News

04 Feb Contact Tracing

• Contact Tracing: We’ve received a number of questions about contact tracing over the weeks since returning to campus, and now have plans to meet with relevant administrators to get those questions answered.
  
  
  
• FAQ & Further Inquiries: You can find general guidelines on contact tracing from UIC here. However, we know that some have had questions or concerns, and want to make sure the CT system is working for faculty and students. We encourage you to contact us with questions or concerns at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com so we can seek resolutions.
  
  
  

Dear Colleagues,

We’ve heard from several of you on questions about ongoing COVID safety and contact tracing, and have been seeking answers. You can find UIC’s official policies and procedures for contact tracing here, with links to other COVID safety resources at the bottom of the page. Of course, we are aware that the stated policies may not cover all eventualities, and that members have had questions and concerns dealing with the CT system. We are currently planning to meet with the administration’s CT team representatives in the near future to get those questions and concerns addressed. 

As ever, if you have questions or issues about contact tracing, any other aspect of the back-to-campus transition, or a separate concern about working conditions, please reach out to us ASAP at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com

Solidarity

UIC United Faculty

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

28 Jan UICUF Leadership & Sick Leave Legislation

• Leadership Transition: Last week, UICUF suffered the painful loss of our President, Janet Smith. Per our constitution, Executive Vice President Aaron Krall is stepping into the union’s top role, pending new leadership elections in April. 
  
• Union Elections this Spring: In addition to the anticipated start of contract bargaining, we will be holding union leadership elections this April. All members will receive a mailing in the next couple of weeks indicating key dates for nominations and voting. 

• Sick Leave Legislation: With support from our state affiliate, IFT, legislation covering leave time for public employees taking off for COVID related illness or care of dependents in isolation/quarantine, is now expected to become law. IFT’s FAQ on the bill can be found here.
  
• Questions About Back-to-Campus: We continue to encourage our members to contact us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com if you have any questions about returning to campus, including those regarding flexible work accommodations, contact tracing, and th like.  

Dear Colleagues,

As we begin the process of moving forward after the loss of our President, Janet Smith, we want to thank everyone who joined us for the memorial service last Sunday, and who sent us photos or shared stories from her life. You can watch a recording of the memorial service here. We are of course continuing the work of representing UIC faculty with a view toward our upcoming contract negotiations and helping our members navigate the immediate questions and concerns of returning to campus. 

Leadership Transition

Per our constitution, our Executive Vice President, Aaron Krall, will be taking on the duties of the President, pending new leadership elections this April. Aaron is a Senior Lecturer of English, and also a Co-Chair of our Bargaining Committee. He has been a union member since UICUF’s formation and is one of our veteran contract negotiators. 

We will be holding a full round of union leadership elections this April, including all Executive Board Position and College Representatives. You can find a list of current Executive Board members and College on our website. All union members will receive a notice of elections, nomination process, and key dates by mail within the next few weeks. We will reach out if we do not appear to have an accurate address on file. 

Sick Leave Legislation

Our state affiliate, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, has advised us that the legislature is expected to pass a bill covering leave for public employees either sick with COVID or caring for a dependent in quarantine/isolation. An FAQ on the bill can be found here, via our website. In brief, all public education employees in Illinois will be eligible for leave time for the stated purposes without having to use personal or sick leave days.  Those who have used leave days to cover these situations in the 2021-2022 academic year will have those days returned to them. 

UIC has offered some version of paid leave for COVID illness throughout the pandemic.  This bill, however, may cover some gaps, especially if you were forced to take leave to care for a dependent in isolation or quarantine. We will announce when the bill has been signed into law. As always, please send any questions about this to us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. 

Back-to-Campus Questions

For the many faculty who returned to full in-person teaching this week, we hope the transition is going smoothly.  We are, though, aware that there may still be lingering questions or concerns. We have heard from members regarding flexible work accommodations, contact tracing, and temporary shifts to remote if COVID cases make classes unmanageable.  Please remember that all units should, by now, have written policies on the latter issue. Per instructions from the Provost’s office, department heads should have worked out these policies with their elected advisory bodies, based on the principle that faculty members themselves are most qualified to make decisions about how to best conduct their classes. We encourage all members to continue contacting us if you have new or ongoing questions about how to navigate this challenging moment. 

