You may have received the notification that the new/revised Conflict of Interest Policy has been implemented and we are all being asked to complete the disclosure of potential conflict forms. You may wonder what your Union’s position is on this process. Do we think it is right for you to have to fill this out? Do we agree with the changes made by the University in the new policy? Are we satisfied with how Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment are being dealt with at UCF? In this email you will find a few answers to those questions.
Should you fill out this new form? In short: yes. The current policy has now gone into effect and the new forms you are asked to complete is the current required process with which you must declare any potential conflict of interest or commitment. Even as we continue to try to get mistakes (in our view) corrected, we need to comply with this new mandate. You can find more information here: https://compliance.ucf.edu/conflict-of-interest/ The deadline to fill out your AA-21 Disclosure Form is April 7.
You may recall that we had quite a lot of problems with, and many colleagues registered their discontent with the previous draft of the revised policy – and UCF recognized its overreach and pulled the draft back in order to revise it. However, UFF was not consulted or involved in revising the draft, as we believe we should have been in these changes to bargained conditions of our work. You can be sure that we will keep raising these concerns, including in the current full book bargaining sessions! Nonetheless, we recognize that State requirements force the University to bring their policies into alignment with Florida State Statutes – and in this case some of the changes are just that, an integration of the new statutes at the State level (whatever we may think about those statutes).
Even while we maintain that the University did not follow the process they agreed to (i.e. consult and bargain with UFF), and while we have problems with the expansions and changes that exceed those mandated by State statutes, the new forms and process for declaring any potential conflict (and then responding to any concerns that may be raised) is what we should now use until we can bargain potential changes or otherwise change the process. The Compliance office has also provided a helpful matrix to determine what you need to report. Please read it carefully for what you need to report and what you don’t need to report.
Why are you all so suspicious of these conflict of interest policies? In short: because we have seen how they can be abused by the University to unnecessarily restrict our ability to pursue research, teaching, and engage in professional and community service, among other problems. The more expansive reach of the new policy, only partly a result of the State statute, is troublesome for several reasons and we are going to continue to engage the University and BOT bargaining team about it. As you know from a previous email, PERC agreed with us that UCF violated the law in applying conflict of interest overly broadly in a recent ULP. We think that the current new policy similarly introduces terms and conditions of work that should be bargained and not simply imposed. Furthermore, we also learned that there have been other instances where the University has been trying to create policies that would impose additional terms that go beyond or change what we bargained and that are not required by any statutes. Recently, a Union member alerted us to one such attempt in CCIE, the Union grieved the newly created policy on outside teaching that violated the CBA, and the University has agreed to retract the policy. We were glad to settle this grievance and hope the University will continue to ensure that all its representatives uphold the bargained contract.
Please don’t believe everything you hear! The University or one of its representatives may tell you that they have the right and indeed must create all these new rules, regulations, and policies to keep ‘bad actors’ from doing ‘bad things’ – but our position is that (a) we already have lots of laws and existing regulations that can be used to ensure proper functioning of the University, and there is no need to create sweeping policies to deal with isolated individual problems and (b) UCF cannot keep introducing policies that implement new terms and conditions for our work that contradict or violate what we have collectively bargained. We will continue to insist that our rights be upheld and that both sides abide by the collectively bargained contract.
Can I do anything about all of this? Your Union will always look out for our rights as bargained. The Union is all of us! Please get involved: We need to hear from you, and we all need to work together on this. If you encounter a policy or practice that you believe is contradicting or violating express terms bargained in our contract (CBA), please let us know so we can follow up and make sure to defend all of our rights. Please visit our Grievance support page.
If you have a question or want to understand more about what the Collective Bargaining Agreement is and how it affects your life, let us know and we’ll happily get in touch with you. Please contact UFF-UCF at president@uffucf.org.
