This is the official announcement that we will be having an online ratification for COVID MOU #3, recently bargained by our UFF-UCF Bargaining Team. I ask that you look over the tentative agreement for COVID MOU #3 linked here.
The COVID MOU #3 contains the following:
Tenure Clock Extension:
Some extensions to tenure clocks are pre-approved, however, “Tenure-earning faculty who are not eligible for this tenure clock extension opportunity may still apply for a tenure clock extension, with supporting documentation, using the standard form on the Faculty Excellence website: https://facultyexcellence.ucf.edu/document/tenure-clock-adjustment/. Such requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”
Return to Campus:
The University shall permit faculty whose supervisor has determined that the employee’s assignment does not require them to return to campus to work in a remote setting through August 7, 2021.
AESPs and Work During the Pandemic:
Supervisors should, in alignment with their department/unit’s AESPs, take into account the fact that research routines have been disrupted due to the pandemic in evaluating faculty in annual evaluations and promotion portfolios.
Remote Instruction:
The University shall continue to provide support and training for remote instruction.
If a majority vote “yes,” the MOU will be adopted immediately upon ratification by UCF’s Board of Trustees.
If a majority vote “no,” bargaining teams for both sides will return to the bargaining table and continue negotiating.
I will send an email out on June 2 with the link to the online Ballot. You will be able to vote through a three week window until voting ends and we announce the results. The three week window will be from June 2 until June 23. We will announce the results on June 24.
Rationale: Ratifying this MOU establishes important rights and guidelines during the summer while we are still engaging the pandemic and its consequences. Upon successful ratification the MOU will be in effect until August 7 or the state of emergency in Florida has officially ended.
Stewards Program Initiative
Your leadership team will launch a Stewards Program in the fall. We will be looking for members to volunteer to be a local liaison or point person for the union in each unit/division across campus. What this means is that we will have a designated person in each department, school, and division that can answer questions, communicate with you locally, and assist in keeping members engaged and informed throughout the year.
To provide more information and answer questions about the Stewards Program we will be hosting a Stewards Virtual Town Hall on June 17, 2021 at 1:00 PM Eastern Time.
Register in advance for this meeting:
Please contact president@uffucf.org for registration information.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Robert Cassanello
UFF-UCF, President