Solidarity

UIC United Faculty

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

20 Jan Town Hall & Campus Return Details

• Town Hall: After suggestions from UICUF, the administration held a Town Hall last night on the protocols for resuming in person classes next Monday.
  
• Union Input Helped Shape Policy: The administration has accepted or moved closer to several union proposals, such as expanding testing availability, providing masks, and holding the town hall. These came directly out of input we received from members.

• Remote Work Accommodations: We want to continue reminding members that there is specific UIC policy on remote work accommodations that empowers Unit Heads to grant flexibility for circumstances including household risk and child/elder care responsibilities. You can also seek ADA-based accommodations via the Office of Access and Equity.
  
• Memorializing Union President Janet Smith: Janet passed away earlier this week. She will be deeply missed, but also fondly remembered. At this time we are soliciting any photos and stories members wish to share for a virtual memorial wall on our website. Email us anything you wish to share at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. Further memorial plans will be forthcoming soon. 

Dear Colleagues,

UIC Admin announced officially that we will be returning to in-person learning as the primary mode for classes starting Monday, 1/24. After input we passed on from our members, the Administration also decided to host a Town Hall, the recording of which should be available soon. We are pleased that this and other positive moves have been forthcoming from the administration since our meetings with Provost Reyes over the last several weeks. While some of the steps we proposed in those meetings did not make it into the final guidance for the return, we’re satisfied that they incorporated a significant portion of the input we offered. 

Union Input Helps Shape Policy
While we are not the only stakeholders to consult with the administration on back-to-campus policies, we do want to note a number of issues that we’ve seen real movement on since we brought them up. All of the issues we discussed with the Provost during this period were formulated via input from our members, who had a lot to say via both email and one-on-one conversations. Here are a few of the things we’re happy to see positive movement on:

• Masks: We encouraged admin to consider providing masks, especially high-quality N95 or KN95 masks, and we have now been informed that the university will provide roughly 130 thousand KN95 masks to the campus community, and an additional 140 thousand disposable “procedure” masks.
  
• Testing: Following conversations in which we suggested significant expansions of testing capacity, we see that there will now be extended hours for testing from 8-6pm, and hours this coming sunday. The window for testing was also clarified as being within 72 hours after returning to campus.
   
• Reminders to Unit Heads on Flexibility Policy: While the flexibility and remote work policy is far from ideal, it does provide several paths for reasonable accommodations when needed. Unfortunately, Unit Heads have been steadily drifting away from, and/or misinterpreting this policy. Pursuant to conversations we’ve had with the Provost, this policy is being reaffirmed and Unit Heads reminded of their roles and responsibilities therein.
  
• Process for Temporary Shifts to Remote/Hybrid: though it is buried in outside links in the announcement, we did get agreement on how departments will create processes for temporary cessation of in-person classes under certain circumstances. These circumstances may include a major uptick in absences in a particular class, for example. Unit Heads should be developing these policies immediately, and in consultation with faculty, and elected executive or advisory committees more specifically. Critically, requests to go remote or hybrid should be made if conditions in your in-person class change in a way that interferes with the teaching and learning environment. These requests must be responded to within 24-48 hours. You can see this policy here, under the “Temporary Changes in Course Modality” dropdown. Because it is difficult to find, we’ve reproduced it at the end of this message. 

Accommodations for Flexible/Remote Work
We are still receiving questions about remote work accommodations. The university policy on accommodations is here. It clearly states that Unit Heads have the power, and are encouraged, to offer flexible arrangements where possible, to accommodate not only personal COVID risk, but also household circumstances such as vulnerable family members or increased caregiver responsibilities. There is also an option to seek ADA-based accommodations through the Office of Access and Equity. If you are having problems seeking an accommodation, of course, please let us know at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

Memorializing Janet Smith
As we sadly announced earlier this week, our union president, Janet Smith passed away Monday night. We will be planning several memorial activities in the near future, but for now we encourage you to write to us with your photos and/or stories about Janet. We will be creating a virtual memorial on our website. We will be planning a live and potentially in-person memorial event for those who wish to attend in the near future. Please send any remembrances to us by email at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

