Check your inbox: “Rate My Administrator” 2022 Edition

/in , , , ,

Starting on October 17, 2022 all UHPA members were invited via email to rate their administrator(s). If you are not a member of UHPA, get your membership started right now so you can participate. 

The invitation was sent to the email address we have on file.  For most of you, that means your non-@hawaii.edu address so please check that email inbox.   If you have not supplied us with an alternate email address, your @hawaii.edu inbox will have the invitation.  Either way, you should have received the invite by now.     It will be addressed from “UHPA@claritykit.com” and the subject line will be “Rate My Administrator Survey Invitation”.

The UHPA Board of Directors has authorized Market Trends Pacific to conduct the survey and report the results and how those results have changed over time.  All submission data will be kept confidential. Only anonymous, summarized information will be published. 

As a participant in the survey, you will have the opportunity to rate any administrator(s) at any level relevant to your campus, i.e. Dean, Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Vice-President, and President. 

The anonymous, summarized results of the survey will be shared with UHPA members, the Board of Regents, and UH President David Lassner.

Notice on Confidentiality

No personally identifiable information will be collected or stored by UHPA, and the process does not utilize any University of Hawaii computers or equipment. This survey is independent of any 360 evaluations being distributed by the UH administration. All results will be structurally anonymous and no one will be able to determine the identity of respondents (including UHPA).

UHPA Endorses House Candidates

/in , , , ,

The Legislative Action Committee interviewed four candidates for the State House of Representatives.  Three are first time candidates and one is a second time candidate.  The LAC recommended with the Executive Committee approval that UHPA endorse all four candidates.

  • Andrew Garrett, House District 22
  • Darius Kila, House District 44
  • Rachele Lamosao, House District 36
  • Jenna Takenouchi, House District 27

The LAC was impressed with these candidates and their understanding of both academic concerns of faculty as well as the economic concerns of the University.  They did their homework prior to the interview by preparing to respond to the House Candidate Questionnaire provided them by the LAC.  This included the importance of our Community Colleges.

UHPA continues to endorse Speaker Scott Saiki, Gregg Takayama, Della Au Belatti and Stacelynn Eli.  Their strong support for UHPA faculty is greatly appreciated.

From HomeStreet Bank: Home Equity vs. HELOC

/in , ,

 

Our UHPA member benefits partner HomeStreet Bank has published its October message: 

Home Equity vs. HELOC

Deciding whether or not to use the equity in your home to
pay off unsecured debt and/or make home
improvements can be a difficult financial decision.
Second mortgages come in two basic forms: home equity
loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) – both of
which offer the potential for low APRs and streamlined
monthly payments. Click here to learn if one of these is
right for you!

 

Access Member-Only HomeStreet Bank Membership Benefit Content here

Not a member yet? Join now via this instant membership online form.. Are you already a member but can’t access the content? Click here to troubleshoot or just call our office.

 

2021-2025 Unit 7 Contract Now Available

/in , ,

The 2021-2025 Unit 7 contract has been printed and will be mailed to all UHPA members to their private residences starting next week.  If you donʻt receive your hard copy of the 2021-2025 Unit 7 contract within the next couple of weeks, please contact UHPA at 808-593-2157 (Ext. 221) or email UHPA at feedback@uhpa.org.

For UHPA members and non-members, an electronic version of the 2021-2025 Unit 7 contract is now available on the UHPA website with members having access to a searchable PDF version.

The UHPA Negotiating Team thanks all of you for your overwhelming support during this recent negotiations.

In Solidarity.

Political Action Fund Objection

/in , , ,

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) has an active Political Endorsement Committee that has participated in state & federal elections through political endorsements, contributions to candidates and independent expenditures on behalf of our endorsed candidates. The UHPA Board of Directors has taken action to allocate from the dues of all UHPA Active members an amount of $5.00 a month to be placed in a Political Action Fund. The Fund will be subject to the accounting requirements and used for purposes consistent with the Hawaii State Election and Federal Election laws.

