Update on Post-Tenure Review Bargaining: Nov 8, 2023

Dear FSU Colleagues:

The Board of Trustees (BOT) and UFF faculty (UFF) bargaining teams met Wednesday (11/8) to continue their negotiations on Post-Tenure Review (PTR).  The session started with a new proposal from UFF designed to make the PTR more faculty friendly, including the following:

1. The Collective Bargaining Agreement’s (CBA) definition of tenure (CBA Article 15.1) as “permanent… guaranteed employment” except for cases of retirement, resignation, or termination for just cause was cited early in the proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
2. Department chairs would be reviewed and eligible for a PTR-based raise, or could request PTR postponement
3. Three ratings would be possible: “Exceeds Expectations,” “Meets Expectations,” “Does Not Meet Expectations,” with each referencing criteria including annual evaluations, department/unit bylaws, and assignments of responsibility. A “Does Not Meet Expectations” rating would trigger a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).
4. Past disciplinary offenses and actions would not be considered (no double jeopardy)
5. Faculty committee input would be required in Chairs’ letters assessing performance
6. Ratings of Exceeds Expectations or Meets Expectations would result in a 12% raise
7. PTR ratings could not be inconsistent with the past five years’ annual evaluations
8. The Provost would provide written justification for his/her ratings
9. Rating outcomes and processes could be appealed, with resort to arbitration possible for represented faculty if permitted by law.
10. Field of study and exercise of academic freedom were added to the list of activities protected in the PTR process

After a caucus, the BOT team offered a counter-proposal including the following:

• Chairs would be exempt from the PTR process and any associated monetary reward
• Monetary rewards would be left unspecified
• Four ratings would be possible, including those above, plus “Unsatisfactory,” with the criteria for each undefined
• Chairs and equivalent would consider annual evaluations and past disciplinary offenses in their letters assessing performance
• A rating of “Unsatisfactory” would result in a Provost recommendation of termination
• UFF proposals #5, #8, #9, and #10 above were accepted in part or entirely

In sum, there was some progress, but there is more work needed.  Negotiations are scheduled to resume in early December.

In the meantime, if you are not already a UFF member in good standing (paying dues via eDues), we hope you’ll join or rejoin our faculty union and help protect the very existence of our contract. If we don’t reach 60% membership density, we simply won’t have a contract to defend.  Please join now. It only takes a minute. Here’s the link: https://uff-fsu.org/get-involved/join/  

Jack Fiorito, UFF-FSU Vice President and Bargaining Team Member, on behalf of

Scott Hannahs, Specialized Faculty, and Jennifer Proffitt, Professor, Bargaining Team Co-Chairs