We are also currently bargaining a new full book contract – so this is a great time for both sides to bring issues to the bargaining table and discuss them in the correct process. That is how respectful and productive bargaining works: bring issues to the table and negotiate in good faith. We hope that we will have your input for our side of the bargaining . Please join us at a bargaining town hall to share your concerns with our bargaining team. Current bargaining proposals from both sides can be viewed here.
The Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) has issued a final order in a case that our union filed about UCF’s misuse of Conflict of Interest language to prevent an employee from assisting another employee in matters related to filing a grievance. We won! PERC agreed that UCF applied conflict of interest overly broadly and chilled bargaining unit members’ rights to assist each other in disciplinary or grievance matters. UCF has had to post a notice, stating that “We have violated the law and we have been ordered to post this notice”.
Unfortunately, the University chose to post the notice on some bulletin boards in obscure places, where very few employees will likely see them (especially during this pandemic as most of us are teaching online). In an effort to help the University inform all employees — as well as the Board of Trustees who may have seen this information already, but just in case — we are posting the notice and the PERC decision here, for your information. We want to make sure that you had a chance to see it and be well informed.
We defend your rights!
Your Faculty Union is here for you if you feel your rights have been violated. Please note that you have 30 days from an alleged occurrence to file a grievance. For more information about the contract, see this link to the CBA. To contact the grievance-team, click here.
While the PERC decision in our favor is a welcome upholding of the right of bargaining unit members to assist each other in matters of defending our rights as bargained, we are still concerned about issues related to Conflict of Interest legislation and policies more broadly. We will write to you again shortly about the new policy and related concerns we have about the University’s use of policies related to Conflict of Interest, including regulations related to ‘outside activities.’
For now, please know that we are here for you if you have questions or if you feel your rights have been violated.
In solidarity,
Claudia Schippert, Chair of Contract Enforcement Committee and Robert Cassanello, President, UCF Chapter of United Faculty of Florida
There is an expansion of vaccinations sites available. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is expanding vaccination eligibility at the Convention Center site to include UCF employees, not just faculty.
“Orange Mayor Jerry Demings confirmed that professors and others who work on college campuses could now get vaccinated at the county site, a departure from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ current executive order laying out eligibility rules, which currently makes no mention of college staff and only authorizes vaccination for K-12 school employees older than 50….Demings said his staff communicated his decision to expand access at the Orange County Convention Center site to the Florida Department of Emergency Management and was told the state wouldn’t interfere if the county legal department deemed it OK.”
Tuesday March 9 at 5pm we will be hosting our next Full Book Bargaining Town Hall. At the previous two Town Halls we discussed Article 23: Salaries, Remote Teaching, Article 8 Appointment, Article 10: Employee Performance Evaluations and Sabbaticals.
Please come and join the conversation and add your concerns to the conversations.
We are now immersed in bargaining your next 3 year contract (2021-2024). Your Bargaining Team will do their best to negotiate a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with UCF BOT that protects the interests of our in-unit members, be it in salaries and raises, awards and honors, or general working conditions. We need and want to hear from you. The Town Halls will be organized through ZOOM. The first one was a success we had 36 people attend. If you could not please attend one of our three upcoming Town Hall meetings.
To ensure cyber security, we are requiring you to sign up for the meeting by sending an email to either Talat Rahman (talat.s.rahman@gmail.com) or Robert Cassanello (president@uffucf.org). You will be sent a ZOOM link via return email upon request.
All feedback is welcomed and anyone in the Bargaining Unit can attend and participate whether one is a member of the union or not.
UCF has posted a new Conflict of Interest reporting policy. If you remember, the last one was withdrawn due to faculty feedback. Please take your time out to look over the draft and if you have any concerns please use the comments feature to communicate with the Office Policies and Procedures. If you want to email me directly with your concerns or comments I welcome that opportunity to hear from you.
The reason for my candidacy for senator is that with my experience of twenty-two years at UCF, having seen a great deal of good and bad, I should be able to help those that may face a diversity of struggles in this very complicated and often unfair place.