Solidarity

UIC United Faculty

University Policy: Temporary Changes in Course Modality

• Our goal is to offer the majority of UIC courses face-to-face on campus during the Spring 2022 semester. We also want to effectively and flexibly handle Covid surges so that our students, faculty, and staff are successful.
• Given the current dynamics of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, we anticipate situations where larger numbers of students will miss classes and/or where faculty will not be able to teach face-to-face for short periods of time due to COVID-19-related circumstances.
• Our contact tracing team, using data from the classroom attendance tracking app Acadly and the HealthCheck app, as well as following the guidance provided by Dr. Bleasdale and Dr. Barish, will be able to identify courses with high numbers of students or faculty who cannot attend in person because they tested positive or because of exposure to individuals that have tested positive.
• For cases of high COVID-19 incidences in a class during Spring 2022, using data provided by the contact tracing team about the duration of the course specific surge, it could be beneficial for specific face-to-face courses to be moved to online or hybrid modalities for a short period of time to allow the surge of COVID-19-related incidents to subside.
• By January 24, deans should work with department chairs, with input from faculty and elected faculty advisory committees, to develop and communicate specific guidelines, communication protocols, and processes for faculty to request changing teaching modalities for their course(s) for specified, short periods of time when these situations emerge. Faculty are best positioned to propose modifications and changes in teaching modalities that would serve their students better as circumstances around high incidences of COVID-19 evolve in their classes.
• Decisions for faculty requests to temporarily modify course delivery modalities should be done expediently and preferably within 24 hours, but in no more than 48 hours. Decisions should be made using the guidelines provided by deans and department chairs and the information provided by the contact tracing team or other sources of information, such as direct communication between students and faculty.
• It will be important for faculty to effectively inform students of these temporary changes in instructional modalities, the specific expectations associated with them, and the dates in which the modifications will occur. We ask faculty to (a) coordinate with their department chairs when changes in course modality are made and (b) share communications sent to students with their department chairs. Department chairs should provide this information to their dean’s office, which in turn will inform the provost’s office.

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

19 Jan UICUF President Janet Smith Has Passed Away

Dear Colleagues

It is with great sadness that we must pass along the news of the death of one our most steadfast, determined, and beloved comrades.

After an inspiringly cheerful and determined fight against cancer, our Union President and dear colleague, Janet Smith, died last evening.  She was able to be at home, with her family.

As many of you know, Janet put her heart and soul into the union—as with so much else that she did to make the university, Chicago, and the world a better place.  And we were on her mind at the very end.  Yesterday evening, just hours before her passing, her husband Jim sent along a message that said that “before it’s too late, she wants the whole union to know how much she loves you all, how much she’s been blown away by working with you.”

We have already received so many words of shock and grief, as well as fond and warm words of remembrance of her amazing passion, creativity, and solidarity.  One member wished us to emphasize how much Janet “encouraged everyone and gave them the courage to share their own voices.” This is very much the essence of Janet’s work building and leading our union.

Janet’s passing leaves a huge hole that, even in these pandemic times, we simply must find ways to memorialize.  We will let you know as soon as we can of any and all services and commemorations we become aware of, including those that the union will surely be convening in the coming weeks and months.  We will also let you know of any charitable funds to contribute to in her memory.

In the meantime: we will mourn, and we will organize.  And we will long remember our UICUF foundation, and closest of friends.

Solidarity forever,

UICUF Executive Board and Staff

12 Jan Provost Consultation on COVID Measures

• Ongoing Consultation: We met again on Tuesday with Prov. Reyes and an extensive administration team including health experts, and plan to have a follow-up meeting early next week on ongoing COVID measures and remote work. 
  
  
• Return-to-Campus Decisions: Although a final decision and announcement is anticipated next Tuesday, admin expects to return to in-person classes on the 24th. The current 2-week hiatus will serve as a cooldown and observation period after the holiday spread of the Omicron variant.  
  
  
• On-Campus Testing: Capacity is being expanded significantly, and admin highly encourages people to use on-campus testing given the issues many are experiencing seeking off-campus tests. All workers and students should get tested within 72 hours after returning to campus or provide a negative test to UIC Health. Anyone with a documented positive PCR test is exempted from testing for 90 days.
  

