April 15, 2022
MSFF Town Hall ::
Collective Bargaining Update – Annual Meeting
- MSFF Annual Meeting
- Collective Bargaining Town Hall
(MSFF Panel, AFT Guests, Legislative Update, CB Exemplar University, Q&A)
Please join us for this updated discussion and learn the status of labor rights for all state employees.
We are stronger together.
February 18, 2022
MSFF Town Hall ::
Reduced Teaching Load Proposal
The Steering Committee of the MSFF supports the faculty workload reduction proposed by the Workload Reduction Task Force. The proposal, as it is written and taken in its entirety, would bring MSU Denver faculty workload into alignment with our primary mission as a teaching institution, enable faculty to achieve a healthy life-work balance, and recognize the increasing pedagogical and instructional expectations of our students.
However, we also recognize that the proposal, like all faculty-generated shared governance proposals, is only advisory. The good-faith work of the WRTF may, or may not, be implemented in part or in whole. We have heard substantial mistrust from members; a disbelief that this proposal will result in policies that reduce actual workload for faculty and concern that only parts of the proposal will be put into practice, resulting not in a reduced workload but in a redistribution of the existing workload, refocusing faculty energies away from teaching toward increased expectations for research and publishing.
These fears are legitimate. Read More
December 10, 2021
MSFF Town Hall ::
Legislative Update
April 15, 2021
MSFF Town Hall ::
Colorado Collective Bargaining Bill
We expect the public workers’ collective bargaining bill to be introduced in the Colorado Assembly this week. If enacted, this bill secures collective bargaining rights for University employees as well as other public employees in Colorado excluded from the collective bargaining legislation enacted in 2020. Without this legislation, University employees do not have the right to organize collective bargaining units in Colorado. This bill provides employee protections similar to those enjoyed by private employees under the National Labor Relations Act. It does not grant automatic recognition to established unions, such as MSFF, but does create a path for official recognition.
MSFF is hosting a virtual town hall Thursday, 15 April, at 3:30 p.m. to discuss the details of this legislation and to plan for how we can unite to ensure that this legislation is enacted. AFT-Colorado Political Director Ryan Case will join us for the discussion. He has been deeply involved with crafting the bill and developing a strategy to let Colorado legislators know that there is broad support for labor rights among University employees.
March 11, 2021
MSFF Town Hall ::
What Does a Covid-Safe Return in Fall 2021 Mean to Us?
At this town hall we will discuss MSU Denver’s plans for a “safe return” to campus in Fall 2021. The goal is to have an open discussion about the safe return plans and to identify concerns faculty have about fall semester. MSFF member and microbiologist Dr. Rebecca Ferrell will lead a panel discussion about the challenges of combating the spread of this virus in the classroom environment. MSFF will ensure that MSU Denver and AHEC is aware of our concerns and understand that a safe return is possible only if those concerns are addressed.
Guest Panel Includes:
- Dr. Sheryl Zajdowicz, Infectious Disease Microbiologist
Department Chair, Biology - Mr. Stephen Monaco, Director
Health Center at Auraria - Dr. Ruben Zorilla, Medical Director
Health Center at Auraria - S. Leone Dick, Chief of Staff
Office of Administration and Finance - Dr. Rebecca Ferrell, Biologist
Panel Moderator, Professor Biology
February 11, 2021
MSFF Town Hall ::
A New Deal for Higher Education
With the new administration and Congress come new opportunities to ensure significant, sustainable public investment in higher education.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the long-standing crisis in public higher education. Declining state support, the erosion of tenure and shared governance, the increased use of contingent appointments, and the loss of the faculty voice on campus are threatening the core mission of higher education in our society. Now is the time to stand up for a just, inclusive system of higher education—one that can help transform our society.
We need a new deal for higher education.
Together with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and allies and supporters across the higher education community, we’re proposing an ambitious agenda that centers on four main values:
- building prosperity from the bottom up;
- advancing social, racial, and economic justice;
- strengthening democracy and civil society; and
- fostering knowledge and innovation.
The New Deal for Higher Education platform will seek to recenter our public colleges and universities as a common good. In addition to addressing tuition costs, institutional funding, and student debt relief, we will pursue reforms related to racial injustice and inequities, labor practices, academic freedom and governance, federal research funding, technical and vocational education, and a host of other challenges that have diminished our national capacity to educate our communities.
To kick off the campaign, we will be holding an online roundtable discussion on February 10 with AAUP president Irene Mulvey, AFT president Randi Weingarten, and our partners at Scholars for a New Deal for Higher Education and the Roosevelt Institute.
October 15, 2020
MSFF Town Hall ::
MSU Denver Budget Deep Dive
Download the FY21 Phase I Operating Budget (Effective 7.1.20) DRAFT[2]
Download the FY21 Phase I Base Budget Reconciliation- Final.pdf