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Settle in for updates on Sociology, Syllabi, and the Session

Your UFF-HC Senators attended the United Faculty of Florida Spring Senate this past weekend. These Senate meetings are important for doing the business of the statewide chapter for higher education. In-depth updates will be provided at the upcoming FUSA meeting (2/28), but we can share some important updates here on the Sociology Curriculum issue as well as guidance for Syllabus posting.

There will be a webinar held Wed 2/18 at 6pm titled, Who Decides What to Teach: Sociology and the politics of the curriculum. We strongly urge all faculty to attend this because while it is particularly focused on the current Sociology curriculum issue in the state, union leadership has it on good authority that it won’t stop with Sociology. In fact, History and Psychology appear to the next disciplines to be targeted. Don’t miss this chance to hear what is at stake and how we can organize and fight back! Download the Flyer!

Also shared with senators was an in-depth guidance document on how to navigate the complex syllabi posting requirements at play in the state. Because the universities (SUS) are governed by the Board of Governors while the colleges (FCS) are by the State Board of Education there are some key differences for each. This document breaks down the requirements for each, what protections remain, what is NOT required, and more. Download the UFF Member Guidance!

Union-busting, busted?

If you haven’t heard the news from FEA or UFF, the union-busting bill (SB 1296) that was moving last week may have run into some headwinds. While it did pass the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, it did so despite a barrage of pushback from union members across the state. Further, the Florida Senate’s own legal analysis identified six (!) violations of the Florida Constitution in the bill as currently written. Yet it still passed on party line votes with all six Republicans voting to pass it out of committee and all three Democrats voting NO.

Normally, this would be bad, terrible, no good news. However, according to FEA legislative analysts, the bill is not on the agenda for this week. And due to the arcane rules of the legislature and the amount of time left in the session, this doesn’t bode well for the bill’s longevity. That said, while we are cautiously optimistic, we aren’t going to let our guard down. If we need to step into action again we will make the call to members to join together and fight back the blatant attacks of worker’s rights to a collective voice.

If you are interested in the legal analysis, the following is from the FEA Frontline Report:

“SB 1296  is the Senate companion to HB 995. These bills are not only anti-freedom and anti-worker in nature, they are also blatantly unconstitutional. That’s not just our opinion, that’s the view of the independent staff in the Florida Senate tasked with writing an analysis of the bill. Pages 20-23 of the analysis outline the many ways in which the bill is unconstitutional.

Among the unconstitutional provisions of the bill are that it:

  • restricts free speech by constraining the activities unions can engage in,
  • abridges the right to collectively bargain,
  • violates the equal protection clause by creating two-tiers of public sector unions (public safety unions and then everyone else), and
  • contains multiple subjects in violation of Article III, Section 6 of Florida’s Constitution that requires every law to “embrace but one subject and matter properly connected therewith.”

We also encourage you to watch the hearing to see just how events transpired. These are not serious people! Yet their actions can have serious consequences. View the hearing on the Florida Channel (advance to 34:37 of the video).

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Baseball, bills, and brews with buddies

In the latest “Rays on campus” news, the Governor visited in person to announce his support for the development deal that stands to reshape the HC campus, the surrounding neighborhood, and perhaps even the city. According WFLA, “DeSantis said that while local officials are responsible for the legwork of securing approval and funding for the new stadium, the state government will help where it can. The state plans to convey the land to Hillsborough College, which will then work out a deal with the team.”

Bad bills

FEA and UFF are integral to lobbying for members in Tallahassee and informing members of the myriad education developments happening throughout the year but especially during the legislative session. The UFF Government relations committee (which has FUSA representation) works to provide guidance on new bills to support our members and help educate and organize around bills that are unfriendly to higher education, faculty, and our collective union voice. The mid-point of the Legislative session is next week (2/9-2/13) and things will begin to heat up fast. Here are some of the bills we are tracking:

  • HB 995 / SB 1296 — are more union busting bills aimed at educators. While SB 995 seems to have stalled, it is too early to get complacent. This is good news but it doesn’t yet mean the bill is dead.
  • HB 757 – would allow guns on college and university campuses similar to the “guardian program” in K-12

More ways to take action

Guidance

Recently, a number of guidance documents and links have been sent to members’ emails, in particular related to immigration, academic freedom, syllabi requirements, and more. If you aren’t receiving these updates from FEA and/or UFF (UFF President Cassanello’s messages are particularly informative and impactful), let us know using the Contact Us form. Be sure to use the personal email address at which you’d like to receive the updates.

