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FUSA has not endorsed the Rays deal

Remarks by HC President Dr. Atwater at the recent Tampa City Council meeting (10/29/2026) suggested that FUSA has endorsed the proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal. To clarify, union members have varying opinions on the project but FUSA has not taken a position on the proposal, either for or against it. Our focus remains on our members and the students we serve, and any future position would come only through our members’ established process.

We are a democratic body and just as we do for other official union business, our Council would hold a vote on any official statement or resolution regarding the Rays deal because this would impact members on all HC campuses.

Here is the video of the meeting:

Timestamp: 2:09:23

We do urge you to watch the full presentation starting at 1:35:54, and to pay attention to future opportunities to see how our college leadership discusses this deal publicly. We will do our best to share information about these public meetings as we are aware of them. And as noted in our most recent post, engage with your union! In particular, the Dale Mabry Council representatives are a resource for Dale Mabry faculty. FUSA leadership will also be meeting with Dr. Atwater in the coming weeks and the agenda will certainly be “Rays” heavy.

Bargaining

As a reminder, we do have bargaining slated for Nov 6 at the Ybor campus (9am in YLRC 305). Faculty are encouraged to attend as we begin negotiations on an economics reopener for the final year of our 2025-2028 contract. We hope to see you there!

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Election Day is upon us, so are the Rays

This will be the last time you hear from us about the election, though I’m sure you’ll still be getting inundated with candidate flyers, texts, and emails right up until Nov 3. If you haven’t voted yet, make a plan to do so. If you plan to vote at an early voting location in Hillsborough be aware that they are closed on Monday Nov 2. Voting in person on Nov. 3 must be done at the polling precinct listed on your voter registration card, or use the Precinct Finder for Hillsborough County. For voting info for other counties, visit the Florida Division of Elections.

GOTV Resources:

You can still help get out the vote! Register here to phone bank and help get other union members around the state out to vote.

Empty Nest?

By now you’ve likely heard, especially if you are on the Dale Mabry campus, that the concept for “The Nest” has changed, along with the timetable and other details regarding the Rays deal and subsequent relocation and demolition of a majority of the college campus. The plan now includes two remote locations for the majority of face-to-face courses. The Nest concept has been scaled back to primarily include the bulk of student support services among other things. Despite the recent Town Hall meeting with students, faculty, and staff, we are left with many questions.

FUSA will be seeking transparency and clarity from the College on the deal and what it will mean for those that teach and learn at the Nest or these proposed remote locations. We urge DM faculty to bring your concerns, ideas, and feedback to your campus FUSA Council Reps, which will operate as a de facto taskforce during this process to help FUSA make sure the needs of faculty are met and the faculty contract is followed.

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Gearing up for the election

2026 General Election – GOTV

In the weeks leading up to the 2026 General Election we’d like to share some helpful “Get Out The Vote” resources to help you make sure you are prepared to vote. The stakes are considerable for Florida. At stake is the future of education in Florida, and, if the recent past is prologue, higher education will not be exempt from further attacks. It is no secret that one party’s ideology has controlled the conversation around education in Florida. They have attacked academic freedom and the curriculum. They’ve installed loyalists on institution boards. And, thanks to a law that all but eschews transparency in presidential searches, the governor is basically making political appointments for university and college presidents.

The only thing standing in their way of entirely remaking education into a for-profit “education industry,” are teacher unions such as FEA and UFF. So, of course they’ve been attacking us by passing law after law meant to restrict our constitutional right (in Florida) to come together in a union and advocate for better wages and working conditions for our members.

While UFF, FEA, and affiliates are fighting theses attacks when possible in the courts, and despite some recent wins, the legal process is slow. The best, most direct way we can counter these attacks and end the ideological stranglehold on Tallahassee is to turn out and vote for candidates who share our values and support public education and labor unions, and not those who stand to profit from dismantling them.

GOTV resources

The West Central Florida Labor Council has put together a list of candidates that have been screened prior to endorsement, a process overseen each election year by the FL AFL-CIO COPE Convention. The WCFLC encompasses Hillsborough County and surrounding counties. It is a non-partisan process that aims to find the best candidate that supports both labor unions and public education.

Make a Plan

Make sure you are registered and have the information you need to vote.

Get involved

Would you like to get involved and help organize for a better future for education and workers in Florida? Here are some ways to do so in the lead up to the election. (Instructions and guidance will be provided):

Documentary screening and panel discussion

There is a screening of the documentary First They Came For My College on Sun Oct 4 at 2pm (Sun-Ray Cinema in the USF region). This excellent documentary chronicles the hostile takeover of New College of Florida. Catch this limited screening and stay for the a panel discussion afterward. Hope to see you there!

