Faculty United Service Association

We all get so much email. A ton. Like waves crashing on the shore, the email just keeps rolling in. But isn’t it such a great feeling when you know you can delete an email and forget it ever existed?

Well, rest assured you can delete the email titled “Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity Survey” sent by HCC (as mandated by the state), and consign it to the digital dustbin forever. And here’s why:

United Faculty of Florida (UFF) strongly advises against participating in this survey. For several critical reasons, it is seen as a violation of your rights while also being a scientifically dubious instrument. UFF recently sent out guidance to members on this survey to your personal email, but to summarize, the survey is problematic in the following respects:

1. Privacy and Autonomy
2. Survey Integrity and Relevance
3. Potential for Discrimination
4. Implications of Bias
5. Surveillance Concerns
6. Freedom of Speech
7. Political Coercion

For more information, here is a PDF detailing UFF’s position and guidance regarding the “Viewpoint Discrimination” Survey. If you have any questions feel free to contact us or reach out to your campus FUSA council reps.

The Legislative session is drawing to a close on March 8, 2024. Recall in the last post that legislators trotted out new iterations of the Stop WOKE act and the union-busting bill SB 256. But as we all know, building on a bad foundation is ill-advised. Both the Stop WOKE Act and SB 256 have been challenged in court. Yet while we await rulings in both cases, the legislature is doubling down. Not only does this amount to punitive attacks on unions and higher education in Florida, it adds up to a colossal waste of taxpayer money.

Yes, the state uses taxpayer dollars to defend these bad bills in court to the tune of millions of dollars. This year alone, $19 million dollars has been earmarked to fight expected court challenges to these bad bills, $5 million of which goes to the Dept. of Education alone. Our elected officials are floating dubious bills along party lines, knowing they will be challenged, and in the process ignoring real issues that are affecting Floridians: insurance, housing, health care, to name just a few.

Take action!

Make your voice heard! HB 1291, the House version of the Stop Woke 2.0 bill is set for a vote on Thursday, 2/29. According to the bill, teacher preparation programs: “May not distort significant historical events or include a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”

• Take action against HB 1291, the Stop Woke (again) bill
  • Consider personalizing the message and/or subject line as this does have more impact.

other actions

• Sign a petition supported by the FL AFL-CIO and FEA demanding legislators stop attacking unions.
• Find out how to get involved, get informed, and take action.
• Listen to a lively discussion of the latest bill threatening unions, HB 1471/SB 1746, on The Florida Roundup.

As if taking a cue from Hollywood’s cash-grabbing tendency to crank out a sequel, the Florida Legislature is back with not one, but two sequels: a follow up to HB 7, the Stop WOKE Act of 2022 and another try at union busting because as bad as last year’s SB 256 was, they learned it is really hard to silence the collective voice of over 150,000 teachers statewide. So, they’re gonna try again.

And we’re going to disappoint them. Again.

Recall that the Stop Woke Act (HB 7) is effectively blocked due to legal challenges and the appeals process. And while SB 256 was a full-scale attack on teacher unions, FEA (and thus UFF & FUSA) turned it into an organizing opportunity and also deployed eDues — an independent dues deduction system.

It appears the Florida Legislature hasn’t learned their lesson. They’d rather attack teachers and our constitutionally protected right to organize instead of focusing on the many real problems facing Floridians. Let’s throw rotten tomatoes at these bad sequels!

Take action

SB 1372 – Stop WOKE Act, part II – The WOKE Hunter

• Take action now!
• More on the bill

SB 1476 – Bride of Union Bustin’

• Take action now!
• More on the bill

Suggestions for making your statements:

• Personalized message are more effective. Feel free to use the templates but add your own perspective and voice.
• Modify the subject line to avoid being lumped in as “spam.”

Get involved, informed, and take action with FUSA’s Issues & Actions resources.

You may recall a recent FUSA post before the winter break concerning the Florida Board of Governor’s (BOG) decision to drop Principles of Sociology as a general education core requirement. The manner in which this decision was approved was duplicitous at best, happening via amendment at the last second and without due deliberation or basis in research. Further, it was not recommended by the statewide faculty committee reviewing general education core programs.

If ultimately approved, this decision would prove devastating to the discipline and would have far-reaching effects on other disciplines as well as a long-lasting impact on higher education in Florida.

Take action

The good news is there is still time to stand with faculty and students in Florida and to speak up for Sociology as a general education core requirement. The next BOG meeting is Jan 24th. Please contact the Board of Governors now and tell them to Keep Sociology as a core GenEd requirement in Florida!

Faculty around the state (including here at HCC) developed talking points to help you craft a statement of support. Feel free to use them. At a minimum we need all faculty and friends of higher education in Florida to tell the BOG how shortsighted and detrimental this decision would be.

