CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
It's election time for the UFF USF Chapter, and time to ask UFF USF members to consider running for office or representative seats. All dues paying UFF USF members, and only dues paying UFF USF members, may run and vote in this election. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 26.
Any UFF USF member may run for any one of these offices:
- The President oversees the operations of the chapter.
- The Vice President assists the President.
- The Secretary maintains documents and records.
- The Treasurer handles finances.
These four elected officers, and the Chief Negotiator and the Grievance Chair (both appointed by the President), make up the Executive Council. In addition, the USF Chapter of UFF sends representatives to two union bodies:
- The UFF Senate is the primary policy-making body of the statewide United Faculty of Florida, which is the strongest voice for higher education in Florida. It meets twice annually, during a weekend, and the USF Chapter of UFF is represented by senators elected by UFF USF members in this election. During the upcoming 2021 - 2022 term, the Senate meets in September and February at locations and dates TBD (it is a weekend, starting Saturday afternoon and ending Sunday morning, almost always in Central Florida).
- The FEA Delegate Assembly is the primary policy-making body of the Florida Education Association, which represents K-20 teachers and professionals and is the strongest voice for education in Florida. It meets annually, typically in late October, for Thursday evening, Friday, and early Saturday in Tampa or Orlando, and UFF USF is represented by delegates elected by UFF USF members in this election.
UFF USF members may run for either senator or delegate or both; UFF USF members running for an office may also run for one or both representative positions.
If you are interested or wish to nominate another member, please start the process by downloading, filling, and sending the nomination form to the Chapter Secretary. All nominations must be received (in our hands) by Friday, February 26.
Ballots will be sent out on the week of March 1, and must be received (in our hands) by Friday, March 26. They will be counted at a special meeting during March 27 - 30, time and place TBD, to which all UFF members will be invited.
Covid, Budget, and Chapter Meeting Updates
Two important updates.
- The USF Oracle and the Tampa Bay Times reported that the USF Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $ 36.7 million budget cut - er, Strategic Budget Realignment Plan - for the fiscal year 2021 - 22. The agenda materials listed cuts to the Education & General (E & G) funding for the colleges as follows:
| Unit | $ Cut | % Cut |
| Acad Sup | $ 4,965,759 | 6.1 % |
| Arts & Sci | $ 5,969,860 | 5.9 % |
| The Arts | $ 286,384 | 1.8 % |
| BCS | $ 951,070 | 3.7 % |
| Edu | $ 2,841,331 | 14.7 % |
| Eng | $ 975,720 | 2.6 % |
| Genshaft | $ 125,350 | 3.4 % |
| Health | $ 6,894,057 | 8.5 % |
| Marine | $ 312,572 | 4.0 % |
| Muma | $ 1,746,278 | 6.4 % |
| Patel | $ 167,696 | 15.0 % |
| St Pete | $ 3,157,154 | 8.5 % |
| Sar-Man | $ 1,894,086 | 8.5 % |
(Academic Support consists of Academic Affairs, Decision Support, Graduate Studies, Innovative Education, the Libraries, the Provost's Office, Student Success, and USF World.) These cuts are unchanged from the list of proposed list of cuts circulated in October. Still, a recent letter to the USF College of Education Community from Provost Ralph Wilcox and Interim Dean Judith Ponticell implied that changes to the College would be less drastic than originally proposed, which inspired a a mixed editorial from the Tampa Bay Times.
- On January 7, USF University Communications broadcast a letter to faculty and staff, Important: USF Vaccine Information, announcing that "through a partnership with the Hillsborough County Department of Health, the University of South Florida has received approval to begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible USF faculty and staff from all three campuses." The letter included links to two surveys, one for individuals 65 or older and another for individuals under 65. "The survey will ask about your interest in receiving the vaccine, whether you have any health risks that would give you priority when vaccines are available, and for your contact information," and "[i]f you are eligible for the vaccine, you will receive a second survey that will gather information necessary to register you in the system and will allow you to select an appointment."
In addition, the next UFF USF Chapter Meeting will be held on Friday, January 29, at 12 noon, on Zoom. The next regular Biweekly will be broadcast on Thursday, January 28.
Join UFF Today!
Download, fill in, and mail or email 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 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.
USF United Support Fund for Food Pantries
Many of our students are struggling during this crisis, and the USF Foundation is supporting the USF Food Pantries to help out. They are accepting non-perishable donations, but one can also make monetary donations for the pantries at St. Petersburg, Sarasota / Manatee, and Tampa.