Membership 101

Membership gives you full rights and benefits as a UTSF member. Strong membership ensures a strong collective voice moving forward. Enroll today, and help us win the fairness, respect, and voice we deserve.

Here are some common questions faculty ask about UTSF membership:

  • No, union membership is independent from the authorization card process. We encourage all tenure system faculty to become UTSF members. It just takes minutes to become a member. Enroll today!

  • UTSF is an inclusive and democratic union formed and led by tenure system faculty at MSU. Our union is affiliated with the Michigan Education Association (MEA) and the National Education Association (NEA). As a member of UTSF, you also automatically gain the benefits of MEA/NEA membership.

  • As a member of UTSF you will be able to participate directly in the democratic process of our union by determining representation in union leadership, setting union priorities, and engaging in the process of collective bargaining. You will also benefit from NEA’s Educators Employment Liability Program, which provides liability insurance to protect you from employment-related lawsuits.

  • UTSF dues will be about $100/month (September-June) or approximately $1000 per year. The majority of our dues will support professional staffing for our union. The remainder of the dues will contribute to member and public communication, including lobbying elected leaders to support public education, member legal services, member information systems, and other operational and administrative costs.

  • You will begin paying dues once our first collective bargaining agreement is ratified. We will begin the collective bargaining process after we conduct elections for officers and governing body, impanel a bargaining committee, and democratically set our bargaining goals.

  • No, your dues will never be used to support candidates running for political office. When you enroll in UTSF membership you will be offered the option to donate to political action campaigns. Your union dues, however, will never be used for this purpose.

  • By enrolling in MEA/NEA-Retired ($25 annually for 25 years), you will continue to receive the rights and benefits of MEA/NEA membership after you retire, including participation in state and national governance as well as a variety of member discounts and services, including auto and home insurance and financial planning services.

  • Yes! The full agreement can be FOUND HERE. On September 8, 2025, pursuant to this agreement and following a demonstration of support for UTSF from an overwhelming majority of faculty, MSU administration agreed to recognize UTSF as the exclusive representative for tenure system faculty and librarians.