Associate Professor & Coordinator, Africana Studies
I have been at UCF since 2001 and have been a member of the union for a long time but have not been active. As an alt Senator I pledge to attend all union meetings and to participate in the bargaining process. I look forward to working with the membership.
I believe in transparent communication and always speak for social and racial justice. I represent diversity and want to work for the enhancement of diversity and inclusion at UCF. As an alternate Senator, I want to work with the team of Scott, Talat, Latarsha, and Yovanna—a team that never stops working for faculty.
Yun–Ling Hsu wants to ensure our faculty union under the leadership of Scott Launier becomes stronger and has a true just voice in the university. As someone who grew up in Asia, she brings cultural diversity and perspective of inclusiveness. She resolutely pursues justice, integrity, fairness in our union, and promotes diversity and anti-racism.
Yun–Ling Hsu wants to ensure our faculty union under the leadership of Scott Launier becomes stronger and has a true just voice in the university. As someone who grew up in Asia, she brings cultural diversity and perspective of inclusiveness. She resolutely pursues justice, integrity, fairness in our union, and promotes diversity and anti-racism.
Member of UFF-UCF since UFF gained bargaining rights (1976), and chapter officer for 17 years. Renewed interest in more active participation in the last few years. A UFF-UCF delegate to our AFL-CIO Central Labor Council beginning in 2015. Believe that no entity represents faculty better than a union does.
If given the opportunity to serve UCF faculty union as a senator, I will work with the leadership to ensure that faculty voices are heard and that shared governance becomes the norm at UCF and that grievance procedures afford genuine redress for arbitrary and capricious decisions.
Our country and the world at large are going through times which could lead to further distress and dismay — or, with proper action, could help us venture into an era in which social and racial justice prevails at all levels at UCF. As Vice President of UCF-UFF, I would support Scott Launier in his efforts to ensure that at UCF we establish the golden practices of shared governance, transparent communications, and common-good bargaining. Through these practices, we can ensure that our grievance policies are fair and reasoned and that all faculty enjoy academic freedom in the classroom and in their research and other scholarly and creative endeavors. Our team will work with UCF administration to establish policies that further enhance diversity and inclusion, at all levels. We will strive to ensure that UCF rewards excellence in teaching, research, and community outreach. We will promote an environment that supports international and national collaborations in education, research, and service. We will also seek partnerships with local and national justice and labor organizations.
I joined UCF in 2006 as distinguished professor and chair of Physics with the opportunity to steer the department to new heights in its missions. Prior to that I had gone through the ranks at Kansas State University, serving in its Faculty Senate leadership 1997-99. Shared governance, transparent tenure and promotion procedures, and gender equity, were some practices that we were able to secure during my tenure as faculty senate president. Please vote for team Act Now!
I have been an active member and senator since 2016. I became involved in bargaining, eagerly learning about common good bargaining strategies and techniques to help with negotiations. In January 2020, I began serving my term as bargaining chair after three years serving on the committee and three months serving as UFF VP of the state universities’ bargaining council. As such, every week I communicate with other state university bargaining leaders to organize and push forward union bargaining goals. My bargaining goals are to strengthen our work contract, reduce our workload, and raise our salaries. https://yovannapineda.com/faculty-union/
I will enjoy being a supportive team member to President Scott Launier, Vice President Talat Rahman, and Secretary Latarsha Chisholm’s “Act Now” team. As a treasurer, I work with members, chapter officers, and state-level officials, such as the Florida Education Association, to ensure our chapter is in fiscal compliance and operating well.
Being a treasurer requires complete transparency in the chapter’s financial process. It includes attention to detail in fiscal responsibility, being aware of all local, state, and federal codes that guide labor organizations. For instance, each year a Treasurer must fill out the appropriate 990 or 1099 federal tax forms, attend state-level treasurer training, and submit reports to our mother organization, the United faculty of Florida, to comply with the US Department of Labor and “Sunshine” state laws. Not complying risks decertification of our union or major fines.
