12/6
Last month, a new term was added to the lexicon of the UNLV community. Just as the world instantly recognizes 9/11, and Las Vegans know 10/1, 12/6 will forever be shorthand for the most horrific day in the University's and NSHE's history. The events of that day, that claimed the lives of three faculty members and critically injured another, will undoubtedly cast a long shadow as students and faculty return to campus for Spring Semester. |
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Dr. Patricia Navarro Velez |
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NFA reminds members that the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center has established a victim's fund with a guarantee that all donations go to assist the families. Additionally, memorial scholarship funds named for the three murdered faculty members have been established at UNLV:
NFA encourages all members to demonstrate their support in any way that they feel is appropriate. NFA calls for review and improvements in campus securityAs we struggle to return to normalcy, NFA has joined with other faculty leaders in calls for the Nevada System of Higher Education to commission a comprehensive review of campus security and seek emergency funding for improvements. In response, Interim Chancellor Patty Charlton has convened an ad hoc committee chaired by University Police Services Director Adam Garcia with a goal of implementing immediate improvements and identifying both mid-term and long-term recommendations. UNLV-NFA Chapter President Doug Unger has taken the lead by drafting an extensive list of recommendations, most of which are applicable to all NSHE institutions. |
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NFA series analyzes misplaced budget priorities at UNR and calls for change
While the Nevada Faculty Alliance conducted successful campaigns to secure cost of living adjustments for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years, we succeeded despite significant resistance from some NSHE campus administrators. Although some NSHE institutions were early supporters of the full adjustment, claims of undue fiscal hardship from the two research universities, especially UNR, threatened to derail recommendations from a broad-based committee appointed by the interim Chancellor.
The resistance was puzzling, however, since UNR saw significantly more growth in its state-allocated funding from the 2023 Nevada Legislature than the community colleges who supported the adjustments. Although UNR President Brian Sandoval ultimately relented, primarily in the face of overwhelming support for COLA from student leaders, he did so with warnings that substantial budget cuts would be necessary. In response, representatives from the Nevada Faculty Alliance, using publicly-available information, conducted a study of UNR's budget picture and its fiscal practices. The results are cause for concern. NFA will publish a series of articles analyzing UNR's budget claims and its spending priorities to help faculty members and the public at large understand where funding goes at the University. The investigation reveals resources being diverted away from the core educational mission and into athletics, buildings, administrative positions and salaries, and other misplaced priorities, along with a false narrative blaming underfunded COLAs for budget cuts to academic programs.
Read More >>
UNR Budget: Misplaced Priorities & Diverted Resources, pt. 1
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CSN-NFA wraps up negotiations on new collective bargaining agreement
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NFA and CSN negotiators sign the tentative agreement. Rear: (left to right) Donna Odenkirk, Jim Matovina, India Barton, Ted Chodock, Maria Schellhase, Rolando Mosqueda, John Aliano, and Lawrence Weekly. Front: James McCoy and Staci Walters. CSN-NFA members will be voting this month to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement before sending it on for final approval by the Board of Regents in February. Negotiators wrapped up their work December 15, 2023, amending the current three-year contract, which if approved, will be effective through June 30, 2025. CSN-NFA's lead negotiator, Staci Walters, explained that the new agreement will have a long-term impact on faculty compensation and includes merit pay, on-going cost of living adjustments to the faculty salary schedule, retroactively applying the 2023-24 COLA to new faculty who started after June 30, 2023, and incrementally increasing lab pay to the full rate. Faculty forums are scheduled on January 8th and 12th, with ratification voting getting underway the same week. Read More>> CSN-NFA negotiates pay increases |
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Assemblyman Watts to discuss SJR7 with faculty at February 23 NFA Forum
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Assemblyman Howard Watts
District 15 |
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As the 2024 campaign season gets underway, NSHE professionals will have a vested interest in the outcome of at least one ballot question this year. The passage of Senate Joint Resolution number 7 (SJR7) by the Nevada Legislature last year, means the voters will be asked once again to decide if the Nevada Constitution should be amended to remove the constitutional provisions governing the election and duties of the Board of Regents.
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Nevada State Assemblyman Howard Watts, will participate in an open forum hosted by the Nevada Faculty Alliance to discuss the ramifications of removing the Regents from the Constitution. Although a similar ballot initiative was narrowly defeated in 2020, there appears to be momentum for approval this year. Passage of the question will open the door to redefine how regents are selected, their scope of authority, and allow the legislature to assume many responsibilities currently vested in the regents. While the new provisions would provide many opportunities for reform a largely dysfunctional governing body, it also poses danger as it may create the possibility for activist lawmakers, like those in Florida and Texas, to mold higher education into an ideological tool. Faculty engagement and activism will be crucial to help shape a new system into one that honors the fundamental tenets of higher education: faculty and student rights and responsibilities, academic freedom, shared governance, due process, and intellectual honesty.
The forum is open to NSHE professionals and all NFA members are encouraged to participate at 3:30 PM, Friday, February 23.
LOCATIONS
Las Vegas: UNLV, Rogers Literature and Law Building, room RLLA 101
Reno: TMCC, Dandini Campus, Sierra Building, room SIER 108
Zoom:
https://zoom.us/j/98971991243?pwd=R3FzbXJXcXJJL0R1dndrbURuQXdiUT09 |
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