Update on Bargaining

3/24/17

Dear Colleagues,

Here is the latest on bargaining:

• Salary: The FSU proposed a 3% salary increase each year of the contract plus $1000 flat increase to offset health insurance cost increases, plus an additional 1% merit pool.  
• NTT Service and Scholarship: We had proposed that full-time appointments for certain NTTs (possibly Senior Lecturers and/or Senior Lecturer II’s) would include a 3/3 teaching load plus 25% scholarship and/or service. For other NTT faculty who are benefitted, we had proposed that while service should be treated as optional, it should be voluntary and ‘help not hurt’ in merit and promotion considerations.  The Administration rejected these proposals.    
• The FSU proposed the following package to the Administration to settle some outstanding issues:

In exchange for us allowing the administration to keep unspent Research and Educational Support (RES) and FSU travel funds this academic year towards reducing the budget deficit, the administration would  

      --Agree to our NTT service and scholarship proposals (see above)

      --Agree to implement a junior faculty research intensive semester or difference in pay sabbatical (see previous update on these; either would allow for a junior faculty sabbatical)

      --Agree to keep the FSU course releases for union work (they want to eliminate one)

The Administration rejected this proposal and said they can take needed funds for the deficit from departments. 

• Annual Evaluation of Faculty: The Administration has proposed to require that all faculty must complete an Annual Faculty Report (AFR) (currently you must do so to receive merit pay). They also proposed language that would increase the length of time student and teaching evaluations can be kept on file by departments (currently, departments may keep these for 6 years). 

From the FSU Bargaining Team:

Caroline Coscia, Senior Lecturer, Political Science

John Hess, Senior Lecturer II, American Studies/English

Larry Kaye, Senior Lecturer II, Philosophy

Marlene Kim, Professor, Economics

Askold Melnyczuk, Associate Professor, English

Tina Mullins, Librarian III

FSU/MTA Staff:

Mickey Gallagher, MTA Consultant

Lorenzo Nencioli, FSU Membership Coordinator