Press Inquiries || Join UFF-FAU || Possible violation? Contact Us || Your Contract

Take the Academic Freedom Survey!

UFF-FAU UFF-FAU
  • Who We Are
    • Our Mission
    • Executive Committee
    • UFF-FAU History
    • Constitution & Bylaws
      • Constitution
      • Bylaws
    • Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
    • Tenure-Track Faculty
    • Tenured Faculty
    • A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High Faculty
    • New Faculty Orientation
    • Affiliate Unions
  • UFF At Work
    • Collective Bargaining
    • Contract Enforcement
    • Government Relations
    • Achievements
  • Get Involved
    • Join UFF-FAU
    • Become A Leader
    • UFF Listens
  • Union Member Benefits
  • News
  • Events
    • Photos
  • FAQs
    • What are my rights during a meeting with a supervisor?
    • Why does UFF-FAU have so many social events?
    • What does UFF do for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty?
    • Membership/Dues
    • Bargaining
  • Resolutions
  • Contact Us
    • Send A Message
    • File A Grievance
    • Press Inquiries
  • UFF-FAU Executive Committee, 2024-2025

Author: Tom Fernandez (Tom Fernandez)

You are here: Home / Tom Fernandez


19.022015February 19, 2015

Standardized Class Scheduling

By Tom FernandezIn Message from the President

The university is making sweeping changes to course scheduling starting Spring 2016. We’re being told FAU will not be given...

0
Read More
19.022015February 19, 2015

New Evaluation Standards and Assignments for Faculty

By Tom FernandezIn Message from the President

Another new initiative being pushed by the administration are new Faculty Evaluation Standards. The proposed definitions for Outstanding, Exceptional, Good,...

0
Read More
08.022015August 12, 2015

How do you raise a University’s Profile?

By Tom FernandezIn News

The New York Times : How to Raise a University’s Profile: Pricing and Packaging

0
Read More
19.012015February 8, 2015

UFF FAU Happy Hour will be this Friday (Jan. 23rd)

By Tom FernandezIn Archives

The event will be at the Irishman (1745 NW 2nd Ave) from 4:30 to 7:00 pm. All FAU faculty are...

0
Read More
16.012015March 17, 2015

Devastating Graph on State Higher Education Spending (1/16/2015)

By Tom FernandezIn Home, News

The Atlantic : Florida higher education spending per student drops 41% is five years.

0
Read More
16.012015March 17, 2015

Students believe that FSU is selling out it’s academic integrity to the Koch brothers. (1/16/2015)

By Tom FernandezIn News

Tallahassee Democrat : President Thrasher refuses to meet with students.

0
Read More
10.012015March 17, 2015

FAU’s Performance-based Funding Scorecard. (1/10/2015)

By Tom FernandezIn Home, News

Palm Beach Post: Did FAU get an ‘A’ on its state report card for 2013-2014? Hardly.

0
Read More
09.012015March 17, 2015

Same-sex Spouses get benefit coverage at FAU (1/9/2015)

By Tom FernandezIn News

University Press: FAU employees can now enroll their same-sex spouses in benefit coverage.

0
Read More
06.012015January 19, 2015

FAU wrong type of school to have college football team?

By Tom FernandezIn Archives

Palm Beach Post – Letter to the Editor POINT OF VIEW: FAU wrong type of school to have college football...

0
Read More
04.012015January 19, 2015

What is the cost of university football?

By Tom FernandezIn Archives

The New York Times: Fears Rise Over Wealth Gap as Top College Conferences Push Overhaul

0
Read More
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Recent Tweets

Tweets by UFFFAU

Latest News

  • May 8, 2024
    (0) UFF-FAU

    In Defense of the Right to Free Speech and Peaceful Protest on University Campuses STATEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS. READ IT HERE.

    ...
    Categories: News
  • Higher Ed Workers Seek to Coordinate Nationally
    March 28, 2024
    (0) UFF-FAU

    CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE FROM INSIDE HIGHER ED

    ...
    Categories: News
  • U. of Florida Investigates Whether
    Professors ‘Interfered’ With Western Civ Center
    March 25, 2024
    (0) UFF-FAU