Being an officer requires listening, respecting different views, quickly adapting to changes, and being a model union member by actively participating in meetings at the local, state, and national levels. The treasurer is also the archivist of the chapter, holding nearly all financial documents in perpetuity. In addition, a treasurer must ensure the timely payment of weekly, monthly, and annual invoices and reimbursements. This is no small feat given the need for awareness in sudden changes to union labor laws at the state and federal levels.
Please vote for the Act Now! Team (uffucf-actnowteam.org). This experienced team will motivate you to be the positive change we want to see at UCF! Vote for “Act Now” officers: Scott Launier, Talat Rahman, Yovanna Pineda, and Latarsha Chisholm. https://yovannapineda.com/faculty-union/
Associate Professor, Health Management & Informatics
As a senator, I will attend meetings called by the president or the majority of council, help establish the bargaining agenda, promote the welfare of the Chapter, and responsively exercise my senator powers of advice and consent. I support the goals of the “Act Now” team to promote racial and social justice. I support a council that best represents UCF’s diverse colleges, schools, and departments, and to ensure that minority and women faculty are represented in its leadership.
Associate Professor, Health Management & Informatics
As an officer, I will collaborate with the “Act Now” team to ensure a strong shared governance, including transparent communications, fair and effective grievance policies, and common good bargaining. Our team will work for its members in all aspects important to academic work life. I also support our team’s efforts to vigorously promote social and racial justice.
As secretary, I shall maintain the records of the Chapter, shall record the minutes of all membership, chapter council, and executive meeting minutes, and shall assist the nominations and elections committee in carrying out its duties for all Chapter elections.
Vote for the “Act Now” team, Scott Launier, Talat Rahman, Yovanna Pineda, and myself. We are the team that never stops working for its members!
My name is Marie Léticée and I’ve been a French faculty at UCF for 32 years. As your senator, I will bargain on your behalf for fairness, equity and respect for all. I will be your voice for a better, safer and more diverse work environment. I stand for justice!
JoAnne Adams
Lecturer, Visual Arts & Design
I believe in the power of the collective voice and equity for all. In my previous career, I was one of the original signatories for the Animation Guild, Local 841. I have experience as Guild President, negotiated labor contracts and lead membership meetings. I offer this to UFF-UCF.
Megan Lambert
Instructor, Writing & Rhetoric
I have been a full-time instructor for the Department of Writing & Rhetoric for 5 years, a dues-paying union member for 4 years, and a Council member for the past 2 years. If re-elected to serve on Council, I will be even more active in working toward fair and equitable labor practices for our faculty. It is my hope that as we face uncertain times, we will have a stronger union and leadership that demonstrates integrity, accountability, responsiveness, and transparency.
Beatriz Reyes-Foster
Associate Professor, Anthropology
Union work can be consuming. Over my five years serving on UFF-UCF’s council, I have watched faculty involvement in union activity wax and wane. I am proud of the work that was accomplished at the beginning of our current leadership, particularly the ways in which, as a union, we successfully fought for parental leave and seriously engaged with fostering inclusion in our ranks and on-campus. I also believe that the best way to maintain strong leadership is to alternate who serves. Leadership in as important an organization as a union representing more than 1500 professors, librarians, instructional designers, and preschool teachers can be a stressful and consuming job, leading to burnout. The events of the past year , which included the censure of our President, the firing without cause of our chief negotiator 15 minutes before a bargaining session, and the exodus of many committed members who had been active in supporting our union have convinced me that now is the time for a change in leadership, and now is the right time to give back to this organization from which I have personally benefited in myriad ways. I believe that many hands make light work, and I am thrilled to be running alongside other experienced and dedicated union activists like Michael Armato and Jonathan Beever. I look forward to supporting Rob Cassanello as president. A strong, well-functioning, transparent executive team will keep our union strong as we face times of uncertainty and financial crisis in the year ahead.