Our policy allows Active members of UHPA to object to the $5.00 per month allocation to the Political Action Fund. This will not lower their total dues, but it will not add to the total amount of funds allocated for partisan political purposes with respect to candidate endorsements and contributions. If an Active member chooses to object to this funding, they will not be allowed to vote on any recommendation for candidate endorsements made by the Board of Directors.

The request to withhold funding from the Political Action account must be made each year. If you do not wish to contribute to the “candidate endorsement” fund for fiscal year 2022-2023, then you must sign, date, and return an UHPA Allocation Objection Form by September 16, 2022.

The UHPA Board of Directors has taken this action in response to the strong feelings held by some members that the union should not participate in making candidate endorsements or political contributions. However, we believe it is essential for a public sector union to maintain a political presence since the fundamental work of our bargaining with the State of Hawaii is ultimately subject to legislative approval.

Get Free Home Buying Content From HomeStreet Bank

/in , ,

 

 

 

Our UHPA member benefits partner HomeStreet Bank has a message for UHPA members that will give you the knowledge you need and may save you a considerable amount of money if you are buying a home:

UHPA Member Saving for Homeownership

For most people, buying a home is both an exciting and challenging venture—it is the quintessential American dream. However, because of the high costs involved, saving for home purchase takes commitment, research,and sometimes sacrifice. The button below will view a list of UHPA member-only content that will access to UHPA-specific numbers and links with general information on the costs involved and the types of expenditures you will need to save for in order to buy your first home.

 

Access Member-Only HomeStreet Bank Content Now

Not a member yet? Join now via this instant membership online form.. Are you already a member but can’t access the content? Click here to troubleshoot or just call our office.

 

We’re Standing Firm for Sylvia Luke

/in , ,

In the world of Hawai‘i politics, election campaigns are generally civil. However, that rule goes out the window when a candidate is threatened and is at risk of losing. There is a no-holds-bar attack on leading candidates to thwart their progress in the polls.

Unfortunately, we see this happening now with TV ads attacking Sylvia Luke, who is leading in the polls for lieutenant governor. It’s not surprising that this type of messaging would emerge in the final weeks leading up to the primary election on August 13.

Influencing Those Who Are Undecided

According to a recent poll commissioned by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Sylvia Luke is leading with 21% of voters, followed by Keith Amemiya with 19% and Ikaika Anderson with 18%. Since the poll has a 5.6% margin of error, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser characterized the results as essentially a tie among these three Democratic candidates.

While the current negative campaigns may not be directed or approved by opposing candidates, the intention of those instigating these messages is to create distraction and plant seeds of doubt in a leading candidate, especially for those who are yet undecided.

How the undecideds vote can determine who will be Hawai‘i’s next lieutenant governor. According to the same Honolulu Star-Advertiser poll, 38% of Hawai‘i’s Democratic voters were undecided at the time of the poll. The door is wide open.

Standing by Our Endorsement

UHPA’s board of directors endorsed Sylvia Luke for lieutenant governor, and stand by the decision. Her decade of experience as chair of the House Finance Committee gave her insights into how state government works. She has a proven track record of getting things done.

  • During the pandemic, as UH faculty rapidly pivoted to remote and hybrid learning to ensure students could earn their degrees. This was in part backed by Sylvia Luke, who ensured government operations could continue without interruption.
  • When we saw our state’s unemployment rate skyrocket from 2% to nearly 22% in just five months during the early stages of the pandemic, Sylvia Luke also stepped forward to provide support for the thousands of Hawaii residents who lost their jobs and had to painstakingly navigate the unemployment insurance application process. UH faculty and support from other public-sector union members volunteered their time to ensure families could get by during that challenging period.
  • Syliva Luke also witnessed firsthand what was occurring in the Senate, with constant meddling and micromanagement by certain senators. She was able to mitigate some of the effects of those decisions by taking action in the House. We need state leaders like Sylvia who understand the role of UH and the importance of the legislators sticking to their role and not trying to run the university.

