On August 6, 2015, the UFF-UF bargaining team declared negotiations over  Article 24, Salaries to be at an impasse.  

On November 18, a hearing over the impasse was held before Special Magistrate Tom Young.View UFF-UF’s presentation of the issues at impasse here: UFF-UF impasse presentation (pdf). In his recommended settlement (SM Recommendation, 12/28/15) Young ruled with the UF administration that only our salaries were open for consideration, thereby eliminating a huber of salary-related concerns that UFF raised, including low promotion raises and the absence of merit criteria and committees. In regard to faculty salaries, Young made three key points:

• he wrote, “UFF’s proposed faculty wage increases will contribute to improving the UF’s position in comparison to its peer universities on the national level.” Compared to 10 other “peer” flagship universities such as UC Berkeley, U Wisconsin, U Michigan, U Texas, and U Illinois, UF’s salaries for full professors rank near the bottom, and at the very bottom for assistant and associate professors.
• he rejected the administration’s claims that such increases would jeopardize university finances. UF has a $1.5 billion endowment, $148 million in unrestricted net assets. It has the largest reserve of funds, both in dollars and in percent of operating budget, of any university within the Florida state university system. In 2015, it set a fundraising record of $315 million, and its faculty set a research funding record of $707 million. In $24 million in performance-based funds from the state legislature—more than any other state university.
• he noted that taxpayer-funded institutions, such as UF, have a fiduciary responsibility to use reasonable amounts of their reserve funds to pursue their mission. 

While UFF accepted Young’s recommendation, the administration rejected it. The case then moved to the University’s Board of Trustees, whose decision was binding.  The following documents were entered into the record of the hearing before the Board of Trustees, help Jan. 25, 2016: UFF impasse recommendation for BOT; University Administration Impasse Recommendation 1-25-2016. The BOT found in favor of the university administration.  As a result, the following amendment was made to Article 24, Salaries: Amendments to Article 24 1-25-16

LINKS: Report of the hearing and information about next steps; Impasse FAQ (Printable Handout); Impasse Hearing Press Release, 11/12/15

PRESS COVERAGE: UF Faculty Union, Administration Still at Impasse on Pay, Gainesville Sun, Nov. 18, 2015 Faculty Ask for Salary Raises, Alligator, Nov. 19, 2015; Special Magistrate Sides with UF Faculty Union, Gainesville Sun, Dec. 29, 2015; UF: We Can’t Fund Recommended Faculty Raises, Gainesville Sun, January 25, 2016.

BARGAINING TEAM REPORTS, 2015 SALARY NEGOTIATIONS

April 10, 2015: UFF-UF opening proposal

Bargaining update, June 24, 2015

Bargaining update, June 30, 2015:  UF offers .5% raise, “merit” only, beginning January 1, 2016.

Bargaining Update, July 20, 2015: UF moves to 2.5% “merit” only, beginning Jan. 1, 2016; UFF-UF moves down on amount of general increase.

Bargaining Update, August 6, 2015: UF does not move from pervious position; UFF-UF declares negotiations to be at an impasse.

Bargaining Update, August 31, 2015: date for impasse hearing before a Special Magistrate set for Nov. 18, 2015. 9 a.m. in Emerson Alumni Hall, Warrington Room A.

Bargaining update, Sept. 17, 2015: a side-by-side comparison of UF’s and UFF’s final positions before impasse.

FACULTY RAISE HISTORY

These charts reflect faculty raises from 2011-2014.  All of these raises were in merit, except for 2013, when the merit pool was 3.85%, and the state allocated $1000/$1400 across-the-board increases (total figured as 4%). Increases compounded to show cumulative effects.

Cost of Living Percent Change: Figures taken from Table A, South region CPI-U, all items 12-month changes for October 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, South Region) Increases compounded to show cumulative effects.

Upper Administration Salary Percent Change: 20 administrators from all colleges and schools across the university, ranked Associate Dean to Provost, were selected based on their having remained in their position at UF during the period 2010-2014. The selection is comprised of 11 Associate Deans, 4 Deans, 1 Dean and ASO VP, 2 ASO Provost, 1 Sr. VP, and 1 Provost and Sr. VP. Units represented are: Arts (2), Business (3), CLAS (2), COE (1), DCP (2), Engineering (2), Grad School (1), Health Affairs (1), HHP (1), Medicine (2), Provost (3). Their salaries were identified using public records available through the UF Office of Institutional Planning and Research. If they received salary under multiple appointments, those salaries were added together to account for 1.0 FTE salary. The percent change in salary per year was calculated, as well as the percent change from 2010-2014. These figures include the state-allocated $1000/$1400 across the board increases. Increases compounded to show cumulative effects. (Click on charts for expanded view.)

UF SALARIES COMPARED WITH PEERS

The first three charts below compare UF salaries to peer institutions, as designated by UF Office of Institutional Planning and Research. All salary information is from  the 2013-14 AAUP Faculty Salary Survey, as reported in Chronicle of Higher Education, April 7, 2014.  Non-tenure track ranks are not included because UF did not provide salary data on NTT salaries to the AAUP survey. Click here for more salary information. (click on charts for expanded view.)

 

UF raises upon promotion compared to other Florida state universities:

UF FINANCES

UF claimed that our raise proposal was unaffordable. Here are some facts about UF’s financial picture:

In addition to general operating expenses (which remain flat from last year), UF’s state budget for 2015 includes $24.3 in new monies ($19.3 million in performance funds and $5 million in pre-eminence funding) plus $11 million in performance funds carried forward from last year. Source: Jeff Schweers and Erin Jester, “News on Scott’s Vetoes is Good and Bad Locally” Gainesville Sun, June 23, 2015.

Additionally, as of 2014, UF had $148.60 in unrestricted net assets.

updated 11/22/15