Sun Ray cinema logo and event details

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Reopener, closed and other FUSA news

If you haven’t seen FUSA President Sherry Sippel’s recent announcement of a tentative agreement to the economics reopener for 2026-2027, here is a summary:

Article 14.1-14.4: Economics 

  • The 2026-2027 step pay system and salary schedule will be increased by 3% across the board.
  • All full-time faculty will receive a step increase for 2026-2027 (if employed as of December 2025).
  • The combined salary schedule and step increase is approximately 5%
  • Overload pay will increase from $78 to $80 per load point.
  • There will be a wage reopener for 2027-2028.

For more details, please read the complete proposal with mark-up changes. All members of the bargaining unit are eligible to vote on the tentatively agreed upon (TA’d) contract changes. The contract ratification vote will be in person during Faculty In-service on 08/13/2026. This tentative agreement is contingent on the state budget, which has yet to be finalized and signed by the Governor.

This is an example of the hard work of your union. If you are not a member, we ask you to join with your colleagues to support HC Faculty.

April FUSA Council meeting

The FUSA Council will hold its monthly meeting on Friday, April 24, 9 – 11 am (Ybor campus, YLRC 305). All faculty are welcome to attend.

Graduation

Faculty are invited to the annual FUSA breakfast prior to commencement (May 1, 7:30am-9:30am). We hope to see you there where we will also recognize this year’s retiring faculty.

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Wrapping up the week

There’s been a lot going on this week, from election results earlier this week to capping off this Friday afternoon with bargaining. And in between we have an action for Sociology and the Emeritus Luncheon.

Sociology and the Gen Ed Curriculum

The State Board of education is meeting Friday 4/17 to vote on, among other things, removing Sociology from the FCS Gen Ed curriculum. Here is the agenda (see item 10) and here is the action item. We need to let them know this is an attack of academic and intellectual freedom.

Please take a moment to sign this petition and circulate it to others to sign. Share it wide and be loud!

Emeritus Luncheon and Bargaining

Also happening Friday April 17, the Emeritus luncheon where awards is happening at the Ybor Campus. This is a reservation only event meant to honor new Emeriti Faculty and to gather with past Emeriti, current faculty, administration, and even students. If you got a ticket in time we’ll see you there!

Soon thereafter, the second bargaining session of the economics reopener will occur in YLRC 305 at 1:30. All faculty are welcome to attend this open meeting to bargain for fair compensation. Of course, the Florida Legislature has not produced a budget yet, so we are likely looking at future bargaining sessions to hammer this out.

Elections

While we had a nominating period, we had uncontested races for all FUSA Council representative positions and eligible officer positions (President and Vice President). Uncontested races are considered won by acclamation. We welcome the new faces and those returning to serve the faculty at our five campuses. In addition, we have new and returning UFF Senators and FEA Delegates. Here are the full election results.

The new two year term for these positions starts August 1. We encourage those that are curious about your union to attend meetings as a guest (always welcome). Consider getting involved. There are many ways to do so, just talk to your campus rep, senator, delegate, or FUSA officer.

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When did we become the enemy?

While the Florida Legislature has been woefully unproductive this session, unable to produce any meaningful legislation to help Floridians in this difficult economy or even produce a budget on time, they did manage to find the time to attack workers and public sector unions again. As both the Senate and House have now passed SB 1296, we are left to wonder, “When did when did we become the enemy? And why?”

Of course, it is no secret what has been occurring in both Higher Education and public schools here in Florida. Yet while the last 30 years of single party control in Tallahassee has presided over a slow and deliberate erosion of our K-20 public education system, in the past 5 years or so we’ve been witness to an accelerated and hostile takeover of many of our institutions of higher learning, the hollowing out of the schools in our communities, and the demonization of educators and the values for which we stand.

As we await analysis of the final bill and what it will mean in practical terms for Florida’s unions and specifically for FUSA and HC Faculty, we want to thank all of those who took the time to email or call (or both) legislators to voice opposition to this attack and to speak up for public sector workers in Florida. This opposition forced amendments that weakened the worst elements of the bill. Indeed, while this is a setback, it could have been much worse. FEA points out “one of the substantive changes to the bill is related voting thresholds in union recertification elections. The chart below shows the original impact and the current impact with the amended language.

“SB_1296_chart”

If you recall, SB 256 (2023) also represented a direct attack on educator unions. But through hard work and organizing we overcame every obstacle that was put in our place. In fact, there are more local unions affiliated with FEA today. And this highlights what we’ve known to be true all along. Our strength is in our unity. And if we stand together, they will not break us. It will require a redoubling of our efforts to grow FUSA membership even stronger. This is the only way to safeguard our contract and the protections and benefits it provides us.

In closing, we should recognize those legislators that did stand with the workers of Florida in opposition. Members from both parties in both chambers spoke passionately on behave of educators and to public good we provide.

