Welcome back and call your state senator today or tomorrow

2/6/2018

Dear Colleagues:

We usually have a welcome back letter at the beginning of the semester, with events of interest, but so many things occurred, we never did.  So please let me belatedly welcome new faculty and librarians to campus and for those who are returning, welcome you back to campus.  We will have more information shortly on the progress of bargaining and on the latest parking fee increase proposal from the Administration. In the meantime, here is the latest:

►Health Care Benefit Changes Changed Back!:  Thanks to your voices and outcry from across the state, the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) reversed its decision to reduce the number of health care plans offered to you.  But they are considering making drastic changes in a year, including having everyone pay for a basic plan and if you want more than this, you would purchase extra coverage.

• Contact the GIC electronically here and let them know your thoughts and the kind of health care that you need and deserve.  They will also consider changes to your health care plans at their meeting on February 22, and we don’t even know what these are yet!  For times and locations for the GIC Hearings and to RSVP to speak at these hearings, see here.

►Please call your Senator today and ask them to support debt relief for UMB.

Senator Boncore will introduce an amendment to the Senate Ways and Means Committee to call on the state to take over no less than $233.5 million of UMB's construction debt.  If adopted by the MA legislature, this would reduce our campus's annual debt payments by approximately $14 million annually, reducing pressure on campus to cut our budget, jobs, and courses. 

Visit the state legislature website to find the name and contact information for your State Senator. A suggested script is here.

► Fourth year/tenure and promotion review informational workshop: will be held Thursday, March 29, 2-4 in the Integrated Sciences Complex, 3rd Fl., Room 3300. The Office for Faculty Development and the FSU will be hosting this. 

► For FSU Members Only: FSU Executive Committee elections for Spring 18 will be getting underway shortly. See here for more information and for a nomination form.

Marlene Kim

FSU President

Professor, Economics

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