UCF’s faculty union has filed a complaint against UCF’s administration and its plans to offer more face-to-face classes in the spring, citing there was no input from faculty in the decision.
The United Faculty of Florida at UCF said the university’s proposed plans create unsafe working conditions for a substantial number of employees.
The faculty union has filed a grievance stating UCF is in violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement — the contract the union has bargained for with UCF.
“We will withdraw this grievance filed on [the faculty’s] behalf should the UCF administration, in a timely manner, rescind and revise these policies with faculty feedback, with consideration of CDC guidelines and scientific evidence, and without violation of the CBA,” the statement reads.
UCF interim Provost Michael Johnson informed faculty on Oct. 16 that the university planned to offer more face-to-face classes, and it appears that this was a decision made with no input from UCF’s faculty.
“We ask the administration – to take seriously the significant health risks during the ongoing pandemic and what these risks mean for all employees and their loved ones,” the faculty union’s statement reads.
A meeting has been requested between Johnson and the faculty union, but as of Tuesday, the union has not heard back.
UCF spokesman Chad Binette said in an email the university is working to offer more face-to-face classes in the spring because the on-campus experience is important for students’ success.
“We will continue to emphasize to our entire community the importance of abiding by our COVID-19 protocols,” Binette said. “But it is significant that to date we have seen no spread of the virus resulting from our classrooms.”
Binette said UCF’s spring approach will follow the same COVID-19 policies, including requiring face coverings, conducting daily cleaning and nightly sanitizing of classrooms, and enforcing physical distancing — UCF will not be increasing the density of seating within classrooms.
He said a new process allows faculty at high risk for complications from COVID-19 to request a remote teaching assignment.
The faculty union’s statement, which was posted on UFF-UCF’s website Tuesday, is signed by UFF President Robert Cassanello and UFF Grievance Chair Claudia Schippert.
“We nonetheless hope that at this critical moment UCF administration will listen to the faculty and act with the wellbeing of all of us in mind,” the statement reads.
Knight News has reached out to Cassanello and Schippert but did not hear back before publication.
This is a developing story — it has been updated with a statement from UCF spokesman Chad Binette. Check back with Knight News for updates.