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Urgent action needed again!

As many of you know, the Florida legislature, through bills in both the Senate (SB 1296) and House (HB 995) are trying to bust public sector unions like FUSA (though exempting first responder unions) and diminish your rights under the Constitution (freedom to associate) and the Florida Constitution (the right to collectively bargain). Over 200 union members, including FUSA, joined in Tallahassee to try and stop SB 1296 while still in committee. Despite vocal testimony of approximately 100 members, another 100+ waiving in opposition to the bill, and peeling two Republicans over to vote NO while two others strategically stayed home, the bill passed 10- 8.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends!

FEA and UFF have sent out messages this morning alerting everyone that the SB 1296 will be heard on the floor tomorrow (Thursday) We need everyone responding and letting both your own senator and other key senators they need to support Florida’s workers and to Oppose SB 1296.

Here are some tools to take action on SB 1296

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Urgent action needed on legislation

To all faculty who value their contract and what it provides for you and your families–things like a fair and predictable salary, safe and secure working conditions, due process and grievance protections, academic freedom and benefits of tenure–we have an urgent ask for all of you (and it may not be the last this legislative session).

The Legislature keeps moving the goal posts in an effort to undermine public sector unions, the vast bulk of which are educator unions such as FUSA (while exempting first responder unions like police, fire, and correctional officers!). We need to make a stand and tell them we will not be silent as they try to diminish our right to have a voice in our employment conditions and compensation! This is a right enshrined in the Florida Constitution.

What you can do

SB 1296 Public Employees Relations Commission will be heard in its final legislative committee next week and can then head to a vote on the Senate floor. We need your help to stop this bill in the committee. This bill will, if passed, require more than 50% of the bargaining unit to vote in a certification election for those chapters under 60% density. It will stop all course releases for union work. It will also give a 12 month window on Showing of Interest Cards. This is a fast track to decertification. We need you to step up and do the following:

Note: If you are a registered Republican, your participation will be particularly helpful.

FEA has noted some additional reasons this bill is bad for workers:

  • SB 1296 will make it harder for workers to support their families, and will hurt our communities. During a time when Floridians are struggling with an affordability crisis that is crushing family budgets and dismantling our ability to support our families, we need support, not policies that make it harder for us to live.
  • SB 1296 will make it harder for you to pay your bills and make it harder for you to fight for and keep your healthcare
  • SB 1296 will take away your voice at work and limit your personal freedoms, all while adding more bureaucracy to your workplace. 

Tell your lawmaker TODAY to support workers in Florida, not make it harder to for us to support our families!

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Say NO to “Viewpoint Diversity” survey – 2026 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 the College (as mandated by the state), and consign it to the digital dustbin forever. Please read the following guidance from UFF: 

The survey is not a valid tool, it has never been. It is a push poll, experts in the past have described it as such. Our participation in it, no matter how genuine your intent, will be used against us by state officials and lawmakers alike. We have learned from previous versions of the survey that participation across the board has been low. We must continue in this tradition and do our best to keep the results and participation low.

The United Faculty of Florida encourages all higher education faculty, staff, and students to ignore the voluntary “Viewpoint Discrimination” survey for the following reasons:

  1. Florida’s government has no right to know the thoughts, feelings, or political or religious beliefs of anyone, including the higher education community. Privacy is the bedrock of democracy and a safeguard against autocratic control.
  2. Ignoring this survey is an act that protects individuals of all political persuasions, now and into the future. This survey would not pass ‘validity tests’ in any institutional review process, as there is no way to ensure that responses will reflect the demographics of the institution. It is not worthy of time away from our teaching and research.
  3. The specificity of the survey’s demographic questions allows for targeting of faculty, particularly minority faculty, and can be used to attack tenure.
  4. Many of the survey’s questions are leading in nature and imply that there is a problem of viewpoint fairness on our campuses already–this is a conclusion searching for evidence, rather than the other way around.
  5. Many of the survey’s questions ask respondents to report on what they believe their colleagues and students think and how they are behaving on campus. Surveillance has no place in Florida’s higher education system.
  6. The survey will cause a chilling effect on freedom of speech and freedom of association on campus because faculty, staff, and students will be wondering whether their words and deeds will be reported to those in power.
  7. Governor DeSantis and other legislators have threatened to defund or otherwise punish campuses whose responses do not match the appropriate ideology. This is not a standard of leadership or behavior that any member of Florida’s higher education community should support.

For these reasons and more, UFF discourages participation in the survey, and we encourage you and all members of the Florida higher education system to join our fight to protect the freedoms of the faculty, staff, and students who make our campuses such wonderful places to live, learn, and grow.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us or reach out to your campus FUSA council reps.

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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).