Archive for January 6th, 2010

Q&A on Memorandum of Understanding

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

See the ratification page for information on both the Memorandum of Understanding and all sorts of ways to ask questions. Below are the questions submitted to the anonymous question-asking site for the chapter. Last update: 6:45 pm, January 2. There are currently two questions in the anonymous queue we are waiting for administration answers on.

Are those currently in phased retirement eligible for the retirement incentive plan?

The administration has told us that those currently in phased retirement are not eligible for the retirement incentive.

Can I sign up for the retirement incentive program and also use phased retirement?

We haven’t asked the administration this specific question, but given the certainty of a separation date and the “no guarantee of future employment” item, the answer is almost certainly no: you’d have to choose between the retirement incentive program and phased retirement.

What if a large number of colleagues in my department take up the offer? Will I be left covering an enormous load?

The draft program guidelines gives the university the right to defer retirement/separation in the program for up to a year, and the university would probably stagger retirements in such a situation to enable a smoother transition.

Why isn’t USF Polytechnic listed as a participant in the retirement incentive program?

The Memorandum of Understanding gives discretion to the university over this type of detail, and the central USF administration decided that each unit with a separate line in the state budget would make its own choices about participating at all and setting aside money.

Can the administration pick and choose who it accepts for the retirement incentive program?

The draft policy makes clear that on each participating campus, it will be the timestamp of application submission that divides those accepting the package from those who are not accepted.

So, more or less, the university is offering a 12-month equivalent salary plus $5K. What it doesn’t say is what retirement dates are allowable—are all of you contemplating the end of this year or can this be agreed up now for a future date?

What the administration has talked about are the end of spring, summer, or fall 2010. It’s the specific dates that aren’t yet set by the admin, but it’ll be in May, early August, or late December. The individual faculty member or professional employee in the faculty salary plan would choose among those options.

Where and when will applications be available?

Eligible employees will be receiving all the official information very shortly after ratification is completed, if the Memorandum of Understanding is ratified. If you receive the packet, with an application, you’ll have it for a few weeks before a very short time window in which to submit it (a few business days). We have heard that submissions will be accepted either in person or electronically.

Does this calculation include the $5000, or is it this amount and an additional $5000?

The $5000 sum is on top of the annualized salary.

If 9 month faculty receive 1.22 of their salary plus $5000, what do 12 month faculty get? It would be grossly unfair to 12-month faculty if they got 1.0 of their salary plus $5000.

Salary would be annualized — converted to a 12-month equivalent. 9 month faculty would receive 133% of salary plus $5000. 12-month faculty would receive 109% (81.8% times 133%–the first converts the 12-month back to the 9-month by the contract conversion formula) plus $5000. This is a formula (and a decision) within the administration’s discretion. The program is voluntary; faculty who think that the program does not benefit them do not have to sign up for it.

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Draft agenda, January 8 chapter meeting

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Draft agenda, UFFUSF chapter meeting
January 8, 12-1:30 pm, SOC 384

  1. MOU ratification
    1. Q&A
    2. Opening of voting for 12-2 slot
    3. Distribution of materials to polling volunteers (thank you, volunteers!)
  2. Future scheduling
    1. Chapter elections
    2. Regular chapter meetings in February (please head to meeting times input page if you have not yet!)
    3. Chapter council (Greg coordinating)
    4. UFF Senate meeting
  3. Reports
    1. Grievances
    2. Treasurer
    3. Bargaining
    4. Communications
    5. President’s report
  4. New business
  5. For the good of the order
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