(she/her/ella)
Beatriz Reyes-Foster
Associate Professor, Anthropology
Beatriz M. Reyes-Foster, Associate Professor, Anthropology
I believe many hands make light work and having a group of committed team-players will make us a stronger, more cohesive, and effective union. I am committed to fighting alongside our union leadership for a more inclusive and transparent organization and to working towards continually improving our working conditions.
(she/her/ella)
Holly McDonald
Senior Lecturer, Theater
I’m a Senior Lecturer with SPA and I’ve served as a UCF-UFF Senator and Alternate Senator. I’m grateful for colleagues that have been a part of my successes and personal growth. I’m asking for your vote (Alternate Senator) as a way to continue giving back to our community.
Terri Susan Fine
Professor, Political Science
A successful, engaged and active faculty union requires, at its core, collegiality, respect and transparency from its leadership so that diversity of viewpoints is honored and not suppressed.
Robert Peale
Professor, Physics
I joined UCF physics faculty in 1991, and I joined the UFF in 2011 when I realized how critical UFF could be in protecting our rights and defining our responsibilities. Although I have been a passive member till now, given the realities in the nation and at UCF, I agreed to run for a senator position when I was nominated. I make no promises except that I will attend meetings, pay attention, try to understand what is going on, and contribute if I see a meaningful way to do something useful.
Michele Gill
Professor, College of Education and Human Performance
Statement
I am honored to be asked to serve our faculty union. I seek to ensure a strong faculty voice in university governance. If elected, I will use my position and privilege to support fair and equitable labor expectations and compensation for all faculty. I strongly support UCF’s commitment to anti-racism.
Charlotte Trinquet du Lys
Associate Professor, Languages
CharlotteTrinquetduLys became part of UFF a decade ago and has served on the grievance committee, and as a senator and alternate senator since 2013. She is an associate professor of French, and an alternate professor in Women and Gender Studies and Medieval and Renaissance Studies.
Richard Harrison II
Richard Harrison has been a UFF-UCF member since April 2001, when he joined the UCF Libraries faculty as Associate University Librarian in the Research and Information Services department.
Yanga Fernandez
Professor, Physics
I have served on our union council for about 7 years and I have been our chapter’s Membership Committee chair for about 5 years. I would enjoy the opportunity to continue to serve, help, and support our faculty through union work.
Alfons Schulte
Professor, Physics
Dr. Schulte is a Professor in the UCF Physics Department.
My goal is to make faculty voices heard using a constructive and inclusive approach. It means to achieve improved work conditions and contractual rights for us. This includes increasing transparency and strengthening academic freedom, professional development, tenure and employment rights.
Monique Levermore
Associate Lecturer, Psychology
Turbulent times require us to dig deep and make a difference. I will use my experience, education and my voice to contribute to improving UCF conditions for all and especially to improve our environment from my unique perspective as a representative of underrepresented groups and African-Americans at UCF.
Iryna Malendevich
Associate Instructor, Criminal Justice
After being a member of the UFF for the last few years, I am honored to join a group of dedicated union leaders and represent voices of faculty of all ranks when we negotiate for more favorable and equitable benefits through collective bargaining.
Lisa Danker Kritzer
Associate Professor, Film and Mass Media
After serving as an alternate senator for two years, I aim to become more active in our union by serving as a point of contact, and representative, for faculty in the Nicholson School and related areas. I most value and will, therefore, emphasize the union’s role in promoting inclusivity.
Michael Armato
Lecturer, Sociology
I’ve been an active union member at multiple institutions since beginning my graduate training in sociology. I’ve been a Senator/Alternate Senator for UFF-UCF since fall 2017. The role of senator is important, as senators represent our members on UFF-UCF’s Council. Senators also reprsent UFF-UCF at our semi-annual state-level UFF meetings.
