Please see below for our 2026 Winter semester meeting dates. All meetings run from 12:45pm until 2:00pm. Zoom links are emailed to membership before each meeting.
January 13
January 27
February 10***
February 24
March 24
April 14
April 28
May 12
May 26
***Our General Membership Meeting will be held in person on February 10th in Chemistry, room 114.
Hello UDMPU Family,
I hope your Fall term is going well! Now that the dust has settled, let’s get acquainted with the new UDMPU Board. Your executive leadership team is:
Theresa Wyatt (President),Stephanie Conant (Vice President and Contract Maintenance Officer), Klaus Friedrich (Treasurer), Kris McLonis (Secretary), and Mara Livezey (Grievance Officer).
Board Representatives include: Staci Kenno Pinkerton (CBA), Stokes Baker (CES), Robert Dalka (CES), Katherine Lanigan (CES), Tahani Dari (CHASS), Sigrid Streit (CHASS), Justin Williams (CHASS), Yaukpala Gofan (CHP), Sheila Williamson (CHP), Jill Spreitzer (Libraries), and Virginia Stanard (SACD).
Our MAHE Board Delegates are Rachelle Belanger and Alexa Rihana, our NEA-RA Delegate is Terry Howard, and Justin Williams is our MEA-RA Delegate.
Our ever-important UDMPU PNC representatives are: Kristen Abraham (CHASS, Chief Negotiator), Theresa Wyatt (Ex-officio), Abiodun Ige (CBA), Rachelle Belanger (CES), Matt Mio (CES), Alexa Rihana (CES), Ablaye Camara (CHASS), Yu Peng Lin (CHASS), Karen Mihelich (CHP), Nadine Wodwaski (CHP), Cindy Gillham (Libraries), and Kris Nelson (SACD).
I would like to invite you to visit our updated UDMPU website. Thank you, Tom Provost! Please sign up to receive updates at the bottom of the main page. Page links are available to locate the current board members, access governance documents, access the grievance process, and connect to our benefits information. Finally, there is a contact page where you can reach out to UDMPU leadership for questions or concerns.
The UDMPU Board had some fun with a friendly competition to choose a 2025-2027 theme. We received 9 submissions, and after a runoff vote, a winner was chosen!
Our Work, Their Future
The winning theme was submitted by Rachelle Belanger, who states, “this slogan was developed because it reflects the heart of what we do as UDMPU members and educators. Our work is driven by a deep passion to support and shape the future of our students. I first came to understand this mission early in my career at the University of Detroit Mercy, when I was mentored by dedicated UDMPU colleagues. Their example, living the mission and recognizing the profound responsibility we have in preparing our students for the future, continues to inspire me and other UDMPU members today.”
The UDMPU Board wants you to know we are here to represent you, serve you, and stand with you. We have chosen a beautiful gift for each of you and hope it is a daily reminder that you are part of a extraordinary community. Your UDMPU representatives will be in touch soon to deliver you something special!
The remaining meeting cadence for the UDMPU Board is:
General Membership Meeting
October 14, 2025 — 12:45–2:00pm, via Zoom
Board Meetings
November 11, 2025 — 12:45–2:00pm, via Zoom
November 25, 2025 — 12:45–2:00pm, via Zoom
December 9, 2025 — 12:45–2:00pm, via Zoom
Zoom links will be emailed to the caucus a week in advance.
The Professional Negotiation Committee (PNC) is busy preparing for negotiations. There will be one more survey sent out to help clarify and better understand member needs and concerns. Please contribute to this; your input is invaluable! After the survey is completed, the PNC will host 2 follow up meetings. These meetings are scheduled for
November 11, 2025 — 3:45–5:00pm via Zoom
November 13, 2025 — 12:45–1:45pm (in person) at CHM 114
Zoom links will be emailed to the caucus a week in advance.
Did you know that MEA offers a range of discounts and services? Please visit https://www.meafs.com/ to learn more.
Finally, a reminder about a $30 rebate for MEA members. Members who pay their dues in full by Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 are eligible for the $30 rebate. To receive the rebate, eligible members must submit the rebate form by Dec. 31, 2025. The rebate form will be accessible in the MEA Member Portal 23 business days after payment in full, beginning Sep. 15. Rebate checks are mailed within 90 days of rebate form submission. Please contact our treasurer, Klaus Friedrich for questions.
Thank you for work; you are appreciated!
Theresa Wyatt
President, UDMPU
Wishing everyone the very best this Fall 2025 semester!
A special thank you to all our past UDMPU Presidents, Contract Maintenance Officers & Vice Presidents, for all their hard work and leadership!
At times, the “Collective Bargaining Agreement between the UDMPU and UDM” is referred to as “the union contract.” This is misleading.
Rather, the CBA is a binding agreement between the UDMPU membership and the administration, ratified by both parties. Thus, when the UDMPU works to follow, abide by, or enforce “the contract,” we do so in adherence with this mutual agreement.
In other words, we are not working to impose upon the administration something to which the administration has not already agreed.
UDMPU 