Archive for January, 2009

Bargaining survey available

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

The chapter’s bargaining team has established a bargaining survey to collect information about the negotiating priorities of in-unit faculty and professional employees. If you have not seen a link to it, please e-mail Sherman Dorn. [The survey is now closed.]

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Minutes January 16, 2009

Saturday, January 17th, 2009

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting


Attendance.
There were thirteen people in attendance.


Agenda & Introductions.
The agenda was approved.


Minutes.
The minutes from the December 12 meeting were approved.


Membership.
We are steadily gaining new members. An initiative was discussed and will be revisited at the next meeting.


Leroy Dubeck’s visit.
Leroy Dubeck will make his presentation on Thursday, January 22, at 2 pm, in Marshall 2001.


Chapter Election.

  • Motion to postpone the deadline for nominations to February 6 made, seconded, and approved; ballot kits will be assembled on February 13.


UFF Senate.
Discussion of mutual concerns.


AFT Higher Education Conference.
This will be in Miami, March 6 – 8.


Reports.

  • Grievances. Discussion of ongoing grievances.
  • Political Action. Discussion of current events.
  • Bargaining. Discussion of the bargaining situation.
  • Treasury. We have money.
  • Communications. There will be a Biweekly Extra next week announcing the new deadline for nominations, the deadline for sabbatical applications, and reminding everyone of Dubeck’s presentation.


These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on January 17, 2009.

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Contents of January 8, 2009 UFF Biweekly Extra

Friday, January 9th, 2009

TODAY!
Joining the United Faculty of Florida is as easy as following the link to http://faculty.ourusf.org/join-uff/ . Every employee within the UFF bargaining unit should join.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
By the end of this week, all members of the bargaining unit (not just union members) should have received the harcopy Spring 2009 issue of Uncommon Sense, which is posted at http://w3.usf.edu/~uff/US/Spring2009.htm . If you did not receive your copy, please let us know. The first regular UFF Biweekly of the semester will be broadcast on January 15, and the first Chapter meeting will be at noon on January 16 in SOC 384..

WHAT DO USF’S FINANCES LOOK LIKE?
USF’s "unrestricted net assets" became an issue after they were pointed out by Leroy Dubeck, a physics professor who looks at university budgets for the National Education Association. UFF asked that Dubeck look at USF’s statement to the State of Florida. Dubeck will be visiting Florida this month, and will give a presentation on Thursday, January 22, at 2 pm, in Marshall Center 2001 (A). All members of the USF community with a stake in USF’s future are strongly encouraged to attend. For more, see below or at http://www.uff.ourusf.org/biweekly/Spring09.html#010809finance .

ELECTION SEASON
It’s election season! All UFF members are eligible to run for president, vice president, treasurer, or secretary. All UFF members are eligible to run for UFF senator and/or FEA delegate. For a description of how this works, see the on-line issue of the Spring 2009 Uncommon Sense posted at http://w3.usf.edu/~uff/US/Spring2009.htm . For information on how to nominate or self-nominate, go to the nomination page at http://uff.ourusf.org/letters/nomination.rtf ; all nomination materials are due on January 30; submit nominations to the Election Chair at tauber@ourusf.org . All UFF members are encouraged to vote!

CHAPTER MEETINGS
During the Spring, 2009, Chapter meetings will be on alternate Fridays, starting at noon, on January 16 & 30, February 13 & 27, March 13 & 27, April 10 & 24. We will meet at USF-Tampa in SOC 384, except for February 13 (when we will meet in USF-Sarasota, room TBA), and April 10 (when we will meet in USF-Lakeland/Polytech, room TBA). Come and join the movement.

SALARY BUMP IN TWO PHASES
Everyone eligible for the 2% pay increase should have seen that in your January 2, 2009, salary deposit. Merit increases will come one or two pay periods later, because that has to be calculated within each department and checked. At approximately the same time as the merit increases are put into the university’s payroll database, HR will send out the payment increase notices to everyone in the unit.

PROBLEMS WITH BLACKBOARD 8?
Chapter officers and Academic Computing have heard of a few problems with the transition to Blackboard 8 and the new "Grade Center." One problem revolves around the display of cells when font is enlarged (e.g., for faculty and graduate TAs with low vision). If you need technical support for Blackboard, please call the Blackboard Trainers group at 974-3286; if you are having problems related to vision impairments, please also contact Sherman Dorn ( sherman.dorn@gmail.com ) so the chapter can track this issue in particular.

ON FACULTY CONSENT, NOTE-TAKING, AND DISABILITY
A newly-revised policy on course notes and recordings that "sets forth limitations on, and the University of South Florida’s regulation of the use of notes/recordings" is posted at
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/ACADAF/GC10-048.htm . It gives more control to the instructor on notetaking and recordings and makes clear that students cannot resell notes or recordings (to a commercial note-distribution company) without the express permission of the university and the class instructor. Students may record class presentations for disability-related reasons.

A REVISED STUDENT ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE POLICY
New regulations on academic integrity and disruption of academic processes have been approved. For more, see below or at
http://www.uff.ourusf.org/biweekly/Spring09.html#010809grievance .

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Minutes December 12, 2008

Friday, January 2nd, 2009

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting


Attendance.
There were ten people in attendance.


Agenda & Introductions.
The agenda was approved.


Minutes.
The minutes from the November 14 meeting were approved.


Membership.
We are steadily gaining new members.


Ratifications.
The contract was ratified by the Bargaining Unit over the previous few days, and the Board of Trustees yesterday.


Chapter Election.
The Chapter created an Election Committee, to be chaired by Steve Tauber. Jerry Notaro is appointed to the committee and Sherman Dorn is empowered to make additional appointments to the committee as he sees fit. The Chapter agreed that nominations shall be due on January 30, and nominations shall include contact information for the forms required by the state office. The UFF Biweekly Extra of the first week of classes and the UFF Biweekly of the second week, along with the Winter edition of Uncommon Sense, shall announce the election and call for nominations. On March 27, ballots will be counted.


Spring schedule.
Moved, seconded, and approved without objection, that the chapter adopt the following meeting dates in spring, all but : January 16, 30, February 13 (in Sarasota), 27, March 13, 27, April 10 (in Lakeland/Polytech), 24, May 8, 22, June 5 (in St. Petersburg), 19. All but the three noted meetings will be at USF-Tampa, and those during the spring semester shall be at a place TBA.


Bylaws.
There will be a proposal to change the annual calendar for the UFF Senate this January, and so there will be a proposal to make a corresponding change in the chapter election cycle.


Reports.

  • Grievances. Discussion of concluded and ongoing grievances, and of grievance policy.
  • Bargaining. Discussion of the bargaining situation.
  • Political Action. Discussion of current priorities.
  • Treasury. We have money.
  • Communications. There will be a Biweekly Extra during the first week of classes, announcing the meeting schedule and the call for nominations. The call for nominations will also appear in the Winter Uncommon Sense.


These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on December 12, 2008.

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