Category: Minutes

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held in USC 258 in USF St. Petersburg.

Attendance. Nine UFF members, including seven members of the Council, and one guest.

Minutes. Minutes from the Sept. 22 meeting approved.

President’s Report.

• UFF Senate Meeting. The Chapter will cover hotel bills for UFF members attending the UFF Senate Meeting.
• UFF and USF Pre-eminence. At the USF Tampa Faculty Senate Meeting, President Genshaft recognized President Shapiro, who complimented her and Provost Wilcox and Dr. Smith and Dr. Glover for working together on facilitating the achievement.
• Benefits Fairs. Motion made and seconded to pay for a table at the Oct. 18 Benefits Fair on USFSP campus.
• UFF Senate Meeting. The UFF Senate Meeting is on Oc.t 21 – 22, and there will be a number of amendments to the constitution and bylaws.

New Business.

• Situation at USFSP. Discussion of the Administrative situation.

Reports.

• Grievances. It is not clear if USF will defend a faculty member who is sued for reporting a Title IX violation on the job. UFF will defend a UFF member in that situation.
• Treasurer’s Report. The following budget was presented for approval:
  

  Items	Expenditures 2016	Proposed 2017
  Printing	19,000	19,000
  Chapter & Committee Meetings	8,000	6,000
  Mileage reimbursements	1,600	3,500
  Travel scholarships	6,500	9,000
  Postal services	320	1,500
  Office Supplies	160	–
  Web / Survey Monkey	362	–
  Office Move	320	–
  Website and social media	*	2,000
  Miscellaneous	200	?
  Recruitment (personnel)	–	10,000
  Recruitment (events)	–	6,000
  TOTAL	36,462	57,000

  Motion made and seconded to approve the budget. Motion approved.

Good of the Order.
Karin Braunsberger is organizing a Womens’ Caucus within but independent of USF.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 22 October 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held in EDU 161 in USF Tampa.

Attendance. Eleven UFF members, including seven members of the Council, and one guest.

Minutes. Minutes from the August 25 meeting approved.

President’s Report.

• UFF Senate Meeting. The Chapter will cover hotel bills for UFF members attending the UFF Senate Meeting.
• Kudo. Bob Welker recognized for contributing to USF COB for 41 years.
• UFF and USF Pre-eminence. At the USF Tampa Faculty Senate Meeting, President Genshaft recognized President Shapiro, who complimented her and Provost Wilcox and Dr. Smith and Dr. Glover for working together on facilitating the achievement.
• Benefits Fairs. Discussion of possible participation.
• USFSP. Discussion of latest developments.

Old Business.

• October Meeting Dates. The Chapter will meet on USF SP on October 6 and on USF SM on October 20.
• Travel Scholarships. The Chapter will offer six travel scholarships under the usual rules, with a new proviso: Motion made and seconded that three ranked substitute candidates be chosen so that if up to three selected candidates cannot accept the scholarship, their place(s) will be taken by substitute(s). Motion approved.

New Business.

• Discussion of the upcoming Senate meeting.

Reports.

• Grievances. Discussion.
• Treasury. We are solvent.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 5 October 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at Perkins Restaurant just east of USF Tampa.

Attendance. Ten UFF members, including eight members of the Council, and three guests.

Minutes. Minutes from the August 11 meeting approved.

President’s Report and Business. Discussion of New Faculty Orientation.
Old Business.

• ROAD. Different administrators are saying different things.

New Business.

• Calendar. The Chapter will meet on September 8 & 22, October 6 & 20, November 3 & 17, and December 1. The meetings in October will be on USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota / Manatee, and the others on USF Tampa in a room to be reserved.
• Biweekly. The Biweekly will launch a Kudos section for major awards and accomplishments of UFF members. The standards will be high.
• Professors requiring their own textbooks. Discussion of policy for textbook approval for individual courses, and how the policy impacts faculty who assign textbooks that they themselves wrote.

Reports.

• Grievances. There a number of assignment grievances.
• Membership. Discussion of events.
• Treasury. We are solvent.
• Facebook. We have 65 members.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 27 August 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at CDB Restaurant just east of USF Tampa.