• Process for Seeking Remote Work Accommodations: As a reminder, current UIC policy allows and encourages unit heads to offer flexible work arrangements to faculty where possible. Accommodations may also be sought through the Office of Access and Equity. Prov. Reyes has committed to reminding unit heads and administrators of this policy. If you have any problems with seeking an accommodation, please let us know immediately.
  
  
  

Dear Colleagues,

As we mentioned in our prior communications on remote work and COVID safety decisions, we met with Provost Reyes on Tuesday, sharing many concerns and questions brought to us by our members over the last week. We covered a variety of topics, including decision-making deadlines, consultation arrangements and transparency, safety measures, and ongoing issues with members seeking remote/flexible work accommodations. We are encouraged both by the powerful eloquence of what we’ve heard from our members, and by the new provost’s willingness to listen to those collective concerns.

Decision-Making Timelines and Thresholds

We pressed the administration to clarify the guidelines it is using to make a back-to-campus decision this semester–and to make that decision as soon as possible. Although the current expectation seems to be that in-person classes will resume on the 24th, the final decision will be made and communicated to the UIC community by the Chancellor, likely by next Tuesday, 1/18. This is a compromise to balance the needs of faculty and students to plan for classes the following week, while giving time for health experts to see how dangers relating to the surge in COVID cases is evolving. 

There is no single metric the administration is considering as a red-line for keeping classes remote, but we did speak extensively with the primary university health expert advising the administration on infectious disease prevention. They are particularly watching hospital capacity, and strongly emphasizing appropriate masking, meaning at least a 2-ply mask that fits well around your face (see below regarding mask enforcement and other mitigation measures). 

Consultation and Transparency 

We expect to meet again with the administration before they make a final decision on returning to campus.  Moreover, the Provost was receptive to our request to hold a town hall meeting next week to explain that decision and any safety measures being put in place. This of course means that we will continue using your input to formulate the union’s positions for that meeting. We strongly encourage you to send thoughts, questions, or concerns to us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. Your input is crucial.

COVID Safety Measures

Aside from the decision to hold classes remotely the first two weeks of the semester, we asked about other safety measures.  Given the challenges facing almost anyone seeking to get tested for COVID, we especially advised that on-campus testing capacity be ramped up dramatically for the foreseeable future. In response, the university will increase testing capacity from 3,000 tests-per-day to 8,000 tests-per-day, and will extend weekday hours for testing to 8am-6pm and possibly later if needed in the first days back. Testing will be available in Student Center East, Student Center West, and at a new location in the Forum. The administration also clarified that students and faculty should get tested within 72 hours after returning to campus, with the understanding that off-campus testing access is uneven at best. If you are able to get tested off-campus, you can still upload your test results to the U of I Health system. As a reminder, you must now also upload your booster information in the same system.

Also, additional work has been done on ventilation to test appropriate airflow and to install HEPA filters where natural airflow was found to be inadequate. You can review the ventilation assessments here.  

In regards to masking, the administration has advised that if you see problematic behavior in the classroom, you can report it directly to the Office of the Dean of Students to report the problem. The administration also says that it may revise its mask policy depending on potential changes in CDC recommendations relating to the effectiveness of specific kinds of masks with Omicron. The current emphasis is on appropriate masking with at least 2-ply masks that fit well over your face. Gators, bandanas, and single-ply cloth masks are believed to be insufficient barriers to COVID transmission at this time. 

Accommodations for Flexible/Remote Work

As an important reminder, university policy gives unit heads the power to offer flexible/remote work accommodations where possible, but also provides for an alternate process through the Office of Access and Equity. The administration agreed to remind Deans and Department Heads of this policy, and clarify responsibilities therein. They also advised us that due to a sudden departure of an OAE staffer, there has been a backlog of accommodation requests. They are aware of the problem and are working to cover outstanding requests ASAP. If you are having problems seeking an accommodation, of course, please let us know at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

The provost also indicated that his office would soon be developing guidelines relating to faculty choice to continue with on-line learning for their courses depending on various circumstances—particularly a large number of student absences.  We expect to be able to consult on such a policy before its announcement. 

Solidarity, and stay safe,

UIC United Faculty

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

07 Jan Discussions Ongoing on Return to Campus

• Class Formats in the New Year: First, of course, UICUF wants to wish all our members a very happy new year! At this time, the first two weeks of the semester will be remote.
  
