Will colleges across the state of Florida, including the University of Central Florida, have staffing shortages this year?

What you need to know:

What You Need To Know

  • Teachers’ union president predicts staffing shortages for UCF this year

  • He says Florida has become an unattractive state to work for instructors due to politics

  • He argues lawmakers have changed laws on diversity, equity, inclusion, and tenure, scaring away college professors

The president of UCF’s teachers’ union says it's possible and believes many instructors will leave the state and colleges will struggle to find replacements.

Dr. Robert Cassanello, an associate professor of history and teachers’ union president at UCF, says Florida has become an unattractive place to work if you’re a college professor.

The United Faculty of Florida teachers’ union (UFF) is the professional organization and collective bargaining agent for all faculty of colleges and universities in Florida.

“I believe the brain drain is for real. I believe people are leaving and they are leaving in large numbers,” said Cassanello.

The associate professor admits what he believes is anecdotal, but he asserts changes will come at colleges around the state.

Cassanello says most instructors worry about being outspoken.

“I do get the impression that people are unwilling to talk. They are afraid of reprisal,” he said.

The union leader works directly with instructors at UCF and says Florida’s politics is turning talented professors away from the sunshine state.

“Most of it is connected to the legislation passed by the Florida legislature in the past 3 years,” said Cassanello.

He believes UCF will face some serious staffing shortages before the end of the year. He blames lawmakers in Tallahassee and what he calls an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion and tenure.

“We can no longer seek arbitration in discipline and punishment. So those two things have weakened tenure to the point where tenure is in name only in the state of Florida.”

UCF’S website reported around 16 current openings for instructors at the time of this story. 

Spectrum News 13 reached out to the University of Central Florida to see if they are officially experiencing any type of teaching shortage.

They were looking into it but did not have an answer.

Cassanello believes the number of job openings will go up as we get further into the school year.