The Faculty Brew

The first of three planned meet-ups for Spring term is happening this Friday, 2/6. The brainchild of fellow faculty member and FUSA member, Eric Fiske, it is meant to be an opportunity to connect outside of work to discuss faculty matters (or other matters). So let’s try to pack the place and enjoy some food, drinks, and conversations with colleagues.

Details for the first Faculty Brew:

Here is a flyer with details about all planned faculty socials and we’ll be sure to update you before the next one.

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Come meet the President (no, not that one)

The FUSA Council will hold its monthly meeting on Friday, January 23, 9 – 11 am (Ybor campus, YLRC 305), and we will have a special guest. People are saying it’s the most important guest ever to come to a FUSA meeting. There’s never been a bigger guest.

Jokes aside, UFF President Robert Cassanello, on his listening tour of state chapters, will be joining us during our regularly scheduled monthly meeting. We encourage faculty to join us to hear about what is going on at the state level and at other chapters as well as to share what is happening here at HC–one big baseball stadium-sized issue comes to mind!

Legislative update

Our union sisters and brothers at UFF-UWF have a great page devoted to the 2026 Legislative session. Here are some other resources to help you keep track of the session and even some ways to take action:

  • Sign up for the Frontline Report — an end of week breakdown of the legislative session.
  • Register for FEA Power Hour – each Tuesday during the session. While we work to have Higher Ed issues covered here this is also of interest to those with children in public school. Each session has action items that offer direct advocacy opportunities.
  • FEA action alert texts: Text edactivist to 22394

Keep an eye on your inbox for future updates from FEA, UFF, and FUSA regarding legislative updates, issues, and actions during the session. And, as always, Contact Us if you would like to get involved with government relations work or help FUSA in other ways.

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FUSA news you can use!

FUSA Council

The FUSA Council will hold its monthly meeting on Friday, October 24, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the Ybor campus, room YLRC 305. All Faculty are welcome to attend!

The Informant

If you didn’t get the latest edition of the FUSA Informant hot off the presses yesterday at FPD Day, you can download it here along with past issues.

The new contract

Speaking of hot off the presses, the new FUSA contract is almost done! FUSA has been working with Administration to edit and proof the new articles before sending to the printers. We should have print and digital copies available within a the next few weeks.

As always, feel free to contact us or one or your campus Council reps if you have any questions and stay tuned for more updates.

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May Day, Graduation, Bargaining, and more

As many of you you know May 1 is International Workers’ Day (or Labor Day) for most of the world. The U.S., too, has a history of celebrating it prior to officially recognizing Labor Day on the first Monday of September. There are national events planned for Thurs May 1 and locally on Saturday May 3.

Graduation

As always, FUSA is hosting the Faculty Graduation Breakfast at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Friday, May 2, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. For more information, view the invitation.

Bargaining

The fourth and currently last planned bargaining session is slated for May 9 at the Ybor City Campus, YLRC 305, from 9am – 1pm. All faculty are invited to attend FUSA bargaining sessions with Administration. In fact, we encourage it! Even if you can’t stay for the full session a steady stream of faculty in attendance speaks volumes about our solidarity.

The FUSA Informant and more

If you haven’t read the latest issue of the FUSA Informant, fear not. We have it linked online so you can read about your union and the various happenings this spring.

And…some news from NEA

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FUSA makes a statement

While there was little suspense, FUSA easily bounded the hurdle of union recertification with a clear signal that legislative union busting attempts will not win the day! Voting closed April 1, 2025, and the ballots were tallied and reported by PERC, the Public Employees Relation Commission.

As FUSA President Sherry Sippel noted, “A resounding 99.2% of voting faculty were in favor of continuing to be represented by FUSA as their collective bargaining agent! In addition, almost 70% of the faculty voted!  That sends a strong message to the legislature that their next union-busting tactic of requiring more than half the bargaining unit to vote will surely fail here at HCC.”   

View the official Tally of Ballots | Screenshot of the ballot count

UFF President Teresa Hodge added, “Please join me in congratulating the Faculty United Service Association of Hillsborough Community College on their PERC election win today…Our bargaining unit members are continuing to make it clear that they want to keep their collective bargaining rights and their union by voting ‘YES for UFF!’  UFF now has nine (9) chapters that have won their PERC elections.  So, let’s celebrate each PERC win as we continue to thrive against all the odds!”

On behalf of the FUSA Council, our sincere thanks to everyone for casting their vote! United we are stronger!!

Bargaining – round 3

Our third of four scheduled bargaining sessions will take place April 4 at 9am – 1pm in YLRC 305 (Ybor Campus). As agreed to by both Admin and FUSA, this is the last session at which article proposals can be presented. Here is a Bargaining Summary of the proposals presented thus far and their status after the first two sessions.

All faculty are encouraged to attend bargaining sessions and stay involved! When we pack the room with faculty it really makes a statement–much like our PERC victory–that your contract is important and so is your union.

Legislative updates and action

Advocacy in Tallahassee by faculty and educators, with the help of UFF, FEA, and Working Families Lobby Corps, is making an impact. So is FEA’s weekly power hour Zoom meetings and legislative actions which have resulted in thousands of emails and phone calls each week to legislators on proposed legislation.

For instance, the perennial “guns on campus” zombie bill is dead once again! And this year’s union busting bills are having a hard go of it, seeming to be stalled in both chambers. Meanwhile, the Higher Ed “Presidential searches in the sunshine” bill is getting closer to becoming reality and would fix a terribly politicizing change made to a once open process.

Keep up the pressure with these actions (select “United Faculty of Florida” as your local union):

More ways to get involved:

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Time to fight back

Educators in Florida are facing a two-prong attack. Closer to home, the Florida legislature is again coming at us with union busting bills, while nationally we have the current administration’s unconstitutional efforts to dismantle the Department of Education to contend with. But don’t lose hope. Fight back! Let them know we stand united in defense of education, students, and the right to a collective voice to negotiate better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

On the Florida front

It is time to tell your legislators once and for all to leave educators, students and unions alone. Year after year bills are filed and often pass that defy your constituents and the intent of the Florida constitution which has enshrined the right to collectively bargain. Year after year teachers have shown that we will fight for our voice as workers that teach for the public good.

On the national front

It’s time to tell Congress to do their constitutional duty as a coequal branch of government and to protect the federal agencies they created from the callous, chaotic, incompetent cuts like those aimed at dismantling the Department of Education. Read UFF’s Press Release Condemning Executive Order Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, then take action:

More allies and ways to get involved

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Say NO to Viewpoint Diversity survey – 2025 edition

We all get so much email. A ton. Like waves crashing on the shore, the email just keeps rolling in. But isn’t it such a great feeling when you know you can delete an email and forget it ever existed?

Well, rest assured you can delete the email titled “Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity Survey” sent by HCC (as mandated by the state), and consign it to the digital dustbin forever. And here’s why:

United Faculty of Florida (UFF) strongly advises against participating in this survey. For several critical reasons, it is seen as a violation of your rights while also being a scientifically dubious instrument. UFF recently sent out guidance to members on this survey to your personal email, but to summarize, the survey is problematic in the following respects:

  1. Privacy and Autonomy
  2. Survey Integrity and Relevance
  3. Potential for Discrimination
  4. Implications of Bias
  5. Surveillance Concerns
  6. Freedom of Speech
  7. Political Coercion

For more information, here is a PDF detailing UFF’s position and guidance regarding the “Viewpoint Discrimination” Survey. If you have any questions feel free to contact us or reach out to your campus FUSA council reps.

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Ballots, Bargaining, and B.S., Oh My!

A lot is going on both locally for FUSA and at the state and national level regarding education and higher ed in particular. Your union is committed to helping safeguard and improve working conditions and pay for faculty. And there are times when we need to call on all members to lend a hand in these battles because our strength is in our numbers. Looking out for each other is the true meaning of solidarity.