  
• Your Input Matters: Thank you to all who wrote with questions or concerns in the waning days of 2021 about the shift to remote classes. We shared many of these questions (anonymously) directly with Provost Reyes, and will continue to do so. So please continue to share your thoughts.
  
  
• Ongoing Discussions w/the Provost: At this time we are anticipating meeting again with Provost Reyes next Tuesday, 1/11, to discuss implications for a return to campus after the planned two week remote period ends. Again, your input matters very much. Email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. 
  
  
  

Dear Colleagues,

We hope you are enjoying the last few days of winter break, and the first days of a new year! 

As we reported in late December, we have been in discussion with Provost Reyes and his team about plans to hold the first two weeks of spring semester remotely because of rising COVID cases. We are pleased with Provost Reyes’s improved communication with UICUF, though we continue to advocate for bringing union representation into the decision-making process earlier to make collaborations more fruitful. 

Member Input is at the Forefront of Our Efforts
Before the break, we asked you for your input as union members on the last-minute decision to go remote for the first two weeks of spring semester, and we want you to know that we shared those concerns (anonymously) directly with the Provost during the winter break. We highly encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts on the evolving situation via email to us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. We will pass on questions, ideas, and concerns directly to the administration anonymously as a general rule. 

Here is a brief summary of the most commonly cited issues members have already brought to us to share with the administration: 

• Several members expressed concern about the short notice of the decision, and when a follow-up decision would be made to return (or not) to in-person classes. UICUF asserted that the sooner such a decision could be made and announced, the better it would be for faculty planning their classes and other activities.
  
  
• Relatedly, members were concerned as to how the remote versus in-person decision was made and how it will be made in the future. We have asked that decision-making and presumed red-lines for extending remote learning be as transparent as possible, and communicated as early in the process as possible. We’ve also asked that the administration include both the Union and the Senate as plans are formed, as opposed to giving us early notice of decisions that have already been made.
  
  
• Faculty reiterated a concern that has been present since the start of the pandemic about the lack of personal discretion to choose online or in-person work based on their own health needs. Current processes based on a poorly aligned ADA process through the Office of Access and Equity, or based solely on the discretion of Heads and Deans for faculty to opt out of in-person work on a health basis, are inadequate and must be revisited.
  
  
• Members pointed out logistical issues around getting a PCR test in a timely manner in order to return to campus. We have strongly suggested that the on-campus testing system be prepared to handle a massive rise in testing needs in the short-term to accommodate the stated requirements, and not rely on people doing these tests done at home or at potentially unregulated problematic outside testing sites.

Next Steps
We are pleased to say that we do anticipate meeting with Provost Reyes, along with many of the decision-makers in the administration, next Tuesday to discuss future plans for returning to campus, and other implications of the surge in COVID cases. Health professionals in the administration, as well as health professionals among our union leadership will be present. As before, we welcome input ahead of that meeting and will report back ASAP on the proceedings to give you the most timely information possible. 

Solidarity,

UIC United Faculty

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

21 Dec Follow Up on Remote Work Announcement

• First Two Weeks of Spring Term are Remote: Per the recent email announcement this morning to all faculty, most classes are now expected to meet remotely for the first two weeks of Spring Semester.
  
  
• Consultation with the Union: While UICUF was not directly involved in this policy decision, we are pleased to say that Provost Reyes did consult with us before releasing it. We concur with the general intent to pursue the safest return to campus possible.
  
  
• Questions and Concerns: Upon reading the announcement (the first we’ve seen of the actual policy) we believe there are both questions and potential concerns to address regarding implementation. We highly encourage members to reach out with your own thoughts at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com so that we can share them with the Administration.   

Dear Colleagues,

Since our last message on Friday, we’ve learned that most classes will be moving back to remote formats for the first two weeks of Spring Semester. An official announcement from the administration this morning confirmed some of the details of this decision. Though some types of classes, such as labs and clinics, will be exempted, we are operating on the assumption that the vast majority of students and faculty will be off campus through this initial period. 

Though UICUF was not involved directly in the decision-making process, we were consulted before release of the announcement, and offered some input. The union agrees with the broad strokes of the decision and its efforts toward our shared goal of ensuring the safest possible return to classes after the winter break. We do, however, have a number of important questions around the specifics of implementation, which we intend to follow up on, sharing any response as soon as possible. 

Notably, the decision-making process related to such policies remains somewhat unclear, and though the union and the Senate were consulted, those consultations occurred only briefly before the announcement was made. Nor did we have an opportunity to see the specifics of the announcement before it went out. We are pleased that the administration has opted for transparency with the union at this stage. At the same time, we hope to move closer to genuine shared decision-making on issues that affect conditions of work for our members. 

We also see no specific indication of how or when a decision will be made to extend, or end, this remote-work period. As our members must plan and prepare class materials in a potentially quite different way based on such a decision, we believe a clear set of contingencies–and as much advance notice as possible–are the minimum necessary to ensure classes can proceed without any more disruption than necessary. 

Finally, we’re aware that there will be questions and concerns about certain exceptions to the general policy, such as the Library, along with other specific details from the announcement. We strongly encourage our members to email us ASAP with your thoughts so that we can pass on concerns to the administration. UICUF will, of course, continue to represent our members on this issue as events develop.  We will monitor our email over the holidays to keep on top of this, though there may be a short delay in responses due to limited staff coverage through the winter break. 

If you have any thoughts or questions, please share them with us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com or your unit representative. 

Solidarity,

UIC United Faculty

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

09 Dec Bargaining Team And Survey Extension

• Bargaining Team Appointments: Our Executive Board this week officially appointed our new Bargaining Team, including Co-Chairs Aaron Krall (Senior Lecturer, English) and Xochitl Bada Garcia (Associate Professor, Latin American & Latino Studies)!
  
  
• Bargaining Survey Extended: The committee has decided to extend the bargaining survey to 12/16 to give as many people as possible a chance to complete it. We have heard from hundreds of our colleagues, but every response matters! Those who haven’t responded may receive an email and/or text reminder this week.
  
  
• FAST Fund: We continue to raise money for the FAST Fund, and we are at ~$4,400 raised to help students in need. The Fund has already sent out $5k in the first round of aid offerings, and will do another round in the new year. The fund is volunteer run and all money (minus processing fees) goes directly to UIC students in need. 

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to announce that the Bargaining Committee has been officially appointed by our Executive Board, and given the charge of preparing for contract negotiations in the spring semester. Of course, some members of the team have been meeting since October, but we now welcome on board our new Bargaining Co-Chair, Xotchitl Bada Garcia, Associate Professor, Latin American and Latino Studies, who will be working alongside our returning Co-Chair, Aaron Krall, Senior Lecturer, English.

It is not too late to join the team! Bargaining is an all-hands process, and we welcome faculty to join us, even if you may not necessarily wish to be at the negotiating table. There are many topics to research and work on, and we encourage broad participation. If you’d like to help with bargaining in any capacity, email UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com and a staffer will get in touch to discuss how you can best apply your efforts! 

Survey Extension
As a reminder, if you haven’t seen the survey at all, it may have fallen into a Spam or Promotions folder, especially if you use Gmail. If you’ve checked there, and still can’t find the link, email us and we’ll troubleshoot getting you the survey ASAP. 

If you have trouble accessing the survey, email us ASAP at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com 

As a reminder, the survey is completely anonymous and results will be used in aggregate to inform our bargaining positions. On average, members have needed just 17 minutes to complete the survey.  

FAST Fund Update
We are continuing our fund drive to support UIC students in need through our new FAST Fund, which distributes small amounts of quick cash for emergency expenses. We are now at $4,400 (at the time of this writing), and are so grateful to all the members who have contributed so far! 

You can donate to the FAST fund here if you would like to help: https://givebutter.com/uic. 

A new round of aid will be distributed in the new year, and we will let you know when applications will open again so that you can inform your students!

Solidarity,

UIC United Faculty

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

02 Dec Bargaining Survey Closes on Monday 12/6

• Complete Your Bargaining Survey by Monday: Our bargaining survey period is coming to a close this Monday, 12/6/21. Your input is important to the union as we determine the most pressing issues for bargaining in the Spring, so we encourage you to complete the survey ASAP!
  