Alla Kourova
Associate Professor, Languages
I am an associate professor of TESOL and Russian at the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, CAH. I am a union member since 2007. With over 30 years of teaching experience globally and at various institutional levels, I know that there is more than one approach to language study, and constantly promote dynamic and multifaceted techniques as well as cross-cultural dialogue in her publications and teaching practice. Our union needs to have constructive and professional leadership to be able to protect and grow UFF UCF and that is why I endorse Scott Launier, Talat Rahman, Yovanna Pineda, and Latarsha Chisholm.
Gordon Henry
Lecturer, Integrated Business
As a lifelong supporter of progressive stances such as union representation and other employee protections, I am well-aware of the contributions that labor unions have made to employee and societal welfare. I will work to increase our union’s membership and visibility, so it may continue to perform these valuable functions.
John Fauth
Associate Professor, Biology
Many of you know me from my service as chief negotiator. I’ve been active since 2013 and will continue to support bargaining, grievances and other chapter responsibilities. Our chapter needs a more open, responsive and democratic leadership, which is why I support Robert, Beatriz, Mike and Jonathan. http://uffucfintegrity2020.org
Mason Cash
Associate Professor, Philosophy
I’ve been a member since 2003, active on UFF council since 2008, Bargaining Caucus since 2014, and part of bargaining team 19-20. I’ll help work towards our goals no matter what. But I’m keen to support a revitalization of UFF-UCF Leadership: the slate of Robert, Beatriz, Mike and Jonathan. http://uffucfintegrity2020.org
Alyssa Albrecht
Instructional Designer
Prior to joining UCF as an Assistant Instructional Designer almost three years ago, I was a middle school language arts teacher for five years. Education is my life. I hope to be able to help bring a unique perspective to the union as a non-instructional faculty member.
Michael Armato
Lecturer, Sociology
Michael Armato (he, him, his)
I have been an active union member since joining UFF-GAU in grad school at the University of Florida about 25 years ago. While completing my PhD, I was a founding member of GSOC-UAW at New York University, the first graduate student employee union formed at a private university in the US. In my first faculty position at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, IL, I was a department steward and eventually the elected representative for tenure-stream faculty in my college for my union, UPI-4100. I also served as a representative of my local and worked alongside other members of the labor community in Chicago in support of education and public institutions more generally. Since joining UCF in 2016, I have remained active in my union, serving as a senator since 2017 and then as secretary fall 2018 through fall 2019. My extensive experiences in union work have cultivated in me a radical commitment to union transparency and integrity that is driven by member democracy. I am also committed to union practices that center the experiences of those among us who are the most marginalized, the most vulnerable to exploitation. I’m running for secretary as part of a slate of candidates (Robert Cassanello, President; Beatriz Reyes-Foster, Vice President; and Jonathan Beever, Treasurer) who’ve expressed a commitment to reinvigorating UFF-UCF’s responsibility to transparency, integrity, and accountability.
Stephanie Wheeler
Assistant Professor | Writing & Rhetoric
We have a chance to become an organization that values listening and acting on what you need, not what we decide you need. If re-elected Senator, I commit to working toward creating a union that listens and earns your trust to be the transparent, honest, and accountable leaders you deserve.
Jonathan Beever
Assistant Professor | Philosophy
Jonathan Beever
Jonathan is Assistant Professor of Ethics and Digital Culture and the co-founder and director of the UCF Center for Ethics. He has participated in UCF-UFF for the past several years as a council member, and has been glad to serve his faculty colleagues.
His former experiences as a grants manager and current multiple national-level leadership service roles position him well to support our union as treasurer. He is committed to supporting his colleagues across campus and working with campus leadership to foster faculty-governance and a culture of ethics.
As an assistant professor with prior experience at two other large state universities, he understands the diverse perspectives of his colleagues across rank and discipline. As an academic ethicist, he recognizes and values the importance of trust and transparency.
