TREASURER TRANSITION:
The UFCT 1460 Treasurer Jennifer Miller regrets that, due to unforeseen circumstances, she will not be able to continue serving in the position and has stepped down. On June 14, 2023, the Executive Committee appointed Robert Ausch, Adjunct Professor with CCE from SSCS as the new treasurer. He has been assisting Jennifer with the treasury duties since the May 15th transition and is thus well equipped to take on the role. We thank Jennifer for stepping up and being a part of this historic journey and election victory. We continue to appreciate Jennifer’s wisdom and expect that her work with the union will continue into the future.
STATEMENT BY ROBERT AUSCH:
I am excited for the opportunity to be considered for the position of UFCT Local 1460 Treasurer. I am an Adjunct Professor with CCE, who teaches psychology in SSCS and have been teaching at Pratt since January 2002. I have been involved with unions since I was a graduate student at CUNY working for the PSC. I am currently a representative on the joint council of the NYU Union, ACT-UAW Local 7902, where I ran with the Workers in Unity slate committed to increasing transparency, accountability and membership participation in the union. If confirmed as Treasurer, I would bring similar values to this position including regular reports on the state of the union’s finances for membership, saving and investing a percentage of our dues revenue so that we can be prepared for all contingencies, and working with the administration to ensure that dues and agency fees are collected appropriately from all members of the bargaining unit. As the lead on the Equalization Fund Working Group, I am working on proposals for bringing long serving, underpaid faculty up to market rates. This work is part of a longer term vision to achieve equal pay for equal work for all Pratt faculty. Please email me directly (robqrdd@gmail.com) if you have any questions.
VICE PRESIDENT TRANSITION:
On June 16th, Elæ Moss made the difficult decision to step down from their role as Vice President. They were recently awarded an “Art in the Public Realm” grant from the Woodbury Foundation, which has changed the scale and impact of their community projects in the Capital Region and Southern Vermont for AY 23-24 as a Public Action fellow at Bennington College. It is no longer possible for them to stay on in this demanding capacity. The Executive Committee extends our heartfelt appreciation for the vision, earnest hard work, and deep love they brought to the slate. The Executive Committee voted unanimously to appoint James Lipovac, Professor of Foundation, to take on the role of Vice President.
STATEMENT BY JAMES LIPOVAC
I am a studio artist and a Professor of Foundations. I have taught at Pratt since 2010. I am also a member of the faculty senate, have participated on curriculum committees, PRCs, and worked as a Union Delegate. If confirmed as Vice President, I will use my institutional knowledge to address long unresolved issues, specifically uncompensated service for part time faculty, endless service requirements for full time faculty, and obscure and shifting expectations for promotion and pay equity. Recently I have been working with the new leadership on the Grievance Committee. During the Spring of 2023, I was the Communications Officer for the incoming leadership. As Vice President, I will serve with dedication and compassion, defending faculty by requiring the administration give us the fairest application of our CBA.
CONFIRMING APPOINTEES:
As required by our local bylaws*, the Elections Committee has provided the membership with the opportunity to confirm these appointments. Members should have received an email on June 27th titled “UFCT1460 Confirmation Poll.” The poll closes July 11th. Any member who has not received an email with the link to vote can contact the Elections Committee at ufct1460elections@gmail.com
*(Page 8) If a position becomes vacant with more than one half of the position’s term remaining, the Executive Committee shall appoint a member in good standing to that position, subject to confirmation by the membership, via a process overseen by the Elections Committee. If the membership does not confirm the appointment, a Special Election for that vacant office will be held.