    [UFF-FAU Preface: The well-funded and well-organized conservative groups constantly  working to transform U.S. higher education to conform to their political ideology continue to try to make Florida an example.  They are moving quickly against tiny New College in Sarasota, but are moving more slowly and carefully against the University of Florida and other large research universities.  In addition to a national reputation to defend, UF has a large and influential alumni association, and the conservative groups are trying to avoid confrontations and bad publicity.   Once again, your union, the United Faculty of Florida, is the only defense against political interference, budget cuts and other hostile actions toward our public colleges and universities.    To build our collective power, join today!] The Chronicle of Higher EdEmma PettitMarch 22, 2024 The University of Florida is investigating whether a half-dozen professors in itsCollege of Liberal Arts and Sciences “interfered” with a Western-civilization center’sability to establish its curriculum “or otherwise fulfill its mission,” according to aninternal email obtained by The Chronicle. At least one department chair was alsoasked by the dean’s office to sign a letter affirming that his department believes thecenter’s curriculum “will provide a unique opportunity for students … and willcomplement our department’s offerings nicely.” The Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education, which focuses on teachingstudents the Western canon and fostering civil discourse, has been a focus of tensionon campus since it was approved by Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature, in 202 A little-known organization called the Council on Public University Reformhired a lobbyist to advocate for the center’s formation, The Chronicle reported lastyear. Some faculty members have expressed concerns about the center, pointing to itssupposed rightward tilt and its potential replication of existing departments. John F.Stinneford, the center’s inaugural director, previously told The Chronicle that thecenter is nonpartisan and that it would build upon “existing strengths” at theuniversity. Ben Sasse, the university’s president and a former Republican U.S. senator,also vouched for the center as “an important part of the UF community.” Yet it appears that the university’s administration doesn’t believe the center isreceiving a proper welcome. Earlier this month, the chairs and graduate coordinatorsfor the anthropology, English, and history departments received notices of a“Management Directed Investigation,” according to Churchill Roberts, a professor inthe College of Journalism and Communications who leads the faculty union’sgrievance committee. Roberts shared three of those notices with The Chronicle, eachof which says the investigation was initiated by David E. Richardson, dean of liberalarts and sciences. (Richardson did not respond to a Friday-afternoon email requestingcomment. The notices do not contain much detail or point to conflicts with the Hamilton Centeras the reason for the investigation. But Brook Mercier, the university’s assistant vicepresident for human resources, said as much in a March 10 email to the president ofthe faculty union, which was shared with The Chronicle. According to Mercier,Richardson was concerned “that the action or inaction of individuals may havedisrupted or interfered with the academic freedom of students to affiliate with theHamilton Center, or may have interfered with the Hamilton Center’s ability toestablish or have curriculum approved or otherwise fulfill its mission.” The investigation notice is “a scary thing for a faculty member to receive,” Robertssaid. Soon after the notices were issued, the faculty union, United Faculty of Florida atUF, sent a cease-and-desist letter, arguing that the investigation violated the union’scollective-bargaining agreement and university regulations. Of the six professorsinvolved, only one — Sid Dobrin, chair of the English department — has met with ahuman-resources investigator so far, according to Roberts, who sat in on that meeting. Roberts said the investigator was interested in, among other things, whether facultymembers were “bad-mouthing the Hamilton Center and discouraging students fromtaking courses, and Sid said not to his knowledge.” Reached by email, Dobrin declined to comment. The other five professors underinvestigation either declined to comment or did not respond to The Chronicle. SteveOrlando, a university spokesperson, said that the institution does not comment onpersonnel matters. Pledges to CooperateAround the time he was notified of the investigation, Dobrin was also asked to sign aletter affirming the English department’s support for the Hamilton Center, includingits plans to offer two majors: Great Books and Ideas; and Philosophy, Politics,Economics, and Law. The letter, which Roberts shared with The Chronicle, is addressed to Richardson. Atthe top, it includes the instructions to “PUT ON UNIT LETTERHEAD” before sendingback and a spot for the recipient to fill in the name of the department. It says: “Webelieve that the Hamilton Center curriculum will provide a unique opportunity forstudents interested in these areas and will complement our department’s offeringsnicely. We have no objection to the implementation of these courses and degrees. Wewould also be open to discussing the possibility of shared or cross-listed courses in thefuture.” “Additionally,” the letter continues, “given the expertise of the Hamilton Centerfaculty, my colleagues and I believe that there may be instances in which our graduatestudents would benefit from their participation” on graduate-degree committees. “Inthese cases, we would fully support Hamilton Center faculty serving on suchcommittees in our department. We would welcome these opportunities and would beopen to possibilities for this and future collaborations.” The letter says the chair may “add or modify as is appropriate to your unit — but themessage of supporting/not objecting should be clear.” It’s not clear how many department chairs were asked to pledge to cooperate with theHamilton Center. Orlando, the university spokesperson, said in an email that “as thisinitiative was led by Dean Richardson and not the provost or president, we don’t haveinformation as to how many department chairs received the letter.” In Dobrin’s response letter, which Roberts shared with The Chronicle, the Englishchair wrote, in part, that while he had not discussed the proposed majors with allfaculty members in his department, he does not “object to their being submitted forapproval via standard UF procedures and regulations” and that the department “will,of course, accept the results of that process.” William Inboden, director of the Hamilton Center, told The Chronicle in an email thatwhile “it is not my place to comment News

  • Florida Law Threatens to Defund, Disband Higher Ed Unions
    March 22, 2024
    (0) UFF-FAU

    CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE FROM INSIDE HIGHER ED

    ...
    Categories: News
  • NAACP urges Black student-athletes to reconsider attending Florida universities
    March 14, 2024
    (0) UFF-FAU

    To read the article CLICK HERE.

    ...
    Categories: News
UFF-FAU UFF-FAU
Address: UFF-FAU P.O. Box 812211 Boca Raton, FL 33481-2211
United Faculty of Florida - Florida Atlantic University Chapter © 2015 - 2020 / All Rights Reserved
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT