United Academics - News

Recent News

  • UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT FACULTY UNION APPROVES NEW THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (DEC. 5, 2011): Late today, UA's full-time faculty union overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract with the University of Vermont, returning a clear vote of confidence and appreciation for the union and its negotiating team. To read the press release, click here.

  • RESULTS OF CONTRACT RATIFICATION VOTE BY UVM FULL-TIME FACULTY TO BE ANNOUNCED THIS AFTERNOON (DEC. 5, 2011): Full-time faculty members of United Academics are voting today on ratification of a new three-year contract with the University of Vermont. United Academics will send an announcement to media outlets shortly after the votes are tallied. To read the press release, click here.

  • EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF UVM FACULTY UNION LENDS SUPPORT TO OCCUPY WALL STREET MOVEMENT (NOV. 3, 2011): The Executive Council of United Academics voted unanimously on November 2 to issue a statement in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement. To read the press release, click here.

  • CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS REACH IMPASSE:Citing irreconcilable differences on retiree health care benefits, UA announced on Sept. 22 that its contract negotiations with UVM administration have reached impasse. To read the press release, click here.

  • TAX TIP FOR 2010 Union dues can be deducted under miscellaneous itemized deductions on line 20 of Schedule A (Form 1040) as non-reimbursed employee expenses. For UA members, 1% of dues paid in 2010 should NOT be claimed as a deductible employee business expense. Full- or part-time faculty who are not UA members but pay the agency fee can deduct the full amount.
  • U.A. KICKS OFF NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEW CONTRACT WITH FEB. 9 PRESS CONFERENCE Negotiations for a contract for the full-time faculty, whose current contract expires at the end of June, began with a press conference held by United Academics on Feb. 9. At this session, UA highlighted our key issues and concerns, which emerged from the faculty workload and compensation surveys faculty completed this past fall. To see a one-page handout with statistics about more debt, more students, larger classes, more spending--but not on academics--click here. To see the six slides that David projected, click here. To see the video, click here.
  • U.A. PRESIDENT DAVID SHIMAN CONVEYS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS PRIORITIES TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN FEBRUARY To read David's statement to the Board of Trustees on Feb. 5, 2011--in which he says the priorities relate to the quality of the student experience and professional lives of faculty--click here.
  • SLIDESHOW SETS STAGE FOR NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEW CONTRACT As UVM devotes a bigger share of its budget to administration and a smaller share to academics, what's the impact on class sizes, faculty teaching, and student experience? Click here to view slides that show the cost of shortchanging academics and the need for UVM to put the money where the students are. (Note that these slides are adapted from those prepared for the UA special forum on Oct. 7 in recognition of the nationwide Day to Defend Public Education.)
  • WENDELL POTTER, CORPORATE HEALTHCARE WHISTLE-BLOWER, TO SPEAK ON FIGHT FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM ON FEB. 25 Since he walked away as head of communications at CIGNA in 2008, Potter has been an outspoken critic of corporate PR and the distortion and fear manufactured by America's health insurance industry. In his book, "Deadly Spin," Potter not only provides an exposé of health insurers but also a stark warning that corporate spin is distorting our democracy. Friday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at Contois Auditorium, City, Hall, Burlington. Introduction by Bernie Sanders (on video). Co-sponsored by UA. Click here for flyer.
  • U.A. SUPPORTS C.C.T.A. DRIVERS AND MECHANICS AT PUBLIC HEARING On behalf of the UA Executive Council, Nancy Welch made a statement at the December 1st hearing on the CCTA workers' contract negotiations. Click here to read the statement. Individual UA members who ride the CCTA buses and want to learn more about the workers' contract campaign or express support can write to the contract campaign committee at bettertransitvt@yahoo.com.
  • U.A. PRESIDENT DAVID SHIMAN EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT ACADEMIC QUALITY TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN OCTOBER To read David's statement to the Board of Trustees on October 30, 2010--detailing faculty concerns about the academic quality of the University--click here.
  • U.A. PRODUCES FIRST-EVER GUIDE FOR PART-TIME FACULTY All part-time faculty are receiving a guide produced by UA, aimed at making their professional life at UVM more productive and rewarding. The guide has information about the many gains part-timers have won as part of UA, including promotion opportunities, funds for professional development, tuition remission, and grievance procedures, to name a few. There are also suggestions on how to best navigate the UVM system. Click here to see the guide
  • WHAT HAVE WE GAINED IN OUR CONTRACTS? The key provisions and achievements of our previous contracts are summarized in a set of concise slides. Click here to view UA Contract Gains.
  • RADIO INTERVIEW FEATURES IMPACT OF CHANGES IN RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS: Go to Equal Time radio to hear Beth Mintz, UVM Sociology Professor and Member-at-Large to the UA Executive Council, and Carmyn Stanko, President of UE Local 267 Service & Maintenance Workers at UVM, describe to Traven Leyshon on Oct. 5 the impact on faculty and staff of proposals to change retiree healthcare benefits. Beth's interview begins 10 1/2 minutes into the program; Carmyn's interview begins 16 1/2 minutes into the program.
  • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FOR PART-TIME FACULTY A funding pool of $15,000 per annum is set aside specifically for the professional development of part-time faculty (Lecturers II and III). The funds must be encumbered by May 1st and spent by June 30th. There is still funding available for this academic year. More details are available here.
  • FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION SERVICE FOR UA MEMBERS. UA members are entitled to a half hour of free consultation on any legal issue--except those related to your employment at UVM--by the Burlington law firm that represents United Academics. Click here for more information.
  • U.A. PRESS CONFERENCE ON FEB. 9 TO KICK OFF NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEW CONTRACT Negotiations for a contract for the full-time faculty, whose current contract expires at the end of June, will begin in mid-February with a press conference held by United Academics. At this session, UA will highlight our key issues and concerns, which emerged from the faculty workload and compensation surveys many of you completed this past fall. 12 noon, Silver Maple Ballroom, Davis Center. Contact: David Shiman
  • CALL FOR NOMINATIONS BY OCT. 29 This semester, the UA membership will elect a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and 3 members at large to the Executive Council; one of these at-large members represents the part-time membership. The entire Delegates Assembly is also up for election. All positions commence July 2011. Please nominate yourself or someone else for a position at our fall membership meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 27. Or e-mail the Nominations/Elections Committee chair: John.B.Forbes@uvm.edu.
  • CONTRACT CAMPAIGN TO KICK OFF AT FALL MEMBERS MEETING ON OCT. 27 As our bargaining team prepares to negotiate a fourth contract for full-time faculty, anticipated challenges include guarding against workload exploitation, ensuring retiree health care benefits, obtaining greater employment security for non-tenure-track faculty, and protecting academic quality. What should we be doing now to help our team prepare to meet these challenges--and what else do we want and need from our next contract? All UA members are urged to attend this crucial meeting on Wed., Oct. 27 from 4 to 5:30 in Memorial Lounge, Waterman.
  • NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY DISCUSSION AND BRUNCH: OCT. 9 Non-tenure-track faculty will share their stories with each other and with members of UA's Executive Council and full-time contract negotiating team. Participants will generate a list of immediate concerns for the full-time contract while thinking ahead to coordinate with the negotiation of the part-time contract. (10am-12pm, Memorial Lounge, Waterman)
  • "THE COST OF CUTS AT UVM" -- UA SPECIAL FORUM -- OCT. 7 What is the cost of UVM administrative decisions to increase the number of students while shrinking faculty and staff? Of heavier workloads for faculty and staff? Of higher tuition and greater debt for students? Where is the money going? And what can we do? Join UA from 4-5:30 in the John Dewey Lounge, Old Mill, for this special forum in recognition of the nationwide Day to Defend Public Education.
  • RETIREE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS IN DANGER: COME TO SEPT. 27 OPEN MEETINGS TO SHOW YOUR CONCERN Learn about options being considered by the University Benefits Advisory Council and provide your feedback: Monday, Sept. 27, Memorial Lounge (Waterman): 10-11:30a.m. and 2-3:30p.m. These meetings will provide an opportunity to set the stage for UA's upcoming contract negotiations. We're hoping for a good turnout.
  • SURVEY TO ASSESS WORKLOAD CHANGES Negotiations for the next full-time faculty contract will begin in the spring. In order for the Negotiating Team to represent you most effectively, UA needs your input regarding workload changes in the past couple of years. Go the following link and complete the survey BY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21.
    http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UAWorkloadSurvey2010
  • UA SPECIAL EVENT - "THE STRUGGLE FOR THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION" - WED., SEPT. 22 What's driving troubling trends at UVM as well as universities across the country? And what can faculty, students, and concerned citizens do about it? Join UA for an important discussion with Gary Rhoades, General Secretary of AAUP, from 4 to 5:30 in the John Dewey Lounge, Old Mill. Click here for more information.
  • UA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONDEMNS ARIZONA'S RACIAL-PROFILING LAW The Executive Council of UA voted unanimously on May 17 to pass a resolution against Arizona's recent immigration law. The resolution not only condemns the law but also calls upon UA's affiliates not to hold meetings in Arizona. Click here for more information, including the wording of the resolution.
  • STATEWIDE HEALTHCARE RALLY ON MAY 1:UA members are urged to join in a statewide healthcare rally with Senator Bernie Sanders on Saturday, May 1 to support healthcare reform in Vermont.
    - 11 a.m.: Gather at Montpelier City Hall (39 Main Street)
    - March on the Statehouse
    - Noon: Rally at the Statehouse with Senator Sanders
    Transportation from Burlington to Montpelier will be provided; details to be announced.
  • BARGAINING TEAM INVITATION. Our contract for full-time faculty expires in June 2011. We need to select our bargaining team for the spring 2011 negotiations by Jan. 15, 2010 to ensure that the faculty members involved receive course releases for their work. Click here for more information.
  • FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION SERVICE FOR UA MEMBERS. UA members are entitled to a half hour of free consultation on any legal issue--except those related to your employment at UVM--by the Burlington law firm that represents United Academics. Click here for more information.
  • ANALYSIS OF FY 2010 PERFORMANCE INCREASES BY ACADEMIC UNIT United Academics has analyzed the performance increases awarded this fiscal year by academic unit. Click to read a brief narrative and to see tables summarizing this information by academic unit and by position, including average $ and average %.

