Every year, the USF Chapter of the United Faculty of Florida elects its officers and representatives. The officers are: the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. In addition, we elect senators to represent the Chapter in the biannual UFF Senate meeting and delegates to represent the Chapter in the annual Florida Education Association Delegate Assembly.
This page lists candidates for office and representative seats, along with submitted statements, photographs, and URLs. Notice that for at least one race, this is a competitive election.
Candidates for Offices
Here are the candidates for chapter officers.
For President.
Steve Lang.
I would welcome the opportunity to serve the USF chapter of UFF as one of your officers. I have been a member of UFF for 32 years, and served on the Collective Bargaining Team, the Grievance Committee, as a Senator, as Vice-President, and as President. I have also led Promotion & Tenure (P&T) workshops, grievance training, and arranged socials for our members. Recently, I have been participating with FEA on Government Relations, attended legislative training, and made regular visits to legislators. I represented UFF as your chapter President at BOT meetings. I served as President for bargaining the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement that was ratified and approved by the BOT in June of 2022.
I have also been active in university governance, having served in many positions such as the Faculty Senate (President of the USFSP Senate), P&T Committees, Sabbatical Committees (Chair), University System Council, President’s Athletic Council, College Council, and Annual Review Committees (Chair). Most recently, I have attended the Faculty Senate Executive Council and Faculty Senate meetings representing UFF. I have seen the intersection of university governance, and the CBA as an important area of strength for the union that must be maintained. With the recent attacks on higher education and collective bargaining, I have been active to challenge USF.
I believe that our Collective Bargaining Agreement is the only way to protect the jobs and working conditions of faculty, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is only as good as it’s enforcement. As part of the leadership team, I am committed to enforcing the CBA. I am also committed to growing our membership, representing the members, and fighting for salaries and benefits. In the 2024-2025 academic year, the attacks on higher education will require thoughtful and experienced leadership. If elected, I will work towards improving our working conditions at USF, being responsive to faculty issues, and communicating with members.
I believe that UFF is the only way for employees to fight for fair salaries and working conditions. UFF is also the representative of members in consultation or disputes over the CBA. As such, the officers must be knowledgeable and willing to support faculty. I have represented members on grievances all the way to arbitration. I have been instrumental in filing Unfair Labor Practice against USF. I support our grievance team with chapter resources through the process and arbitration.
The executive team also maintains a strong chapter by growing the membership, fiscal responsibility, and tough bargaining. The officers also represent USF UFF at state meetings and with FEA. I have demonstrated competence and willing to work hard for the chapter, and I would like to continue as your office in in the next year. The officers should work together for the benefit of the union and the employees that they represent.
My platform for 2024-2025 would include:
- Representing the faculty on all levels with the media and administration
- Recertifying the UFF chapter, and negotiating a new CBA
- Enforcing the CBA as ratified
- Equity of assignments and salaries across USF campuses
- Protecting academic freedom, tenure, and all faculty rights
- Fighting for DEI protections in higher education
- Growing membership at all campuses
- Increasing member participation in chapter activities
- Supporting members professionally during grievances
- Creating multi-year contracts for non-tenured employees
- Demanding transparency from USF administration on planning and budget
- Increasing interactions with legislators
- Maintaining a healthy chapter budget, calendar, and presence
For Vice President.
Adriana Novoa.
As a member of the Bargaining Team and Grievance Committee Adriana is an active member of the union. She would add a new voice to the executive council for the USF UFF Chapter. She’s a leader in the fight for faculty academic freedom.
Arthur Shapiro.
I hope that you will support me in my effort to continue as Vice-President off USF’s United Faculty of Florida (UFF) chapter. I have been a member of UFF for over 20 years and have served as President for almost nine years, first as Treasurer for a year, and, lately as Vice-President for the last two years.
As president I have been heavily involved in planning professional negotiations, recruiting effective chairpersons for the Grievance Committee, the Elections Committees, the Governance Committee (to contact our local state representatives and senators), the Membership Committee and other committees as needed. I have represented UFF to the Board of Trustees at their quarterly meetings for nine years, and have approved and signed the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA’s) during that time.
I am serving on the Collective Bargaining team for this year’s negotiations, am involved in creating socials to develop support for our members and for us to get together socially and to build our community. I have served actively in governance of USF both as a Senator in the Senate and as Sargeant-at-Arms. I attend the University’s Senate meetings as an officer of the UFF among other responsibilities.
I have been strongly supportive of UFF in challenging Florida’s and the University’s move in the last several years toward censorship and limiting academic freedom of faculty and administration. Our challenge has been in the legal arena. We are also focused successfully on growing our membership to meet the challenge of the new state laws trying to eliminate unions.
