that faculty members are sufficiently rewarded for their efforts (24%). A large majority (73%) feel that administrators have inappropriately high salaries when compared with faculty. Everyone agrees this needs to change.
| Seven-year trend of response to the questions below. Numbers are the percentage of those who either “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” with the statement | |||||||
| Poll year | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Generally speaking I am satisfied with the way things are going at FSU. | 13% | 19% | 25% | 28% | 39% | 38% | 36% |
| Faculty morale is high at FSU. | 6% | 8% | 10% | 11% | 21% | 24% | 21% |
SALARY ISSUES
Faculty salaries at FSU remain below, and often significantly below, faculty salaries at peer institutions. The University has announced plans to correct inequities, and we are negotiating how to implement them. Poll respondents name cost-of-living increases (78%), market inequity and compression/inversion (69%), and merit (57%) as preferred factors in setting salary priorities. Most also favored basing raises on merit evaluations rather than administrative discretion or outside awards (64%), noting that awards are more available in certain areas than others. Comments focused on recognition and equity for specialized faculty. There seems to be general agreement among respondents that specialized faculty salaries be raised on the same basis as that of regular faculty. Most prefer that market-equity adjustments be assigned to as many qualifying faculty as possible, even if that means smaller increases.
OTHER BARGAINING PRIORITIES
Healthcare and retirement benefits were named as top non-salary priorities. There was also wide support for pre-tenure releases for Assistant Professors, supporting childcare facilities on or near campus, and setting firm standards for non-renewal of contract.
RATING THE ADMINISTRATION
The majority of respondents have yet to form a strong opinion about President Thrasher’s performance (62% “not sure” or “fair”). A majority praised Interim Provost McRory’s performance. Majorities praise their own Dean/Director/Chair, feeling that the administration of their own unit is superior to that of the University as a whole. Most were positive about their immediate working environment, teaching situation, time available to students, and, by a smaller margin, time available for research or creative efforts.
To view the complete results, go to the links belows.
Results WITH comments: https://uff-fsu.org/art/SurveyResults2015CommentsPost.pdf
Results WITHOUT comments: https://uff-fsu.org/art/SurveyResults2015NoCommentsPost.pdf