EARLY VOTING BEGINS TODAY, OCTOBER 24

As you are well aware, we are in the last days of one of the most consequential election cycles in our history.  We have a choice to make in two weeks, and the options before us could not be more different.   Victory in the State of Florida is critical to both parties, and we have a responsibility to make our voices heard.  The results will affect our lives, our country, and our children.  We are not only choosing a President, but a Senator, Representatives, a Stage Legislature, and local officials.  We are also voting on the future of solar energy and other ballot initiatives.

Here are endorsements from our colleagues at the Florida Education Association and the AFL-CIO:

FEA Recommendations:   http://feaweb.org/_data/files/2016_Elections/FEA-candidate-list-state.pdf

Florida AFL-CIO:  http://www.flaflcio.org/

National AFL-CIO:         http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Political-Action-Legislation

How you vote is of course a very private decision.  However, our colleagues have looked at the candidates and examined the issues closely.   We take these recommendations seriously because we believe they are in the interest of higher education, organized labor, and working families across our state.

Early voting begins TODAY, October 24 and runs through November 6.  Absentee ballots can still be ordered.  And, of course, Election Day is November 8.

For those who might be interested, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the process, whether phone banking, driving voters to the polls, leafleting, or other activity.

Please contact me if you’d like more information.

Really, this will be over soon.  It’s not been a very positive process.  But VOTE!  Do everything you can to encourage family and friends to do the same.   Florida is Ground Zero for this election.   Stand with our colleagues, both in and out of the Union.  Do what’s best for our University, our community, our state, and our country.  Every vote counts!

Matthew Lata

President, UFF-FSU Chapter

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Montford on Higher Education Issues

The UFF-FSU Chapter will be pleased to feature Senator Bill Montford as our special guest for a luncheon on Tuesday, February 26th at 12:30 in the Oglesby Union’s Florida Room.  Senator Montford will discuss issues facing higher education in the upcoming legislative session.  A postable flyer can be found at:

https://uff-fsu.org/art/MontfordFeb26.pdf

All FSU faculty members are welcome to attend.  A catered hot lunch will be available, free for UFF members and $12 for others.  If you plan to attend, please notify UFF-FSU Vice President Jennifer Proffitt ([email protected]).

Florida Supreme Court Retirement Ruling

Thursday’s Florida Supreme Court ruling did more than dash the hopes of more than 620,000 public workers in the Florida Retirement System who wanted to see 3 percent of their pay returned.  It also opened the doors for lawmakers to make more changes that help the state’s bottom line but cost the school teachers, law-enforcement officers, county employees and state workers.

     From the Tallahassee Democrat, Jan. 18, 2013

Let’s build a stronger voice for faculty.  If you are not already a UFF member, please join!

Full text of the Democrat story:  https://uff-fsu.org/art/td20130118.pdf

The full text of the Florida Supreme Court 4-3 ruling, including dissenting opinion is available at:  https://uff-fsu.org/art/sc12-520.pdf

 

Faculty Shared Governance

“’Shared governance’ is much revered by faculty, but it adds vastly to administrative costs and stifles innovation and change.  Shared governance is a byproduct of academic tenure, where faculty members with lifetime appointments face little consequence from trying, often successfully, to obstruct changes that
might
reduce their power or influence or increase their teaching  load.

— Vedder and Denhart, Ten Principles of Higher Education Reform (2011, p. 16)

This background reading was circulated to meeting participants prior to last
week’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Higher Education meeting in St. Petersburg. Read More →

Faculty Address Higher Ed Task Force

Task force gets report on higher ed challenges

By BRENT KALLESTAD, Associated Press

Published: Monday, June 11, 2012 at 6:29 p.m.

Two veteran faculty members cautioned a newly formed task force on Monday against changing the state’s higher education system simply because a businessman – in this case, Gov. Rick Scott – believes it needs to show more value. Read More →