Jonathan believes the work of the union is vital to the health of UCF and is a proud member. Yet, he has felt like our union should be more focused more centrally on supporting our faculty colleagues and engaging local institutional issues. He is committed to faculty-governance of our university, led by a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and transparency. He believes strongly that integrity, the value that is supposed to guide us, requires all of us, together.
Native Floridian Tina Calandrino has worked as an educator in higher learning for over 25 years. She began her college career as Faculty at Miami-Dade College working with students on a new concept called Macintosh computers. This set the tone for an interest in using computers for more practical educational purposes than just the desktop editing that existed in 1988. Today, her research interests in online learning include Competency-Based Education, Gender/Age/Inclusion Bias, and Faculty Development. You may run into Tina outside of work hours at Disney and advocating for local farm to table purveyors.
Leandra Preston
Senior Instructor, Women's and Gender Studies
I am a Senior Instructor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Founder/Director ofAnimal Safehouse of Brevard, a 501(c)3 organization that fosters pets for people in domestic shelters.I have been a faculty member at UCF for twenty years and a union member for most of that time.
Candice Bridge
Associate Professor, Chemistry
My target is to ensure that the faculty’s concerns are heard and addressed to lighten the load that faculty members must balance. By creating space for inclusive and honest conversations about accountability, tenure rights, family rights, and developing a “brave space” for grievances we can achieve this aim together.
Nichole Stack
Associate Instructor, Writing & Rhetoric
Nichole is an Associate Instructor in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric. Having worked with diverse populations both domestically and abroad, she has seen immense growth in the field of teaching and learning. Her interests include how GEP courses can and should facilitate transformative learning in students. She is grateful to be a member of UCF’s union and thrilled to be a part of the strides of equity that happen each year.
Nick Gardiakos
Instructor, Writing & Rhetoric
Statement
I have been an Instructor in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric here at UCF for seven years and a member of our union for the last four years. I am running for a senate position because I want to be part of the positive impact of our union.
Annabelle Conroy
Lecturer, Political Science
I strongly believe that faculty and staff should have an active and collaborative role in helping to set the priorities and policies that will lead to the highest standard of teaching, research, and linkage to the community. As part of the “Act Now” ticket I will work hard to achieve these goals.
Robert Cassanello
Associate Professor, History
Please vote for me, Beatriz Reyes-Foster, Jonathan Beever and Michael Armato. We are committed to accountability, responsiveness, and transparency. I do not stand before you alone to ask for your support as candidate for President of UFF-UCF, instead I will work together with a team of experienced members who are dedicated to serving you. My grandfather, my parents, my uncles and my brothers have been union members and involved in union leadership going back to 1913 when my grandparents first came to this country. I am also a labor and working-class historian who has published peer-reviewed research on the labor movement in Florida. My work exclusively has been critical of the labor movement, pointing out when it has failed workers of color and women by excluding them from benefits, membership, and leadership that white men in the union benefitted from under a repressive sexist and racist Jim Crow system. Our current President and his team have done a tremendous job of making us conscious of these issues in our current workplace and today’s labor movement generally, and I commend and admire them for that. However, I believe his leadership has become divisive and threatens the wellbeing and health of our entire union body. Over the years I have heard concerns from friends and colleagues about our President and his management style; some left the union in protest. I attended Council meetings this year where I learned that Council censured the President in December of 2019. I witnessed firsthand Council meetings in disarray where the President, instead of leading the body, shut down discussion and leveled ad hominem attacks at the very Councilors we duly elected to represent us. Over the course of his tenure, his actions have driven from leadership positions people I know and respect. This is not leadership. We want to change that. Therefore, we ask for your vote. We want to preside over a membership that is unified, directed at serving its members, and dedicated to getting the benefits we all deserve. Our President has dropped the ball on timely communication with all members during contract negotiations, informing us that his team secured a promise from administration of a 1.25% increase if “new sufficient recurring funds” appeared. We need concrete gains from negotiations, not promises that disappear in the ether. We want to assemble a larger negotiating team and explore the possibility of hiring a professional union negotiator to lead that team. We want a more robust grievance process that responds quickly, efficiently, and includes more people trained at various levels. We believe your union dues should be used to advance you and our collective goals. We promise to regularly communicate with you and to rebuild a strong leadership team and union that draws on the experience, energy, and perspective of all its members as we prepare for whatever new challenges we face. We will not fail you but will humbly serve you. In solidarity, Robert Cassanello http://uffucfintegrity2020.org/
Farrah Cato
Associate Instructor, English
I have been a union member for over a decade and an Alternate Senator and Council member since 2016. I believe a strong union responds promptly, transparently, and with integrity in the service of its members, and I support a leadership team that shares this vision http://www.uffucfintegrity2020.org/.
