Rally in Tally

 

TO:              Members, United Faculty of Florida

FROM:        Tom Auxter, President

SUBJECT:  Salary Raises at Risk

DATE:        March 8, 2006

 

The supplemental budget the Governor released last week did not have funds for university faculty salaries to be included with the state employee raises, although both the Chancellor and the Board of Governors asked for this.  We need to contact legislators by email or phone now and urge them to include our salaries in the budget.

Talking Points on Salaries

Most faculty have not had raises from their local boards of trustees during the long transition period (up to three years) of devolution from the state Board of Regents providing salaries to local boards negotiating contracts with faculty on each campus. The small raises we received from the Legislature during this period have not been enough even to cover the cost of living. However, without the state employee raise provided by the Legislature, the salary situation would have been much worse.

Florida is now at a serious disadvantage in recruiting and retaining faculty.  When we interview faculty, they ask us about the prospects for raises if they accept a position in Florida. An honest answer does not help the hiring process. When faculty who are already here apply for jobs elsewhere, they often end up accepting jobs that provide the same income (lateral promotions) just to make it into a system where future raises are possible -- where there is no ceiling on their future earnings. Florida cannot continue to send faculty the message that their work is not valued and still expect to recruit and retain faculty.  There is already an exodus of 14% per year, with faculty leaving the Florida university system as fast as we can hire them.  Although starting salaries are usually competitive, the relative salary freeze that sets in once faculty arrive gives faculty an incentive to leave.  Faculty often leave within a few years after they are hired when they see what it is like for faculty who stay.

 Recently, each university has made an effort to identify counterparts in other states (universities of the same type that educators most often admire) and ask what these institutions are doing that makes a difference in quality.  This process has revealed a serious gap in salaries.  Faculty who stay in Florida can expect to live on a salary that is at least $10,000 less than what others in their disciplines make at the counterpart universities.  The gap increases with each year faculty stay (salary compression).

 The quality of the faculty is the single most important factor in the quality of the educational experience of Florida's citizens at public universities.  It is impossible to have a high-quality university education in a state that drives away its faculty.

Including university faculty and lab school faculty in the state employee raise is one small way to repair the damage -- assuming that local boards provide additional funds to start closing the gap. But unless legislators take responsibility for doing their small part in helping during the difficult transition period we are in now, there is no way Florida will be able to recover what was lost.

How to Contact Legislators

1.  Send an email or leave a phone message at the district office. Indicate support for including university faculty and lab school faculty in the state employee salary increases. Give a reason (one or two sentences).  Polite messages are most effective.

 

2.  Choose one senator and two representatives from your area of the state to receive the message. Use the contact information below to identify legislators.  You may also use the Florida House and Senate websites to locate legislators in your district.

 

 The House web address is: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/myrepresentative.aspx

 

The Senate web address is:  http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Mode=Find%20Your%20Legislators&Submenu=3&Tab=legislators&CFID=400882&CFTOKEN=40677943

 

Florida House of Representatives (Sorted by District)

 

Last Name

First Name

District

District City

District Phone

Email Address

Evers

Greg

1

Milton

(850)983-5550

greg.evers@myfloridahouse.gov

Murzin

Dave

2

Pensacola

(850)494-7330

dave.murzin@myfloridahouse.gov

Benson

Anna Holly

3

Pensacola

(850) 595-5550

holly.benson@myfloridahouse.gov

Sansom

Ray

4

Ft. Walton Beach

(850) 833-9328

ray.sansom@myfloridahouse.gov

Brown

Donald

5

DeFuniak Springs

(850) 892-8431

donald.brown@myfloridahouse.gov

Bense

Allan George

6

Panama City

(850) 914-6300

allan.bense@myfloridahouse.gov

Coley

Marti

7

Marianna

(850) 718-0047

marti.coley@myfloridahouse.gov

Richardson

Curtis

8

Tallahassee

(850) 488-1798

curtis.richardson@myfloridahouse.gov

Ausley

Loranne

9

Tallahassee

(850) 488-0965

loranne.ausley@myfloridahouse.gov

Kendrick

Will S.

10

Carrabelle

(850) 697-5115

will.kendrick@myfloridahouse.gov

Stansel

Dwight

11

Live Oak

(386) 758-0480

dwight.stansel@myfloridahouse.gov

Bean

Aaron

12

Fernandina Bch

(904) 491-3664

aaron.bean@myfloridahouse.gov

Carroll

Jennifer 

13

Jacksonville

(904) 573-4994

jennifer.carroll@myfloridahouse.gov

Fields

Terry

14

Jacksonville

(904) 924-1777

terry.fields@myfloridahouse.gov

Gibson

Audrey

15

Jacksonville

(904)353-2180

audrey.gibson@myfloridahouse.gov

Mahon

Mark

16

Jacksonville

(904) 359-6090

mark.mahon@myfloridahouse.gov

Jordan

Stan

17

Jacksonville

(904) 359-2644

stan.jordan@myfloridahouse.gov

Davis

Donald

18

Jacksonville Bch

(904) 247-4040

don.davis@myfloridahouse.gov

Kravitz

Dick

19

Orange Park

(904) 213-3005

dick.kravitz@myfloridahouse.gov

Proctor

Bill

20

Saint Augustine

(904) 823-2550

bill . proctor@myfloridahouse . gov

Pickens

Joe Hill

21

Palatka

(386) 312-2272

joe.pickens@myfloridahouse.gov

Cretul

Larry

22

Ocala

(352) 873-6564

larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov

Jennings, Jr.

