Contract Update

“After over a year of bargaining, the SEIU bargaining team and USF administration have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement through September 30, 2025 with increases to the minimum course rates for all Colleges of 5% effective the start of Fall 2023, and 3.5% to all Colleges (except Arts) in Fall 2024. We remind all faculty that these rates are the wage floor for courses offered at USF. Each individual faculty member is encouraged to seek a higher rate from their respective College. 
 

Previous Updates

  • Minimum rate of $1,000 per Credit Hour / $400 per Student
    No longer will each department establish a minimum rate per credit hour through fiat. Your bargaining committee has established a minimum rate for all departments at no less than $1000. This achievement sets a floor that will raise all boats in the USF Adjunct community that we intend to build on in future agreements with the administration. For adjunct faculty that are compensated on a per student basis, the minimum rate will be set at $400 per pupil. We believe this approach will impact the lowest paid among us the greatest, while putting upward pressure on pay for all adjuncts at the university. This is in line with our values of justice and unity, providing for all in our community and paying particular attention to those currently with the greatest need of securing financial stability.

  • Course Cancellation Fee
    No longer will we go uncompensated for our time and effort preparing classes that are abruptly cancelled. The agreement guarantees that adjuncts will receive a payment of $300 for any courses reassigned or cancelled within 10-days of their start date. This begins to address our demand that the administration value and recognize the work we do to prepare for classroom learning, and it is also the highest compensation in the State. It also discourages these last minute cancellations that can severely impact our ability to financially plan and ultimately make ends meet.

  • Representation
    By passing our first contract we will secure an array of rights that give us a voice in the workplace like never before. Among these include a grievance procedure that establishes a systematic and transparent process to address violations of our agreement and defend the rights of union members at USF. We are also entitled to bargain the impacts of any future changes that may impact our compensation or working conditions. By ratifying this first contract, we will be entitled to a legal seat at the table in critical decisions that affect operations at the university. This includes negotiations regarding the impacts of COVID-19.

  • Annual Meetings with Department Chairs
    In order to provide adjuncts greater voice in their respective departments, your bargaining committee has demanded the establishment of open meetings on an annual basis with department chairs to meaningfully discuss the issues impacting us at the university. These issues include professional development opportunities, working conditions and morale, staffing concerns, and departmental finances. We believe this item will serve as an invaluable tool for adjuncts to speak loud and clear within their departments and across the university. It also provides an additional venue to address concerns of greatest importance outside the bargaining process with USF administration.

  • Adjunct Pools
    As so many of us struggle to make ends meet given the uncertainty of course loads from semester to semester, your bargaining committee has reached agreement on the creation of adjunct pools to ensure those currently teaching receive consideration for new course openings. We believe this “pool” will begin to lay the foundation upon which we can build increased job security into future agreements by strengthening the seniority of those currently teaching. This item is central to the demands of adjuncts across the university who desire more stability in their course loads from semester to semester. It also makes clear our intention to further this goal in subsequent talks with the administration.

  • Evaluations
    Regular performance evaluations are critical to professional development in higher education. With that in mind, we have successfully bargained to ensure all adjuncts are entitled to annual evaluations that provide a fair and transparent process for assessing and awarding excellence in the classroom. These evaluations serve to distinguish the service we provide our students and are to be based on student evaluations, syllabi, course grade distributions, and other materials deemed relevant to the adjuncts teaching assignments.

Contracts & Agreements

Contacts

  • Jamaica Reddick, Organizer  |  jamaica.reddick@seiufpsu.org
  • Javan Frinks, Lead Organizer |   javan.frinks@seiufpsu.org

Union Hall

1202 66th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33710