UFF-USF

Attendance.
There were eight people in attendance. There was no quorum for the Chapter Council.

Agenda.
The agenda was approved.

Minutes.
The September 11 minutes were approved.

Minutes.
The September 11 minutes were approved.

Online Meetings.
There have been two online meetings in the last two weeks. We will continue to have about one a month and then review the results.

Membership.
We have gained a number of new members recently.

• Motion made and seconded: That the dues rebate be offered on a one-time per person basis, that is, a once in a lifetime offer. Motion approved.

A Junior Faculty Group is up and started. We are also investigating the possibility of social hours.

Labor at USF Generally.
UFF officers have attended recent bargaining sessions between USF and AFSCME.

• The following letter was presented to the Chapter: The United Faculty of Florida supports USF AFSCME Local 3342 in their efforts to win reasonable wages and working conditions for the members. As faculty, we understand well the importance of the work that staff performs and we believe that the University should value and reward their critical efforts. Instead, however, the BOT and the administration has steadfastly refused to provide any increases from University funds since 2003, and it has been several years since the legislature mandated base raises for university employees. During the period between then and now, inflation has increased by 13 %. This means that staff has steadily lost ground. It is important to note that the wages and salaries earned by member employees were already unconscionably low. According to a salary study from 2007, 13 % were below the official poverty line (set for that year at under $ 20,000 for a family of four); 39 % were eligible for federal food stamps; and 88 % earn less than what is considered a “living wage”. The people who do the heavy lifting and critical paperwork at the institution deserve to be able to avoid public assistance. They deserve to be able to support their families and build savings for the future. They deserve respect and reasonable remuneration.
• Motion made and seconded: That the Chapter adopt this letter to as a Chapter Letter to the Oracle.

USF is advertizing for a Director of Labor Relations.

INTO status.
There was a discussion of USF’s talks with INTO.

Governance Documents.
Sherman Dorn will present a third alternative, i.e., language for a smaller Chapter Council, to be presented to the Chapter on October 9.

USF Polytech Status.
Discussion of USF Polytech T & P proposal.

USF and SUS Budget Outlook.
The SUS, UFF, and individual university lobbyists are working together to advance our cause to the legislature.

UFF Senate Meeting.
The meeting will be in Tampa this weekend.

FEA Delegate Assembly.
The meeting will be in Orlando during Oct. 15 – 17.

Agenda.
The agenda was approved.

Reports.

• Treasury. We are solvent.
• Communications. The latest Biweekly was well over 3,000 words and may break a record.
• Grievances. Discussion of ongoing grievance processes.
• Bargaining. No bargaining sessions scheduled.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on September 26, 2009.

Draft Agenda, general meeting
UFF-USF Chapter
September 25, 2009, 12 noon
SOC 258

1. Agenda
2. Minutes and reports of prior meetings
3. Membership
   1. Latest numbers/status
   2. Social hours options
4. Labor at USF generally
   1. AFSCME
   2. Director of Labor Relations
5. INTO status
6. USF Poly status
7. Budget outlook, USF and SUS
8. UFF Senate meeting
9. FEA Delegate Assembly
10. Reports
11. For the good of the order

Domestic Partners Benefits.
President Genshaft announced at her State of the University address that USF would grant domestic partners’ benefits. Discussion of UFF’s long history of pressing for domestic partners’ benefits.

• Motion made and seconded: That a Biweekly SPECIAL will be broadcast with an executive summary of the UFF proposal, with a link to a copy of the proposal and appendix. Motion approved.

Governance Document.
Discussion of two points:

• Should the documents incorporate a Governance Council that encompasses all elected officers and representatives, with appropriate leadership duties?
• What structure shall be developed for organizing and providing services?

Results of this discussion.

• There is strong sentiment to continue this discussion, especially on the first point, in the next meeting.
• The Secretary announced that at least for this semester, the secretary will broadcast an extra reminder to all Chapter Council members (under the current documents) to attend the Chapter Meeting.

Instructor Promotion Track
Discussion of current status.

• Motion made and seconded: That the Chapter approve the following joint statement with USF: “Last year, the University of South Florida and the United Faculty of Florida agreed to an instructor promotion track with guidelines to be developed in 2008-09 and applications to start in the 2009-10 academic year. The university and the union have agreed that instructors deserve an update in the promotion track agreement. During the spring and summer, representatives of the university and the faculty worked on guidelines, and draft guidelines will shortly be circulated to the university community. The promotion process for instructors will follow a different annual cycle from tenure and tenure-track promotion review, and the first reviews of instructor promotions will begin in the spring of 2010, as agreed by the university and the United Faculty of Florida.” Motion approved.

The Chapter will make guidelines for promotion available to the instructional faculty using a Biweekly EXTRA.

Treasurer’s Report
The budget for the coming year was presented for approval:

• PROPOSED BUDGET 2009-2010 for UFF-USF:
  1. Membership & Outreach: $ 15,000.
     Includes, Travel, Fall 2009 rebates, Meeting expenses.

  2. Travel Reimbursements: $ 8,000.
     Includes State UFF meetings, Regional campuses, National meetings.

  3. Office Supplies: $ 500.
  4. Printing/newsletters: $ 4,500.
  5. Postage/postal services: $ 3,000.
  6. Telecommunications: $ 3,000.
  7. Utilities: $ 1,000.
  8. TOTAL: $ 35,000.

  Note: Anticipated income is $30,000. There is carry-forward from 2008-2009 to cover the difference.
  Budget approved.

Report of the Senate Liaison
Discussion of the method by which discretionary raises were distributed.

• Motion made and seconded: In future occasions, if UFF obtains advance information about discretionary raise decisions to be made, the UFF will disseminate such information as soon as possible. Motion approved.
• Motion made and seconded: As soon as discretionary raises are distributed, the President of the UFF-USF Chapter will obtain the list of recipients and the Secretary of the Chapter will distribute the list to the unit. Motion approved.

Membership

• Motion made and seconded: That the President of the UFF-USF Chapter extend a personal invitation (by phone, email, face-to-face, etc.) to new members to attend the regularly scheduled chapter meeting on October 9.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on September 12, 2009.