Ballots

By now you should have received a FUSA Fire notification in your HCC email from FUSA President, Sherry Sippel, outlining the frustrating background behind the union recertification vote we are required to hold.

You should have also received your ballot by now at your home address. If you haven’t yet received your ballot, contact us as soon as possible. You may also email FUSA_President at hccfl.edu or jbullian at hccfl.edu.

It is imperative we get not only all FUSA members but every single HCC faculty member to vote YES to keep the union. This will send a strong message to Tallahassee that these unwarranted bureaucratic hurdles recently mandated for teacher unions, among others, are both a waste of time and taxpayer money.

Bargaining

Our second of four scheduled bargaining sessions occurred Feb 21. Both Admin and FUSA presented article proposals. Here is a Bargaining Summary of the proposals presented thus far. The next bargaining session is slated for April 4 at 9am – 1pm in YLRC 305 (Ybor Campus). All faculty are encouraged to attend and stay involved! We had a good faculty turn out last time. Let’s try and improve on it and get even more faculty to show up!

And now for the B.S.

Not only are we in the midst of the 2025 Florida Legislative session, we also are witnessing unprecedented attacks on government and education that have come with the new presidential administration. The “move fast and break things” approach has been callous, chaotic and incompetent.

If you are feeling powerless and looking for a way to stand up and fight for education and the institutions that have made this country great, your union is here to help. In fact there are large national alliances that are pushing back on these attacks.

FUSA is tracking the issues and actions with the help of our state and national affiliates. Our Issues & Actions section will provide resources to help you Get Involved, Get Informed, and Take Action, among other resources.

A great example of union power and solidarity happened on Feb. 25, 2025 in D.C. at a rally held by Labor for Higher Education, a group consisting of higher ed labor unions banding together to oppose the targeted attack on workers and funding at colleges and universities. Concurrently, an online meeting was held during which participants called their legislators and other officials and urged them to oppose these unprecedented attacks on academic workers across the country. If you missed the rally you can watch the video below (note the audio clears up at about 0:1:40 or so).

The event featured:

CWA Vice President, Public, Healthcare & Education Workers, Margaret Cook
AAUP President Todd Wolfson
UAW 2750 President Emilya Ventriglia
AFT President Randi Weingarten
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler
AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride
UAW Int’l Executive Board – Region 6 Director Mike Miller
Rutgers AAUP/AFT member Annika Barber
UE General President Carl Rosen
NEA Council for Higher Education Alec Thomson
HELU Chair Levin Kim/UAW

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Bargaining update

FUSA met with Administration on Nov. 22 2024 for the first bargaining session for the 2025-2028 contract. This was just the first of four sessions which will continue in the spring term. Both FUSA and Administration presented initial proposals (noted below).

On Jan. 24, FUSA and Administration met for a joint workshop to work through mutual interest-based issues for bargaining, such as lab points, the grievance procedure, and textbooks. In addition, a workshop was held Nov. 13 to work on Rank issues. These issues, among others, will be bargained at future sessions.

Bargaining session schedule

Mark your calendars for the following bargaining sessions to take place at the Ybor campus room YLRC 305. Faculty attendance is greatly encouraged!

  • Bargaining Session # 2 – 12pm Feb. 21
  • Bargaining Session # 3 – 9am Apr. 4
  • Bargaining Session # 4 – 9am May 9

What’s been presented?

The following contract proposals were presented at the first bargaining session:

FUSA proposals

  • 6.16.D Tenure Clock
  • 9.1.B.1-3 Performance Evaluations
  • 9.1.B.5 Student Feedback
  • 9.2. Faculty Development
  • 14.1 – 14.4 Economics
  • Prior Experience Appendix (new)

Admin proposals

  • 2.14 Contract Classifications — Lecturer Contract (new)
    • 2.20 Lecturer (new)
  • 6.12 Office Security
  • 8.11 Lounge Facilities

Separately, FUSA and Admin agreed on an MOU covering reimbursement of new state medical plan costs in December 2024 only to cover the double payments while still on the HCC plan. These reimbursements have already occurred.