Ed

23

Gainesville

(352) 955-6232

ed.jennings@myfloridahouse.gov

Baxley

Dennis K.

24

Ocala

(352) 732-1313

dennis.baxley@myfloridahouse.gov

Hays

Alan

25

Umatilla

(352) 742-6441

alan.hays@myfloridahouse.gov

Patterson

Pat

26

Deland

(386)736-5100

pat.patterson@myfloridahouse.gov

Cusack

Joyce

27

DeLand

(386) 943-7900

joyce.cusack@myfloridahouse.gov

Hukill

Dorothy

28

New Smyrna Beach

(386) 424-2365

dorothy.hukill@myfloridahouse.gov

Poppell

L. Ralph

29

Titusville

(321)383-5151

ralph.poppell@myfloridahouse.gov

Altman

Thad

30

Melbourne

(321) 752-3138

thad.altman@myfloridahouse.gov

Needelman

Mitch

31

Palm Bay

(321) 984-4848

mitch.needelman@myfloridahouse.gov

Allen

Bob

32

Merritt Island

(321) 449-5111

bob.allen@myfloridahouse.gov

Adams

Sandra

33

Oviedo

(407) 977-4020

sandy.adams@myfloridahouse.gov

Mealor

David J.

34

Lake Mary

(407) 328-3718

david.mealor@myfloridahouse.gov

Cannon

Dean

35

Winter Park

(407) 681-5454

dean.cannon@myfloridahouse.gov

McInvale

Sheri

36

Orlando

(407) 317-7797

sheri.mcinvale@myfloridahouse.gov

Simmons

David

37

Altamonte Springs

(407) 262-7520

david.simmons@myfloridahouse.gov

Brummer

Fred

38

Apopka

(407) 880-4414

fred.brummer@myfloridahouse.gov

Antone

Bruce

39

Orlando

(407)317-7996

bruce.antone@myfloridahouse.gov

Gardiner

Andy

40

Orlando

(407) 428-5800

andy.gardiner@myfloridahouse.gov

Johnson

Randy

41

Winter Garden

(407) 877-0122

randy.johnson@myfloridahouse.gov

Gibson, III

Hugh

42

The Villages

(352) 750-1671

hugh.gibson@myfloridahouse.gov

Dean

Charles S.

43

Inverness

(352)860-5160

charles.dean@myfloridahouse.gov

Russell

Dave

44

Spring Hill

(352) 688-5004

dave.russell@myfloridahouse.gov

Anderson

Thomas

45

Holiday

(727) 943-4760

tom.anderson@myfloridahouse.gov

Legg

John

46

Port Richey

(727) 869-8600

john.legg@myfloridahouse.gov

Ambler

Kevin C.

47

Tampa

(813) 558-1333

kevin.ambler@myfloridahouse.gov

Bilirakis

Gus Michael

48

Palm Harbor

(727) 669-1911

gus.bilirakis@myfloridahouse.gov

Quinones

John

49

Kissimmee

(407)935-3777

john.quinones@myfloridahouse.gov

Berfield

Kim

50

Clearwater

(727) 724-3000

kim.berfield@myfloridahouse.gov

Waters

Leslie

51

St. Petersburg

(727) 545-6421

leslie.waters@myfloridahouse.gov

Farkas

Frank

52

St. Petersburg

(727) 893-9855

frank.farkas@myfloridahouse.gov

Justice

Charlie

53

St. Petersburg

(727) 552-1380

charlie.justice@myfloridahouse.gov

Rice

Everett

54

Indian Shores

(727) 593-6155

everett.rice@myfloridahouse.gov

Peterman

Frank

55

St. Petersberg

(727) 552-1370

frank.peterman@myfloridahouse.gov

Traviesa

Trey

56

Brandon

(813) 651-2144

trey.traviesa@myfloridahouse.gov

Culp

Faye

57

Tampa

(813)272-2920

faye.culp@myfloridahouse.gov

Henriquez

Bob `Coach`

58

Tampa

(813) 673-4673

bob.henriquez@myfloridahouse.gov

Joyner

Arthenia

59

Tampa

(813) 233-2857

arthenia.joyner@myfloridahouse.gov

Homan

Ed

60

Temple Terrace

(813) 983-3330

ed.homan@myfloridahouse.gov

Littlefield

Ken

61

Zephyrhills

(813) 558-5115

ken.littlefield@myfloridahouse.gov

Glorioso

Rich

62

Plant City

813-757-9110

rich.glorioso@myfloridahouse.gov

Ross

Dennis

63

Lakeland

(863) 701-1400

dennis.ross@myfloridahouse.gov

Stargel

John

64

Lakeland

(863) 413-2877

john.stargel@myfloridahouse.gov

Bowen

Marsha

65