Part-time faculty members from around the University of Maine System are invited to the PATFA Annual Meeting at 10 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 11, via Zoom.
We will consider a range of issues, from discussion of our recently ratified 2023-26 collective bargaining agreement to plans for growth in the 2024-25 academic year and beyond. In that spirit, we include two documents with this email that we hope you will consider: a revised Frequently Asked Questions doc and a revised PATFA Enrollment Form.
PATFA is the Part-time Faculty Association of Maine, Local 4593 of the American Federation of Teachers. We have four officers who are up for election to two-year terms this year. Members in good standing for at least one year are eligible to serve. Nominations should be via email to patfa@maine.edu before the Annual Meeting or nominations may be made from the floor during Annual Meeting.
At Annual Meeting, president Tom McCord (UMA), vice president Michele Cheung (USM), and treasurer Pam Mitchel (UMF) will seek re-election. And secretary Araminta Matthews (UMPI) will seek a full term after being appointed last year to fill a vacancy. McCord teaches history in Bangor and has served as a PATFA officer for the past 10 years. Cheung teaches writing at the Gorham campus, is PATFA’s grievance officer, and has served as president or vice president for eight years. Mitchel teaches physics and meteorology at UMF and has served as treasurer for more than a decade. Matthews has taught at UMPI since 2014 and teaches in the shared UM-UMF graduate program in instructional technology. She has also served as Senior Instructional Designer for University College.
Annual Meeting will include an update on legislative issues of relevance to part-time faculty, a report on American Federation of Teachers plans for Maine, information on PATFA’s grievance with the University of Maine at Presque Isle over its YourPace competency-based education program, and a chance for participants to share their views. Only PATFA members may vote, but all UMS part-time faculty can participate. Email patfa@maine.edu for your Zoom invitation.
The revised FAQs included here are just a snapshot of the more-detailed 2023-26 PATFA collective bargaining agreement posted at the UMS website. Email is patfa@maine.edu. Our phone number is 207-262-7971 (we check it on weekdays). Our website is https://patfa.me.aft.org/