UFF-USF

As I explained at the Faculty Senate meeting this week, the Trustees’ non-response to our second proposal on the sabbatical floored me. It is in their own interest to increase the number of peer-reviewed sabbaticals, as something of value to both the university and faculty, as efficient, and as a guaranteed retention mechanism. According to the Tampa Tribune, the one-month cost of operating the new student center is more than $100,000, a figure that flabbergasted the student newspaper’s editorial board That one month of utilities on a single building is half of the marginal costs to USF of running the current sabbatical program described in section 22.3 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Which is better for research productivity? The Trustees missed an opportunity to be good managers as well as establish better relations with the faculty.

You can read the Article 22 proposal presented March 7, 2008 to make your own judgment about the proposal.