Steve Lang, our President, has stated a platform for 2024-25 just above, with which I heartily concur.
For Secretary.
Greg McColm.
I am an associate professor of Mathematics & Statistics, and I came to USF in 1986. I have devoted most of my time to research (two external grants) and teaching. For many years I have been the webmaster and editor of UFF USF Chapter’s electronic Biweekly Newsletter. I have also served as UFF Senator for many years, more recently as FEA Delegate, and I am now a Representative to the National Education Association; I have also served for many years as Chapter Secretary. I have also served for several years in the Faculty Senate, and I once chaired the ad hoc committee to report on departmental governance.
During the past few years, the primary duties of the Secretary have been to compose and post the minutes of the Chapter and the Council and to maintain critical records. In addition, with the membership growth of the UFF USF Chapter and the United Faculty as a whole, the Secretary has been charged with maintaining the membership lists.
The Secretary is also a member of the Chapter’s Executive Committee, which consists of six elected officers and two standing committee chairs, and deals with the daily routine of the union in collaboration with the Chapter President. I believe that the current highest priority of the Executive Committee should be to recruit new activists to support the work of the union.
This is going to be a challenging year. The union is running a campaign to achieve at least 60% density and address several systemic problems that the Legislature may be creating. This is a period of critical growth, and I hope to continue in this effort and would appreciate your support.
Here is my webpage.
For Treasurer.
Sonia Wohlmuth.
As a long-time member of UFF, I recognize the importance of faculty unions during difficult times for higher education. I have served the USF chapter as treasurer for eight years and would like to continue in this role in order to ensure the chapter’s compliance with regulations (many new ones) that pertain to public employee unions. As senator for the UFF chapter I am able to remain informed on administrative issues for UFF chapters, membership campaigns, the impact of legislative initiatives and convey information to our bargaining unit at USF.
Here is my webpage.
Candidates for the UFF Senate
Vote for at most nineteen candidates
Angad Dang.
Dana Thompson Dorsey.
Leon Hardy.
Justin Henry.
Justin Henry joined USF this year as Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, where he teaches courses on Indian religions. A passionate advocate for labor rights, Henry currently serves on the Publicity Committee of the UFF USF chapter. New to the Tampa area, Henry looks forward to active service in the USF faculty union and to community outreach through USF affiliated programs including the Urban Food Sovereignty Initiative.
Steve Lang.
See his statement for his candidacy for president.
John Liontas.
Richard Manning.
Greg McColm.
See his statement for his candidacy for secretary.
Cynthia Patterson.
I have long been an active member of UFF-USF and have served UFF-USF in various roles: on the grievance committee, membership committee, as a state senator, and on the bargaining committee.
Here is my webpage.
Steve Permuth. Steve Permuth has been a member of the UFF/USF for over 20 years as a tenured full professor in the College of Education with focus on teaching educational law at the introductory and advanced levels plus other courses. He has served as a member of the Union Collective Bargaining Committee for some 15 years on critical issues such as grievances, benefits, salaries, contract language, promotion, and tenure. He has also authored/co-authored ten texts and over 60 juried articles and served on the USF Faculty Senate for over 15 years.
Here is my webpage.
Scott Perry.
Arthur Shapiro
Brian Turnbull.
I will push for equitable representation for all USF faculty, with a focus on protecting academic freedom and fair treatment.
Sonia Wohlmuth.
As a long-time member of UFF, I recognize the importance of faculty unions during difficult times for higher education. I have served the USF chapter as treasurer for eight years and would like to continue in this role in order to ensure the chapter’s compliance with regulations (many new ones) that pertain to public employee unions. As senator for the UFF chapter I am able to remain informed on administrative issues for UFF chapters, membership campaigns, the impact of legislative initiatives and convey information to our bargaining unit at USF.
Here is my webpage.
Candidates for the FEA Delegate Assembly
Vote for at most ten candidates.
Leon Hardy.
Justin Henry.
Justin Henry joined USF this year as Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, where he teaches courses on Indian religions. A passionate advocate for labor rights, Henry currently serves on the Publicity Committee of the UFF USF chapter. New to the Tampa area, Henry looks forward to active service in the USF faculty union and to community outreach through USF affiliated programs including the Urban Food Sovereignty Initiative.
Steve Lang.
See his statement for his candidacy for president.
Richard Manning.
Greg McColm.
See his statement for his candidacy for secretary.
Cynthia Patterson.
Steve Permuth.
Scott Perry.
Arthur Shapiro
Brian Turnbull.
I will push for equitable representation for all USF faculty, with a focus on protecting academic freedom and fair treatment.