Faculty Shared Governance

“’Shared governance’ is much revered by faculty, but it adds vastly to administrative costs and stifles innovation and change.  Shared governance is a byproduct of academic tenure, where faculty members with lifetime appointments face little consequence from trying, often successfully, to obstruct changes that
might reduce their power or influence or increase their teaching  load.“

— Vedder and Denhart, Ten Principles of Higher Education Reform (2011, p. 16)

This background reading was circulated to meeting participants prior to last
week’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Higher Education meeting in St. Petersburg.
This report was produced by the Heartland Institute, a Koch brothers-funded
think tank.  Unfortunately, such views appear to be supported by Gov. Scott and
most of his appointees.

This sort of news is probably not news to most faculty.  It does serve as a
reminder of the need for faculty members to be vigilant and prepared to face
legislative challenges.

Bargaining Update:  Negotiations resumes Wednesdsay afternoon with
discussions expected to address benefits, promotions, academic freedom and
responsibility, restructuring certain parts of the salary article, and possibly
also performance evaluation, specialized faculty reclassification, and librarian
promotion procedures, either Wednesday or in other upcoming sessions.

Please support a stronger voice for faculty at FSU and statewide.  If you’re
not a UFF member, please join!  We can do together what you cannot do alone.