We can do together what you cannot do alone! Join Graduate Assistants United!

www.ufgau.org/officers@ufgau.org

 

 

You are being sent this newsletter because GAU represents you in employment matters as a Graduate Assistant at the 
University of Florida.  If you have recently graduated or ceased being a Graduate assistant, you will automatically be removed from this mailing list at the start of the fall semester.

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IN THIS ISSUE:


 

1.      Notice on Health Insurance

2.      Bargaining Report 

3.      
GAU Fall General Membership Meeting/ Contract Ratification

4.      CLAS News

5.      GAU Happy Hour/International Night Moved to Tuesday

6.      Message from UFF President Tom Auxter

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1.       Notice on Health Insurance

 

 As you may have heard, a new fully subsidized healthcare plan goes into effect next semester.

 

There are two very important issues we want to stress to everyone:

 

A) If you want your pre-existing conditions to be covered by the new free insurance plan, you need to have health insurance this semester. If you do not, then next semester the insurer may deny benefits by claiming your illness/injury is a pre-existing condition. The current Scarborough Plan B and many other outside health insurance carriers will satisfy this requirement (Plan A cannot). You can sign up for Scarborough Plan B at

http://www.scarins.com/student/UF_Student_Insurance.asp

 

The university will provide a $202 subsidy for either Scarborough Plan A or B for its graduate employees above a .25 FTE, so make sure you specify that you are a grad assistant to take advantage of the subsidy. THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS SEPTEMBER 13TH.

 

B) The new insurance coming in January (“Gator Grad Care”) will be free to TAs and RAs, but you will *not* be automatically enrolled in the plan. It is not yet possible to sign up, so keep your eye out for further updates from GAU. There is nothing in the agreement between GAU and the Board of Trustees that requires domestic GAs sign up for this plan. If you decide not to use this plan, your loan eligibility will not decrease.

 

 

2.       Bargaining Report

 

After two months, we have finally concluded bargaining with the university for the 2006-2007 Contract. This morning, the Board of Trustees ratified those agreements in their Fall Semester meeting.

 

Besides the new Health Insurance Plan, returning TAs will receive a 3% raise, and the minimum stipend for all graduate workers (new and returning) has increased to $8,000; both increases will go into effect on October 1. To reiterate, the GAU contract allows departments to go above the 3% raise if they are able.

 

The next round of bargaining will begin in February. If you would like to be involved with the GAU bargaining team as we attempt to get even higher raises, better healthcare, and waive registration fees, contact GAU Bargaining Chair Victor Romano at vromano@ufl.edu.

 

 

3.       GAU General Membership Meeting/ Contract Ratification

 

 The contract will be up for discussion and a ratification vote by all graduate employees on September 27th at our fall general meeting. It will be at 6:30 in Bartram Hall 211. Free pizza will be served at 6:00. The contract must be ratified by a majority of graduate workers before the provisions (health care, pay raises) may take effect.

 

 

4.       CLAS News

 

We know there is a lot of confusion regarding to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) financial situation. The college is in a significant about of debt, and despite the college’s announcement of a Five Year Plan for funding department faculty and graduate workers, it is still not clear how the school is planning to resolve this debt. http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/jpl/Five Year Plan.pdf

 

Surprisingly there is also credible talk that the college will repeat its practice of granting significantly higher stipends ONLY incoming graduates despite its debt. We are currently in the process of gathering information through public documents requests and meetings with school officials. Provost Fouke has agreed to meet with the graduate workers to discuss this issue; once we have more information, we will update you.

 

 

5.       GAU Happy Hour/International Music Night Moved to Tuesday

 

We also encourage graduate workers to attend our weekly happy hour with $2 drafts every Tuesday (formerly Wednesday) at 6:30 in the Shamrock Pub at 1017 W University Ave. Following the GAU happy hour, GAU Treasurer Tim Nevin/DJ Esperanto will be having a regularly-scheduled International Music Night. This is a perfect opportunity to meet your co-workers from various different academic backgrounds and share a pint.

 

6.  Message from UFF President Tom Auxter

 

Click the following link for a report from out parent union, United Faculty of Florida, about raises and FEA (the state faculty union) recognizing our successes.

http://www.unitedfacultyofflorida.org/pdf/GAUAug-Sept06.pdf

 

 

Thank you,

 

Bret Seferian, GAU Co-President

 

Todd Reynolds, GAU Chief Steward

 

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