  
  
• “I Didn’t Get The Survey”: Some members report having trouble receiving or finding the survey. Most often, this is because the survey went to a spam or promotions folder. In other cases, we may have an incorrect email, or there may be another technical issue. If you have any trouble finding or accessing the survey, email us for prompt assistance.
  
  
  
• FAST Fund Giving: We’re happy to announce that members have contributed over $3k to the FAST Fund to support students in need for Giving Tuesday. As a reminder, the fund distributed $5k to students in just a few days earlier this semester, and will be assessing new applications in the new year. You can donate to the fund here. 

Dear Colleagues,

We just want to briefly remind you of the importance of completing your bargaining survey before the survey closes on Monday, 12/6/21. As we’ve discussed in previous messages, this survey gives us insight into the conditions you work under, and gives you an opportunity to voice your needs and ideas about what our next contract negotiation should cover. Our bargaining team is now meeting regularly to prepare for those negotiations, which we anticipate starting in the Spring Semester.   

Of course, some members have reported issues accessing the survey. By far the most common issue is the survey being sent to a spam or promotions folder, so we encourage you to check there for messages from UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com if you have not seen a survey link yet. If you still can’t find the link, email us at the address above and we’ll troubleshoot getting you the survey ASAP. 

If you have trouble accessing the survey, email us ASAP at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com 

As a reminder, the survey is completely anonymous and results will be used in aggregate to inform our bargaining positions. On average, members have needed just 17 minutes to complete the survey.  

FAST Fund Update

As many of you know, we recently created the FAST Fund to support students with small amounts of fast cash (usually around $200) for necessities like groceries, utilities, or making the rent. We had to close initial applications for support after just a couple of days because the need was so great that we quickly sent out the entirety of the $5k the FAST fund started with. 

Since then, members have graciously contributed more than $3k in additional funding, and you can donate to the fund here if you would like to help: https://givebutter.com/uic. Even small contributions help, and because we are completely volunteer-staffed, we are pleased to say that 100% of the money you give will go directly to UIC students in need. There is also plenty of work to do, so if you are interested in volunteering, email us at uicuf.fastfund@gmail.com. 

Solidarity,

UIC United Faculty

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We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!

19 Nov Bargaining Survey Now Live

• Bargaining Survey is Now Live: Members should have received a link via Survey Monkey yesterday to participate in our bargaining survey. Please let us know if you have any trouble finding or accessing the survey at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.
  
  
  
• Taking the Survey: Your input will directly impact our bargaining positions. The survey takes 15-20 minutes to complete, and your responses are anonymous.
  
  
  
• FAST Fund Update: Our newly created FAST Fund, set up to aid students in need, has already distributed the entire $5,000 initial fund in just the first few days of operation, and we are now taking a pause to do more fundraising. You can donate to the fund here
  
  
  
• Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Rally: Our members participated in a rally against sexual harassment and discrimination with UIC GEO yesterday. This is a major issue that is being addressed in GEO contract negotiations right now. Pics below! 

Dear Colleagues,

Our bargaining survey is now live, and we’ve already heard from many of our members! We strongly encourage you to participate if you haven’t done so already, so the union can better understand the issues you face ahead of contract negotiations next spring. Members should have received a link to the survey in their email from Survey Monkey yesterday morning, 9am, 11/17/21.  

If you have trouble accessing the survey, email us ASAP at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com 

The survey should take only 15-20 minutes to complete, and your responses are anonymous. The bargaining team will use the results to guide decisions on bargaining positions and proposals. 

FAST Fund Update

We launched our FAST fund to help cover students’ costs on Monday and by Wednesday evening had given out the full $5,000 we started with. Thank you to everyone who shared the application with your students. We have temporarily paused new applications for aid while we fundraise more money to give out! We know that our students have a lot of financial needs, and we hope to be able to continue helping them meet those needs. You can donate to the fund here: https://givebutter.com/uic. 

Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Rally

Faculty members joined grad students in the Quad despite inclement weather yesterday to demand the administration act on protections against sexual harassment and discrimination. The UIC Graduate Employee Organization currently has several proposals on the table in their contract negotiations that seek to address these issues, which we covered in a prior communication. UICUF will likely consider our own proposals on these topics in our contract negotiations, coming in Spring 2022. 

Solidarity,

UIC United Faculty

***

We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even SAFER place to work and learn!