Biweekly, 9 January 2012

UFF Biweekly EXTRA United Faculty of Florida -- USF System Chapter 9 January 2012 Email not displaying properly? View it in your browser

ANNOUNCEMENTS HAPPY NEW YEAR! This semester, while our UFF and FEA advocates educate the legislature about the importance of higher education, UFF will be working on its organization. We grew by over a third last year, and we anticipate further growth this year. That means that we have to develop the infrastructure to better serve a larger organization. Come bring your thoughts and ideas to the first UFF USF Chapter Meeting on Friday, January 13, at 12 noon, on USF-Tampa, in EDU 150. JOIN UFF TODAY! Download, fill in, and mail the membership form. Benefits of membership include the right to run and vote in UFF chapter and statewide elections; representation in grievances (UFF cannot represent a non-member in a grievance or future litigation); special deals in insurance, travel, legal advice, and other packages provided by our affiliates; free insurance coverage for job-related liability; and the knowledge you are supporting education in Florida. Come and join the movement.		WHAT'S COMING IN TALLAHASSEE On Tuesday, January 10, the regular session of the Florida state legislature will start early. The big subject is keeping their jobs – er – redistricting. But many other items are on or fluttering about the agenda, from Governor Scott's proposal that last year's cuts to K-12 education be partially reversed, to a bill to shift more public dollars to charter schools. Meanwhile, for higher education, Mr. Scott would like to encourage STEM programs (or perhaps discourage non-STEM programs), while lawmakers grumble to reporters about tenure. We will be following the action, and if something important and pressing comes up, we will send out an Extra. Meanwhile, the United Faculty of Florida is the leading organization in Florida defending higher education. This is the time to join the effort. Join the UFF today! download, fill in, and mail in the membership form. Join the membership campaign! Come to the Friday chapter meeting at 12 noon in EDU 150 in USF-Tampa. In politics, timing is everything, and the buzz shows that the time has come.

		LOGISTICS Next Chapter Meeting this week, Friday, January 13, at noon, in EDU 150, on USF -Tampa. Click here for the standing agenda Click here for the minutes of the previous meeting. Sandwiches & sodas are provided by the union, and all UFF members are invited to attend. Non-members are also invited to come and check us out. Come and join the movement. Membership: Everyone in the UFF USF System Bargaining unit is eligible for UFF membership: to join, simply fill out and send in the membership form. NOTE: The USF-UFF Chapter website is http://www.uff.ourusf.org, and our e-mail address is uff@ourusf.org. About this broadcast: This Newsletter was broadcast from uff.ourusf.org, hosted at ICDsoft.com, and is intended for all members of the UFF USF Bargaining unit (USF faculty and professionals at most departments). A (usually identical) version will be broadcast to USF-News and USF-Talk from mccolm@usf.edu. If you do not want to receive the UFF Biweekly, you can unsubscribe below. If you do not receive the Biweekly, but want to, e-mail a message to mccolm@usf.edu. The UFF also sends out a biannual hardcopy newsletter, Uncommon Sense, to the entire unit. Past issues of Uncommon Sense are posted on-line. Articles from past issues of the Biweekly are also posted on-line.