FEO

Dear Colleague,

You have been told once again by the administration that the Union is standing in the way of your participation in their new FEO program. The truth is that the administration has refused to engage in serious negotiation over the funding and administration of this program. When it was announced, it gave assurances that the funds would not come at the expense of the existing sabbatical program. It now proposes to reduce the number of sabbatical leaves by about a third.

Unlike sabbaticals, which are awarded by elected faculty committees, FEO grants will be recommended by a committee appointed by the Provost and will be awarded at his discretion. I remind you that the administration wanted the make the recent merit raises discretionary in all but name and it took a firm stand by the Union to ensure that departmental decisions would be respected. The Union believes in shared governance and will continue its efforts to make sure that the administration's commitment to it is real, rather than merely rhetorical.

Negotiations over FEO continue, and we are hopeful that an agreement can be reached, perhaps even before the announced deadline for applications. The Union has proposed a carefully considered plan under which FEO would be an addition to, not a substitute for, an adequate sabbatical program. Our plan would not cost the university any more than the administration's. Sabbaticals generate savings, so you may want to ask yourself why the administration wants to reduce their number.

Sincerely,

John Biro, President
United Faculty of Florida
238 Norman Hall, PO Box 117055
Phone: 392-0274
Email: president@uff-uf.org