  • PART-TIME FACULTY RATIFY TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON NEW CONTACT On August 17th, UA's part-time faculty unanimously ratified the tentative agreement on a new three-year contract that the union had reached with the UVM administration on July 2nd. Negotiations, which began in January of this year, were particularly challenging given these difficult economic times. Click here for UA's full announcement including highlights of the tentative agreement.

  • CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE (CAC) WORKING FOR UA MEMBERS The Contract Administration Committee has been even busier than usual this past spring, discussing an issue or answering a faculty inquiry on almost a daily basis. Since the Fall of 2007, there have been more than 6,500 e-mails to the Committee! Click here to read the latest update from the CAC.

  • SALARY ADJUSTMENT FIGURES RELEASED You should have already recieved a letter detailing your salary for this coming fiscal year. The contract allocates 5% percent of the salary pool to raises this year: 3% percent to across-the-board (which everyone gets), 1% percent to performance (allocated by Deans in consultation with Chairs), and 1% percent to market/compression. United Academic's salary committee allocates market/compression funds, with the approval of UA's Executive Council. We have completed this year's market adjustment analysis and forwarded numbers to the administration. Most faculty will receive some market adjustment this next year. We wanted you to know about the process and its outcomes. Click here to read our report on this year's salary adjustment. Or click here for our Salary Adjustment FAQ, which will give answers to more general questions about the process at UVM.

  • UA FIGHTS FOR ACADEMIC QUALITY DURING BUDGET CRISIS During the past academic year, UVM and the university community has been rocked by a series of actions relating to the budget. UA took the strongest possible position in support of academic quality during this challenging time. Here are just a few things UA did to support our members, commuunity, and students.
    • On January 29, 2009, UA's Executive Council (EC) sent a formal letter to the entire Board of Trustees articulating UA's concerns and calls for the administration and the Board to consider alternative approaches that are now being explored at other universities. Click here to read this letter.
    • On April 6, 2009 UA partnered with Students Stand Up!, United Electrical Workers Local 267, and United Staff to throw a "Let Them Eat Gruel" Budget-Cut Protest Oatmeal Breakfast. Click here for the event Announcement, Flyer, or Press Release.
    • On April 5 and 23, 2009 United Academics' Executive Council issued statements to the UVM Administration on the Students Stand Up! Student Walk-Out and subsequent Sit-In of Waterman Building.
    • On May 12, 2009 United Academics and Students Stand Up! held a Joint Press Conference expressing our serious concerns over the administration's budget cutting measures, and stressing that the budget doesn't need to be balanced on the backs of students, staff, and faculty. Click here to read the press release for the event.
    Click here to read a more detailed summary of UA's actions in this trying time.

  • NEW CONTRACT TIPS! Check out the Contracts page for new contract tips that could help you. Recently added: Have you submitted your RPT dossier but have new materials to add? You may be in luck! Click here to read more. Are you a Lecturer II or III? If so, there are Professional Development Funds available to you. Click here for the details. Are you on Sabbatical or Professional Development Leave? If so, click here to read about important deadlines.

  • FULL CONTRACT TEXT -- The contract for full-time faculty is now available for you to download and read. Click this link: http://www.uvm.edu/~facrsrcs/?Page=unioncontract.html to go to the contract page where you can download the contract as a PDF document. The contract for the part-time faculty will be linked here as soon as it is published by UVM.

  • Not Getting Academe? Full results of the salary survey will appear in the next issue of Academe. If you haven't been receiving AAUP's bimonthly Academe, mailed to all United Academics' members, please contact Steve Finner.

Last updated December 6, 2011