Throughout the sweltering days of summer, your friendly neighborhood faculty union continued to be on the move.
We have been conducting a series of meetings with the administration concerning the abject status of much Non-Tenure-Track full-time faculty here at Planet FAU. We are currently establishing a promotional structure that will offer multi-year contracts and accompanying raises for out NTT full-time faculty. Ultimately, this promotional system is designed to recognize and reward the outstanding work NTT faculty provide in teaching classes, overseeing labs, and the other numerous tasks that allow the university to function and thrive.
Furthermore, the creation of this new structure and the development of its criteria will foster needed dialogue among NTT and Tenure Track and Tenured faculty concerning the labor and knowledge NTT faculty provide. For too long, NTT faculty have been treated as second-class workers here at the idea factory. Additionally, the union wants all full-time NTT salaries to be brought-up to $40,000 minimum. Currently, almost 1/3 of NTT (around 60 people) make less than $40,000 with around 40 making $35,000 or below. The administration claims that budget cuts make equity raises impossible. How-ever, UFF has uncovered $118 million surplus of unrestricted funds that the administration is hoarding.
We believe a small percentage of this unrestricted funds should be dedicated for 3% raises for all faculty to partially off-set the 3% mandatory contribution faculty must make to the Florida Retirement system. We are also currently working on developing our Parental Leave and Partner Benefit Committees, as well as organizing a taskforce
concerning tuition reductions for children of faculty and staff, so that we can make FAU a more family-friendly working environment. Any faculty interested should contact me at president@uff-fau.org.
Overall, the union is the collective voice of the faculty. So your involvement is needed in making the university a bet-ter, more equitable place. Get involved in making your future!