UC-AFT Local 1966 Riverside

The following is the discussion thread for the union election board. This board will be moderated. If you have any questions or specific issues that you would like candidates to address please feel free to leave them here. Candidates can and will respond at their convenience. Please keep all discussions and questions civil and pertinent to union issues. For inquiries please e-mail Tony Yang at echistorian@gmail.com

ELECTION UPDATE 5/11:

The status of the election is as follows: 

Grievance steward, one year remaining of term being vacated by Stephanie Kay:
Paul Beehler (University Writing Program) vs. Ben Harder (University Writing Program) 

VP for communications, two year term:
Brian Linard (Computer Science, incumbent) vs. Lash Keith Vance (University Writing Program) 

VP for Organizing:
Ninetta (Roumpini) Papadomichelaki (University Writing Program), elected in accordance with the constitutional procedure on uncontested nominations (Article V section 5d) when only one nomination is received. 

Treasurer:
Matthew Snyder (University Writing Program), elected in accordance with the constitutional procedure on uncontested nominations (Article V section 5d) when only one nomination is received. 

At the May 8 meeting, the current executive board voted to propose a constitutional amendment to the membership.  Along with a few minor changes in words and phrasing for clarification, the substantive amendments proposed would allow for future elections, constitutional amendments, and other votes to be held online, and would reduce the period for voting on officer elections from 30 days to 15 days.  
See the entire constitutional document with proposed amendments shown by track changes here

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The California Part-time Faculty Association is holding its annual conference at RCC this Saturday.  This is a unique opportunity for those of you who teach at UCR and also at acommunity college to get more involved in community college advocacy for non-tenure-track faculty, and to learn what the issues are, including several bills currently pending in the legislature that will affect part-time community college faculty.

If you have heard that it is "illegal" to teach at UCR and also at a community college, you have been misinformed.  Though it is against UCR policy for any faculty member to teach more than 125% of a full-time load at a combination of campuses, this cap accommodates most UCR lecturers who hold other part-time appointments.  I am concerned that our UCR union members have not been more involved in activism for part-time faculty at area community colleges, and I hope that this misapprehension is not the reason.

I am going to request funding reimbursement from UC-AFT for lecturers who are interested in attending this event.  Details on registration and the agenda - including a keynote speech by a local person who has just published a book on non-tenure-track faculty - are available at www.cpfa

Everyone who is concerned about the state of higher education in California really should join us at the ReFund California rallies:

Wednesday,  November 9 at noon - Rally and march downtown from the Bell Tower
Wednesday,  November 16 at noon - Bus to regents' meeting

For details & sign-up, see the ReFund California site.

This document provides detailed and readily accessible information about the devastating effects of the vicious - and unneccessary! -  budget cuts to California's public Colleges and Universities over the last few years. 

The point-by-point format makes it suitable for use as a teaching module, as well as for talking points in debating the issue.   

MS Word format   |    pdf format

There will be a second screening of the new 10-minute film "Hanging by a Thread," about the UC budget crisis on Feb. 17, at 5:30pm in INTS 1121, sponsored by the Social Justice Alliance of UCR, with break out group discussions after the film.  

We have only 15 responses so far from UCR union members on the Unit 18 bargaining survey.  The statewide Council meeting, where bargaining priorities will be discussed, is this Saturday.  And bargaining starts next month.   So speak now - the link is still open, and it only takes a couple of minutes to complete.