At a recent meeting of the Davis Faculty Association Board, a number of hard decisions were made about the scope and direction of future activities. This has been a very active year for the DFA as well as the other UC campus associations. As you are aware, we are financed independently and do not receive UC-related support. Thus, we can take up issues directly with the UC Regents and we can lobby state legislators. Recent examples are concerns raised about strategies that have focused on post employment retirement and the nature of funding higher education.
Although inflation has been low in recent years, it has not been non-existent. More importantly, a large number of DFA members have retired in recent years and now no longer pay active member dues (emeritus members pay much reduced dues). Thus, our costs have gone up while our resources have dwindled. As a consequence, this year’s effort will be directed at recruitment and broadening our affiliations, such as developing stronger ties with AAUP. In the interim, it will be necessary to increase dues. As you may be aware, the DFA has a tiered dues structure, and the current board feels this is important to maintain. Thus dues for full professors will increase by $6 while dues for assistant and associate professors will stay at their current rate. The DFA board will also be asking for larger contributions from emeritus members. We all regret the need to increase dues, but the decision was needed to keep us going at our current level.
A primary goal is to continue a platform on which we can maintain a strong and independent voice. I would invite you to visit http://cucfa.org/accomplished.php in this regard. The faculty associations have addressed and influenced issues that range from requiring employee representation in UCRP’s governance to clarification that professors independently own their lectures. I will follow up in the new year with specific recruiting plans.
The Board welcomes any suggestions that you have regarding increasing our membership and activities that may contribute to even more visibility.
Robert Rucker on behalf of the DFA Board