Attendance. Eight UFF members, including seven members of the Council, and one guest.

Minutes. Minutes from the June 16 and 30 meetings approved.

President’s Report and Business. Two items from other unions.

• New Faculty Orientation. Fewer attendees than previous years. Discussion of Benefits Fair in October.

Old Business.

• Faculty Forward. UFF Executive Committee members met with SEIU on the adjunct campaign. UFF’s position remains that the adjuncts should have the opportunity to decide whether to organize.
• ROAD. USF is having difficulties with its software.

New Business.

• Raises. The pay period for this year’s raises starts on September 8.
• Calendar. The UFF Chapter Meetings this semester will be on August 25, September 8 & 22, October 6 & 20, November 3 & 17, and December 1. The August 25 meeting will be at Perkins Restaurant, and the other meetings will be in a room TBD on USF Tampa, although two meetings mid-semester will be on USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota / Manatee at locations TBD.
• Travel Scholarships. The six recipients are Christina Dillahunt-Aspillaga, LaSonya Moore, Thomas Pluckhahn, Amy Thompson, Roxanne Watson, and Joo Yeon Woo. Just in case a recipient is unable or unwilling to accept a scholarship, two seconds were chosen: Steve Permuth and Nicole Tracy-Ventura.

Reports.

• Grievances. Discussion of grievances at USF St. Petersburg and elsewhere; there seem to be a number of assignment-related grievances.
• Bargaining. Discussion of plans.
• Tenure and Promotion workshops. There will be one this fall.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 12 August 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill in St. Petersburg. In the absence of the President, Vice President Steve Lang presided.

Attendance. Eleven UFF members, including five members of the Council, and four guests.

President’s Report.

• Tenure & Promotion. There will be a workshop in early fall.

New Business.

• University Governance at USFSP. At USFSP, there is a question of what a “unit head” is. Discussion of administrative procedures at USFSP.
• University Governance at USFT. Discussion of status of Faculty Handbook.
• Legal Issues at USFSP. There is a case in Marine Science and another on USFSP campus.
• Community Outreach. Discussion of ways to bring academic enrichment to the public.

Reports.

• Grievances. Discussion of a technical issue in CBA.
• GAU Discussion of the new GAU-UFF contract, and reorganization of GAU.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 29 July 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at Perkins Restaurant just east of USF Tampa.

Attendance. Nine UFF members, including six members of the Council, and two guests.

Minutes. Minutes from the June 2 meeting approved.

President’s Report and Business. Two items from other unions.

• Grievances. Discussion of an outstanding grievance.
• Faculty Orientation. UFF will be at the new faculty orientation, which is on August 7 at USF Tampa; we will attend orientations at the other two campuses.
• SEIU Campaign. PERC heard SEIU’s presentation and the USF BOT’s counter-presentation.
• ROAD. Discussion of problems with one of the outside activity reporting systems.

Reports.

• Grievances. Discussion of outstanding grievances.
• Treasury. We are solvent.
• Bargaining. Health insurance may be an issue.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 28 July 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at Perkins Restaurant just east of USF Tampa.

Attendance. Nine UFF members, including six members of the Council, and one guest.

Minutes. Minutes from the June 16 meeting approved.

President’s Report and Business. Two items from other unions.

• New Faculty Orientation. Volunteers will arrive at the MSC Ballroom on August 7 at 11 am; event runs from 11:45 am to 1:15 pm.
  • Motion made and seconded to authorize expenditure of $ 2,000 for materials.

  We will attend orientations at the other two campuses.

• SEIU Campaign. Discussion.

Reports.

• Grievances. Discussion of grievances at USF St. Petersburg. Discussion of other outstanding issues, including ROAD.
• Political Committee. The Committee will need to be organized.
• Membership. UFF will offer tickets for a Rowdies event on July 29. There will be a Biweekly Special to members, and flyers to USFSM and USFSP members.

The July 28 Chapter meeting will be at Ferg’s Sports Bar.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 3 July 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at Perkins Restaurant just east of USF Tampa.

Attendance. Nine UFF members, including six members of the Council, and two guests.

Minutes. Minutes from the June 2 meeting approved.

President’s Report and Business. Two items from other unions.

