Archives

October 7, 2019

It’s Not About the Massages

The UO Administration has been spreading the rumor around campus that the GTFF is about to go out on strike because they love their free massages. This is bullshit.Before I became UAUO’s Executive Director in 2014, I spent 10 years working for the GTFF. So I know their contract, their health insurance program, and what is important to graduate employees on our campus.I hope you won’t mind a little history. In roughly 1999, the members of the GTFF fought to have a real, employment-based health insurance plan. They were able to get the administration to agree to pay for a…

October 3, 2019

How to Create Effective and Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

An ally of United Academics has designed a PowerPoint template and instructions for creating effective, accessible presentations. These slides have a small union “bug” on the footer which indicate that the presentation was made by union—in particular United Academics—labor.

September 17, 2019

UA President’s Remarks at New Faculty Orientation

When I arrived at the University of Oregon in 2009 I didn’t know what a Provost was. I had never been in a departmental meeting. I didn’t know that service was part of the job, or even what service entailed. I didn’t understand the concept of shared governance, or why a university has or needs a Senate.

May 29, 2019

Down to the Wire: Let Legislators know what we need!

On May 15th, Oregonians received some good news in regard to our financial outlook. Short version: the State has roughly 770 million dollars more than they expected for the biennium budget (despite a 1.4 billion kicker, but that’s another story). However, much of that will be put into reserves for the predicted economic downturn heading our way. We need to contact legislators in order to make sure we can get the Public University Support Fund (PUSF) funded at 120 million. That would mean students would see a less-than-5% increase to their in-state tuition. Of course, we should still be asking…

May 23, 2019

SB 1049-A passes out of Senate, heading to House

May 23, 2019 SB 1049-A has moved out of the Senate in a 16-12 vote and is now headed to the House. Shenanigans continue as well as a complete and utter disregard for process: The Bill was scheduled for a vote tomorrow, then re-scheduled for a different time tomorrow, and then ended up on the Senate floor as “special business.” More details below, as well as a link to the full-text of the Bill. Word on the legislative street: more Dems in the House (vs. Senate) are primed to vote no. Keep the calls and emails flowing… SB 1049-A Latest…

May 23, 2019

UA President’s talking points to the Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees at the University of Oregon is in an untenable situation. The people ‘below you’ on the organizational chart—represented by the people in this room—are supremely unhappy with the financial management and strategic vision of the university. Simultaneously the people above you, legislators and political appointees, are supremely unhappy with the financial management and strategic vision of the university. It seems the only people happy with university leadership on budget issues are donors (and trustees themselves). The mission of the university, approved by this body, is: The University of Oregon is a comprehensive public research university committed…

May 22, 2019

Actions this week

 Events happening this week. We encourage you to participate! 1) UA t-shirts: We have new t-shirts at the union office. We are taking donations to help cover their cost (they cost UA about $11 each). Swing by, pick one up, and show your solidarity to campus! 2) Rally at the board of trustees.  Wear your new UA t-shirt! DON’T BALANCE THE BUDGET ON OUR BACKS! Meet us at the Ford Alumni Center to take over the Board of Trustees meeting! Members of LERC, GTFF, SEIU, UAUO, and ASUO will sign up to speak to the BOT about the proposed cut to…

May 21, 2019

Modified PERS legislation to move to Senate floor for vote

May 21, 2019 Today SB 1049 passed through the final budget committees and is headed to the Senate floor for a vote (if successful, will then move on to the House). We are hearing from lawmakers that your emails are starting to have an effect and we have a chance to stop this bill. But lawmakers need to hear from you right now in order to keep the pressure on. We need you to call and email your senator and state representative. Here’s how: PHONE. Time is running out so right now phone calls are more powerful than emails CALL…

April 26, 2019

United Academics’ Values

The members of UA are proud to work at a comprehensive RI university that aspires to maintain its history of being a great educational institution in the face of years of declining investment in higher education. As the educators and researchers who are responsible for our core educational mission, we are committed to prioritizing student success and maintaining access and support for all qualified students, including domestic and international students, four-year undergraduates, transfer students, and graduate students. Budgets are an expression of values: we are dismayed that nowhere in his statement of budget reduction values does President Schill mention a…

March 11, 2019

Follow-Up on Wright State Strike

On January 22nd, the majority of Bargaining Unit Faculty represented by AAUP-WSU made the choice to go on strike. Not for higher wages but for the protection of the academic mission of the university and our right to negotiate over our terms and conditions of employment. We stood strong for 20 days as the administration drug their feet to the bargaining table. Our  #solidarity prevailed.  The end result? A much stronger contract than the one the administration imposed on January 4th with restored protections and the preservation of our legal rights. We call this a win, but it comes at a price.  Collectively…