Please contact the Board of Governors now and pass this on for others to make a stand for Sociology. If they don’t hear from us now, what will they come for next?

Protect Sociology

Regulation 8.005 – “General Education Core Course Options”

The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) passed Regulation 8.005 – General Education Core Course Options which removes SYG X000 Principles of Sociology as a general education core course option for students. UFF and FUSA are deeply concerned that removing this sociology course from the core course options available to students will significantly reduce enrollment in this subject area, which could lead to layoffs for faculty and fewer learning opportunities for students. Read more below and take action.

• Tampa Bay Times coverage
• Inside Higher Ed coverage
• Statement from the American Sociological Association

Take action

• Leave your public comment about this regulation on the Proposed Regulations page of the Florida BOG website. The comment window closes on 11/23, so make your voice heard now!
  • Here are some talking points to consider as you formulate your response.
  • Scroll down to “Chapter 8,” and select the “Submit a Comment” option on the right-hand side of the page. Doing so will launch a pop-up window where you can type your comment directly or copy-and-paste from a separate document.
• Use this link to register for UFF’s Sociology Working Group, which will bring together UFF leaders and members from across the state to coordinate actions that will protect and preserve the role of sociology for all of Florida’s higher education community. Faculty and supporters from every field are encouraged to attend! Nov. 30, at 3:30 pm ET, so set your calendars and show up ready to organize!

Protect DEI

Regulation 9.016 – “Prohibited Expenditures”

The Florida BOG also passed Regulation 9.016 – Prohibited Expenditures. It bans funding in support of DEI programs and strips funding from student groups that participate in political or social activism and/or advocate for positions on social issues. UFF unequivocally opposes this regulation, as it will only contribute to the atmosphere of censorship and exclusion enacted by previous legislation aimed at Florida’s higher education campuses, such as SB 266.

Take Action

• Leave your public comment about this regulation on the Proposed Regulations page of the Florida BOG website. The comment window closes on 11/23, so make your voice heard now!
  • Members who want more details about UFF’s position on this regulation should review our talking points, produced in conjunction with the First Amendment Foundation.
  • Scroll down to “Chapter 9,” and select the “Submit a Comment” option on the right-hand side of the page. Doing so will launch a pop-up window where you can type your comment directly or copy-and-paste from a separate document.

FUSA met with the Administration on Monday, October 16 to negotiate a 2024-2025 wage reopener, as agreed to this past summer. On top of our recent bargaining victories,

Please see the FUSA Flash from FUSA President Sherry Sippel for more details. We will hold a ratification vote on the wage increase at Faculty Professional Development Day on Oct 24. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join FUSA as we negotiate better pay for faculty! You may recall as a part of our concluded negotiations this past summer, both parties agreed to meet in October for a “wage reopener” for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Negotiations are slated for Monday, Oct 16 from 1pm – 3pm at the Ybor Campus, YSSB 307/308

We made tremendous gains bringing our salaries up after years of stagnation (and economic inflation). Now we have to build on those gains and keep pace with dramatic increases in the cost of living. We welcome all faculty to attend if available. As FUSA President Sherry Sippel notes, “A good turnout and show of force and commitment works in our favor.”

To further support the need for strong unions (and why we must build on our collective power), read this fact sheet from the Economic Policy Institute: Unions help reduce disparities and strengthen our democracy.

Welcome back! The new academic year is upon us and we are entering it with a new contract! The 2022-2025 contract (yes, you read that right–negotiations took over a year) includes “the largest wage increase we have had in over 15 years.” For contract highlights, revisit our post from earlier this summer: Bargaining Breakthrough. Returning faculty should have received a Salary Memo notification via HCC email with their new step assignment and salary.

FUSA updates

• FUSA lunch at Inservice – as usual, FUSA is sponsoring lunch for the Fall Inservice. During lunch FUSA President Sherry Sippel will offer welcome back remarks along with other updates and helpful info to start the new year. We look forward to seeing you there!
• eDues News – Thank you to all our members who transitioned to eDues at the end of the term and over summer. It truly saved our union. Despite this new legislation (SB 256) outlawing payroll deduction, FEA and UFF chapters across the state have been moving members to the eDues system. FUSA has far surpassed the 60% membership threshold required by the new law as well. We only have a dozen or so members left to move over to the eDues system. We truly appreciate our members’ cooperation in the face of this unnecessary attack on unions, our right to organize, and our collective voice.
• SB 266 Guidance – UFF has provided guidance on SB 266, another bad bill passed during the legislative session which has broad implications for Higher Education. The document provides detailed legislative analysis as well as practical guidance for faculty on the frontlines: the classroom. Please read it and pass along any questions or comments.