AP Assembly
APA Notices
If you are TEAMS exempt (previously A&P), non-tenure accruing faculty or career faculty, an organization is being formally implemented on campus to represent you and your needs as a part of the university community. This organization is the Academic and Professional Assembly (APA).
The first formal meeting of APA is scheduled for next Tuesday at 4 PM in the Reitz Union, room 282. As I told you in an earlier email, APA will function much the way the faculty senate does, acting primarily in an advisory role with higher administration and other organizations on campus. Three main goals for APA have been identified: representation, recognition and networking:
- Representation. Presently there is no formal organization on campus that represents the interests, needs and desires of TEAMS exempt (previously A&P), non-tenured faculty and career faculty. When one of us is asked to serve on a committee our input is only our own. By implementing a formal organization administration and other's have a focus group from which they can obtain representatives who will voice our opinions and suggestions as a group on university-wide matters—matters that impact us directly. To make this happen It will be the responsibility of APA to keep communications open to membership and information available so that we can all be informed on matters of mutual interest. And it will be your responsible to let APA know your views and opinions so that you are truly being represented. We have set up a website that is still in its infant stages but which will play a major role in communicating information to members. It is located at http://apassembly.ufl.edu/. Please bookmark it for future reference.
- Recognition. We are an important part of the university. We are professionals with highly specialized career areas that often make us unique and our needs diverse and very different from the needs and requirements of tenure accruing faculty, TEAMS nonexempt (previously USPS) and students. But more than needs, with our broad base of knowledge and abilities it is important that we are recognized as professionals with much to offer the university because of that diversity that exists in our ranks.
- Networking. Many of us our isolated in our own colleges and/or departments. Through APA members will have an opportunity to meet and network with others with like needs and interests.
APA is designed to be a positive influence. Our aim is to work towards a close, positive relationship with the Board of Trustees, Administration, the Faculty Senate, and other organizations on campus that impact us directly. APA is NOT a union nor do we have any union affiliations. Membership is open to all TEAMS exempt (previously A&P), non-tenure accruing faculty, and career faculty employed by the University of Florida. You may be housed on campus or at an off campus site.
We hope you will join us next Tuesday at 4 PM for the first formal meeting. If you plan to attend I would appreciate it if you would just hit reply and let me know you are planning to come. We want to be sure room 282 will hold everyone comfortably. There will also be some light refreshments. The APA organizational committee and I look forward to seeing you Tuesday and working with you in the years to come.
Written by Cheri Brodeur, A&P Assembly President Pro Tem
Sent to the AP-ASSEMBLY-L Mailing List
If you think you should be a member of the AP-ASSEMBLY-L mailing list, contact Cheri Brodeur at cbrodeur@ifas.ufl.edu