Join with your union siblings to HAVE FUN!
Do what you love, find new things to love, and the people to love them with--right here in your very own union.
You are your union! You can start your own group!
The Tabletop Syndicate
All work and no play is no way to go! Unwind, socialize, and strategize while playing tabletop games with UA folks–and any interested family members. No prior experience with games needed. We meet at the UA office from 5:00 to 7:30pm on the second Thursday of each month (e.g., Feb 12 and Mar 12). Enjoy snacks and beverages already on hand at the office. Mike will wagon over dozens of games from a substantial cache at PLC: word games, card games, party games, strategy games, and so on. Of course, feel free to bring along any games you enjoy and would like to introduce to others.
The UA Jazz Collective
Let's make music together! Starting in January, we'll be hosting regular jazz jam sessions for UA members. Ideally, members of this group will already have some facility playing an instrument or singing, but no jazz background is needed. If you can play or sing any kind of music--classical, rock, blues. etc.--then you can learn jazz. In the words of jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, "Jazz music is the perfect metaphor for democracy." Everyone has a voice, everyone listens, and it all ideally coalesces into a harmony of sound. Let's come together and express ourselves in the democratic, exploratory (and fun!) idiom of jazz.
Fiber Artists Against Fascists (FAAF)
In this group we invite everyone who wants to practice "craftivism" -- how we can channel our collective anger and frustration into making things and making a difference! Crafters of all varieties and all skill levels are welcome to gather and work on their projects, share tips, and trade stories. If you are new to fiber arts, such as crochet and knitting, and want to learn, you can connect with someone who can share tips and skills! We may also work on projects such as simple scarves, hats, and/or blankets that we can donate. Channel your inner Madame Lafarge and discover the pleasures of uncovering our communal species-being through creative labor!
The Primate Collective: Bouldering Group
Join your union siblings for climbing at Elevation gym. This group is formed with absolute beginners in mind but enthusiastically welcomes all skill levels. The culture of bouldering, at its best, is welcoming to all, no matter your body type, age, gender, level of fitness, previous experience or former athleticism. If you have ever even considered climbing, try it with us and find your primate collective!
Unit Policy Zoom Town Halls
Units are currently in the middle of unit policy revisions for review and promotion for Career and Tenure-track faculty. These revisions are due to changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. For Career faculty, we have the new Teaching Professor titles to incorporate, some new language that takes into account the impact of lack of resources on the accomplishment of duties, as well as clarifying language on credit for prior service. For TTF, the recent CBA modified procedures on the midterm review, and there are new provisions that demand that reviews at the various levels take into account the review at the previous level in their justification. There is also new language that clarifies at what moments the tenure clock can be stopped. Perhaps the biggest lift in terms of policy revision will be at the post-tenure review. Many units have not fleshed out criteria for this critical review and will need to do so in this round of iterations.