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My name is Harvey Yarborough. I teach math at Brazosport College. I've been here for 32 years. A few years ago, this was a sorry place to work. Not only were we under compensated but also we were subject to unreasonable expectations. We were under a dictatorial administration. Committees were a joke -- they were expected to rubber stamp decisions that had already been made so that those making the decision could avoid accountability. Attempts were made to destroy our tenure with creative restructuring of assignments. Employees were paranoid -- we lived in fear of becoming victims of incompetent administrative decisions. Not only did we distrust the administration but also we began to distrust each other. A couple of administrators and a handful of brownnosers were the only ones who seemed to thrive here. This is now a good place to teach. Our salaries are competitive. Faculty members do not fear losing their job for unjust reasons. We strive for shared governance. Administrators who abuse their authority know they will be held accountable for their decisions -- consequently, more care and forethought goes into those decisions. Now, faculty members have a positive attitude toward their work, which makes this a better place for our students. These changes would never have occurred without TFA. TFA taught us how to combat injustice in an effective manner. A consultant was available at any time to help us address our problems. When needed, a TFA representative would come to our campus to help directly with grievances or give behind the scenes assistance. We knew we had legal counsel when needed. TFA empowered our faculty. Some administrators resent this, but they've learned to respect our local chapter. Our annual salaries are now thousands of dollars more than they would have been without TFA. I consider the money I've spent on TFA dues as being one of the wisest investments I have ever made. If you need to make changes on your campus, I urge you to join TFA today! Harvey Yarborough |
Why Join TFA?What's New?The TFA UTMB-Galveston chapter blog From the Coordinating BoardAn Overview of TRS and ORP for Employees Eligible to Elect ORP |
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