Abby Milon
Associate Lecturer, Legal Studies
I have witnessed firsthand the necessity of having a cohesive unit to promote the faculty’s voice at the university. Scott Launier understands the importance of representing us and the dynamics of the university framework to be an effective advocate for all academic community members.
Shelley Park
Professor, Philosophy & Cultural Studies
Shelley Park (Philosophy) brings experience, historical memory, institutional knowledge and a commitment to the inclusion of diverse voices to the UFF-UCF team. Her UFF-UCF service includes: council member (2004-5, 2010-present), Secretary (2010-11), Vice-President (2011-12) and President (2012-14). She has also been a Program Director and Department Chair. Vote uffucfintegrity2020.org!
Kevin Coffey
Professor, Advanced Materials Processing & Analysis
Engineering Professor, UCF since 2002, and UFF-UCF member since 2014. My focus is faculty rights and governance, and I also plan to join the bargaining committee. Change to UCF’s extreme top-down culture needs to come from faculty, specifically via UFF-UCF, and I hope to contribute to that change.
David Young
Instructor, Communication & Media
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Nina Orlovskaya
Professor, Engineering
Since becoming a due paying union member in 2016, I have witnessed many problems encountered by faculty in their grievances at UCF. Therefore, I would like to change the culture of faculty representation and my goal is to have professional, ethical and respectful engagement across the union in all bargaining and grievances aspects.
Alexander Mantzaris
Assistant Professor, Statistics & Data Science
Statement
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Richard Harrison II
Librarian
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Nick Shrubsole
Lecturer, Philosophy
Statement
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Walter Sotero
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Jennifer Sandoval
Assistant Professor, Communication
Jennifer A. Sandoval, (she/her/ella), Associate Professor, Nicholson School of Communication and Media and Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence
I believe faculty voices are critical to shared governance and I am committed to using my expertise in communication across difference and experience in conflict management to make our council voice stronger. Together we must advocate for more humane and equitable working and learning environments, especially for marginalized community members.
Ashley Salter
Instructional Designer
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Lee Ross
Professor, Criminal Justice
I appreciate your continued support and vote in my role as UFF Senator. I have served as your past Vice-President and as a member of our bargaining team and enjoyed representing faculty in several successful grievances. Like you, I am reimagining a new beginning for our union.
Thanks!
John Raible
Instructional Designer
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Claudia Schippert
Associate Professor, Humanities and Cultural Studies
Claudia Schippert (Humanities and Cultural Studies) brings many years of experience as grievance chair and UFF senator; advocates for integrity, fairness and justice; and stands for accountability, responsibility and transparency in our union.
Join UFF-UCF
Please input your name and email, then download the membership form as a PDF. Inputting your name and email does not make you a member of UFF-UCF. You must download and complete the full membership form.
After you have completed this form, please print, sign, and submit it either via Campus Mail, U.S. Mail, or scan and email to:
Dr. Patricia Angley English Department 250B TCH 4000 Central Florida Boulevard Orlando, Florida 32816-1346 membership@uffucf.org 407-823-6840
Alternately you can contact our chapter Membership Committee chair, Yan Fernandez, and he will be happy to come to your office and pick up the form. membership@uffucf.org
