UFMDC Retiree Chapter

More on the continuing attack on higher education my Governor DeSantis and his republican cronies.

DEI spending banned, sociology scrapped in Florida Florida’s State Board of Education imposed new prohibitions on DEI spending at state colleges, following a similar decision for state universities.

The retiree luncheon we had on September 26th was well attended. It was great reconnecting with colleagues. We also got a legislative report from our lobbyist and retiree member, Ana Ciereszko. Being in Florida, the news wasn't great but it was informative. Hopefully the news about the next legislative session will be better.

This is unbelievable. Just when you think you reached the bottom you find out that more digging has occurred. This coupled with DeSantis' attack on public employee unions is indicative of where higher ed (and in reality all of education) in Florida is going.

DeSantis ally with no higher-ed experience says he’s getting a state college’s top job State Rep. Fred Hawkins, who as a county commissioner was suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is the only finalist in the search for a president of South Florida State College.

This is a copy of an E Flash that Liz Ramsay, President of UFMDC, sent to all faculty.

UNDER ATTACK: Florida’s Public Higher Education Institutions

Florida government officials have taken a series of actions against the state’s public colleges and universities. Here is a brief timeline:

Spring 2021

HB233 Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity

· Allows students to secretly record classroom lectures for the purpose of filing a complaint or lawsuit.
· Prohibits institutions from “shielding” students or faculty from “ideas and opinions that they may find uncomfortable, unwelcome, disagreeable, or offensive.” This prevents colleges from restricting racist or hateful speech on campus.
· Created an Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity survey to be sent to all students, staff, and administrators asking them to label their viewpoint as “conservative” or “liberal.”

Fall 2021

University of Florida attempted to stop professors from serving as expert witnesses in a voting rights case.

Spring 2022

HB 7 Stop W.O.K.E. Act

Restricts Florida educators and students from discussing and learning about issues related to race and gender. A federal judge has since granted an injunction in a case brought by professors and students to block implementation of the law.

Spring 2022

HB7044 Postsecondary Education

· Requires colleges to change accreditors every cycle, a costly and time-consuming endeavor with no perceivable benefit. It is widely suspected that this action was taken in retaliation against Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the accreditor that sided with faculty and students in opposition to questionable procedures in recent college and university presidential hiring searches.
· Requires colleges to create a publicly accessible database of syllabi for general education core courses. Syllabi must be posted at least 45 days prior to the first day of class.
· Initiates a 5-year post tenure review process for state university professors. This does not apply to state colleges like Miami Dade College.
SB520 Presidential Searches

· Exempts college and university presidential searches from transparency requirements under the “Sunshine Law.”

January 2023

· Florida’s Department of Education and Board of Governors required reports from all state higher education institutions on activities related to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and CRT (Critical Race Theory). The demand did not include a definition of the terms DEI or CRT.
· Gov. DeSantis appointed six new members to Florida’s New College Board of Trustees. Among the appointees is Christopher Rufo.
· The presidents of Florida’s 28 public colleges issued a joint statement on DEI and CRT.
· Florida’s Department of Education rejected an elective AP course on African American studies.
· Gov. DeSantis unveiled his “Teachers Bill of Rights,” a plan that proposes salary increases for public school teachers at the same time it prohibits educators at all levels from paying union dues through payroll deduction.

While Miami Dade College does not seem to be the intended target of this wave of government overreach, our profession is undeniably under attack.

The Governor's announcement this week of long overdue well-deserved pay raises for schoolteachers contains a union busting poison pill that seeks to sweep away collective bargaining for educators across the state.

Embedded in the plan to increase salaries of K-12 teachers is a threat to remove the right to pay union dues through payroll deduction and a provision to decertify unions with less than 60% membership rate. When implemented together, these proposals seek to shrink and then eliminate educators' unions.

We cannot let that happen. UFMDC is working with allies like FEA (Florida Educators Association) and AFT (American Federation of Teachers) to push back against these attacks using all available legal strategies and community organizing. We are prepared to protect public education and collective bargaining rights in the upcoming legislative session and beyond.

What can you do right now to protect your rights?

Make sure you can receive email from [email protected]. Add United Faculty of Miami Dade College to the contacts in your personal email account (e.g., .com or .com) with the email address ([email protected]) and check your personal email on a regular basis.

Stay informed! Recognize the attempts to chill free speech on campus for what they are. Continue to teach with integrity and know that your union has your back. As long as we have our union, UFMDC professors have the protection of a strong contract and a powerful collective voice.

More on the attack on Tenure in Florida.

Tenure review for professors could be tied to Florida's law that restricts race-related instruction A controversial law designed to restrict the way certain race-related topics can be taught in Florida classrooms could soon factor into a new tenure-review process for university professors. It's a proposal that higher-education officials will consider next week.

I got back last week from Washington DC where I attended the AFT Retiree PPC meeting. I was one of about 25 retiree chapter leaders from across the United States who attended. I was representing, by far, the smallest group there. Many of the leaders were from huge locals including New York City Teachers Union, Chicago Teachers, State of New York Teachers Union, and Texas Teachers Union. I was one of only two representing Higher Education (the other being Chicago Community Colleges). I guess that we are still “The Mouse That Roared”.

AFT had several presentations including organizing techniques, maintaining activitism with retired members, and a discussion of the next election cycle. One thing that was discussed throughout the meeting was DeSantis and the future of Florida. You can only imagine what ensued during those discussions. It was great seeing some old friends and making new ones. Next on the schedule is the National AFT Convention in Boston where you, the UFMDC retirees, will be represented by our Retiree Chapter President, Mark Richard.