For many new faculty, their appointment here is the first of their career and it is their first experience in a unionized environment. Some of you may not understand that the USFA is a critically important resource available to faculty over the course of their career here. These lunches are intended to put a face on the USFA, to explain its role and the value of the Collective Agreement. They are also an opportunity to hear from new members and address their specific questions and concerns.

It is important for new faculty to know about the USFA and the benefits of increasing their awareness and participation in it. We encourage you to pose questions, make comments and talk about your experiences as new faculty on campus. These discussions have always been lively and varied, ranging from the general to the specific and including everything from tenure and promotion to workload, spousal considerations and research challenges.