Vote for Sylvia Luke

Read more about our endorsement of Sylvia Luke.which UHPA announced in March and watch the YouTube of the announcement. 

When Will You Receive Your Pay Increase and Bonus?

/in , ,

Thanks to the UHPA Negotiating Team, and all of you for your overwhelming support, we’re happy to announce when the newly-contracted pay increases and retroactive bonus payments will be referenced in your paychecks.

According to UH Administration, all 11-month faculty are tentatively scheduled to receive their 3.72% salary increase on their July 20, 2022 pay date while all 9-month faculty are scheduled to receive their 3.72% increase on their August 20, 2022 pay date.

All eligible faculty, including eligible retirees, are tentatively scheduled to receive the 1% one-time lump sum payment on September 20, 2022 based on your annual base salary.

Both the pay raise and the bonus are in accordance with Article XXI, Salaries, of the 2021-2025 Unit 7 Agreement

In Solidarity.

Last Chance to Book the Aulani Resort Special

/in , ,

Rooms Added to A Previously Sold-Out Offer

As per previous years, we had a huge response to UHPA’s Disney Aulani Weekend offer and it in fact was sold out shortly after our monthly round-up newsletter was sent.

We asked the folks at Disney to give us a few extra room nights for those that may have missed the opportunity.  We’re happy to announce that as of right now, we’re not sold out and you can make a booking.

If you missed out, now is your chance. Do not wait as this too will sell out quickly.

Want to stay longer? You can reserve dates up to 5 days before or after our special rate days as long as those dates include our special rate days.

More details including how to make a reservation

Recent Supreme Court Rulings: Hard-Hitting Reminders to Vote

/in , , , ,

The recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings regarding women’s reproductive rights and gun control have stirred a range of emotions across the nation.

In a historic and unprecedented decision Roe v. Wade has now been overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court and a woman’s right to seek an abortion is no longer a federal constitutional right. Who would have thought a constitutional right that has existed for women the past 50 years would be immediately swept away?

Nothing is Sacrosanct

The overturning of Roe v. Wade sets a dangerous precedent. There are already discussions about setbacks on the horizon with plans for the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit rulings on rights relating to access to contraceptives, LGBTQ+ rights, same-sex marriages, etc.  

The U.S. Supreme Court, now controlled by a majority of right-wing judges, appears to be not stopping only at social issues. It has already begun to prohibit gun control laws in such states as New York, claiming that any law that attempts to provide some measure of public safety is inconsistent with the historical intent of the Constitution over the right to bear arms, as stated in the Second Amendment.

Dystopian America

There is a gnawing question among those who feel they are in a dystopian movie: how can all of this be happening in America? There is a sense of incredulity and resignation.

 
It’s easy to get caught up in all the vitriol, but there is also an inner desire to find deeper meaning and purpose in all of this as a form of consolation. If there is one important lesson we can extract from these recent decisions is this: We must own the responsibility of what we’re experiencing and whom we put into office. Elections are a serious matter and the only way to make our voices heard. 

Owning Our Future

It is clearly evident that those whom we put in office, starting at the top with our U.S president, can alter our lives, our childrens’ lives, and the lives of future generations to come. Those in office can set into motion decisions that have serious impacts and consequences on individual rights that will continue long after they have left office. They have the power and authority to appoint justices that can upend long-standing laws seemingly overnight.  Our fate and our future rests in their hands as they redefine society and direct us to abide by their new rules. 

Upholding Our State Constitution 

In Hawaii, there may also be a sense of complacency as the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision is not expected to have any impact on state law.  At least for now. 

We need to prepare and seriously focus on our upcoming state elections this year and recognize the Supreme Court’s rulings and the power they hold as a cautionary tale. Voter apathy has no place in this scary new world. We must engage, participate, and make our voices heard and votes count. Otherwise, one day we could be facing unprecedented and surprising challenges to our own state constitutional rights here in our State where we call home.