• Grievances. Discussion of an outstanding grievance.
• Faculty Orientation. UFF will be at the new faculty orientation, which is on August 7 at USF Tampa; we will attend orientations at the other two campuses.
• SEIU Campaign. PERC heard SEIU’s presentation and the USF BOT’s counter-presentation.
• ROAD. Discussion of problems with one of the outside activity reporting systems.

Reports.

• Grievances. Discussion of outstanding grievances.
• Treasury. We are solvent.
• Bargaining. Health insurance may be an issue.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 28 June 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at Perkins Restaurant just east of USF Tampa.

Attendance. Ten UFF members, including eight members of the Council, and one guest..

Minutes. Minutes from the May 19 meeting approved.

President’s Report and New Business. Two items from other unions.

• The GAU. The GAU requests financial assistance.
  • Motion made and seconded to make $ 1,200 available to GAU in return for approximately 50 hours of volunteer labor assistance. Motion passed.
• The SEIU. The SEIU is conducting a card campaign to organize adjuncts at USF.
  • Motion made and seconded to send the following open letter to the USF Community via a Biweekly Extra. Motion passed, and the letter is as follows:
    

    Like many leading universities, USF relies increasingly on adjunct faculty to teach many courses. Adjunct faculty range from people with particular skills and experiences that they can bring to the classroom to enrich students’ education, to people who can teach classes relatively inexpensively. Many adjunct faculty are paid a fraction of what permanent faculty are paid per course, and typically lack benefits, promotion opportunities, teaching resources and support, and opportunities to interact with colleagues. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) seeks to represent USF adjuncts in bargaining and grievances. Currently, USF faculty and professionals, USF staff, and USF police are represented by unions, and all three are represented by those unions because at some time, faculty and professionals, staff, and police voted in favor of being represented. The SEIU is seeking a similar election so that adjunct faculty will be able to decide for themselves whether they would like to be represented by SEIU in bargaining and grievances. The United Faculty of Florida Senate resolved last spring to cooperate with the SEIU campaign, and the USF Chapter of the United Faculty of Florida supports the SEIU campaign and the right of adjunct faculty to vote on whether to be represented.

Reports.

• Grievances. The Grievance Committee will meet next week. In addition, UFF while hold an event to attract more members. Discussion of outstanding grievances.
• Communications. The articles on salaries and GEMS will wait until new salaries are posted in GEMS.
• Political Education. Political activists from several unions will meet next week.
• Membership. New Faculty Orientation will be on August 7.
  
  The Travel Scholarship program was modified and clarified:all UFF members except those on the Executive Committee and those who received a scholarship during one of the two previous terms are eligible. However, each recipient must acknowledge partial support by UFF in presentations and publications, and write a short description of the research / scholarship / creative work for the Biweekly.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 4 June 2017.

USF-UFF Chapter Meeting

Time & Place. The Chapter Meeting was held at Perkins Restaurant just east of USF Tampa.

Attendance. Eleven UFF members, including eight members of the Council.

Minutes. Minutes from the April 21 meeting approved.

President’s Report.

• USF did not achieve preeminence status because of a last-minute change in the metrics. The USF Administration is launching an initiative that may enable USF to achieve that status next year.
• New Faculty Orientation will be on August 7.
• A new multi-tier health insurance program will come online in 2020.
• The GAU asked for support for an event; motion of support tabled pending receipt of a formal proposal.

Reports.

• Grievances. We need a committee. There are a number of outstanding grievances.
• Bargaining. A new multi-tier health insurance program will come online in 2020. The Bargaining Committee would like the Tallahassee office to develop a proposal for bargaining for contracts that extend into the period.
• Membership / Service. Discussion of events and publicizing benefits of membership. We should have a social in July at a Rowdies event.
  
  The Travel Scholarships program will be repeated this summer, with recipients from last spring and last fall ineligible, and also members of the Executive Committee ineligible; additional requirements are that the recipients write brief descriptions of the relevant professional work for publication in the Biweekly, and that eligibility requires attending a UFF event. [Announcement postponed pending clarification of the last point.]
  
  Tenure and promotion workshops are to resume in fall.

• Treasury. We are solvent.

These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on 31 May 2017.