TL;DR: United Academics' Politics Committee has been working tirelessly to meet with elected leaders, strengthen coalitions, and craft an Oregon Compact on Higher Education with a positive vision for higher education in the state.

Help amplify these efforts by:

Signing Higher Education Labor United’s No Loyalty Oaths in Higher Ed
Signing the AAUP's Statement We Stand for Education and Against the Trump Higher Education Compacts
Signing the petition against cuts to librarians and library staff
Signing the petition to save the UO Forensics program

There is much work to be done. Reach out to info@uauoregon.org to see how you can put your skills to use to fight for higher education in Oregon and beyond.

The Fall 2025 General Membership Meeting will be Thursday October 30, 5-7pm in Gerlinger Lounge. We will provide dinner and beverages. Kids are welcome! Please email info@uauoregon.org with accommodation requests.

United Academics Planning an “Oregon Compact on Higher Education” to Contest the “Trump Compact”

The Trump administration’s “Compact for Excellence in Higher Education,” initially proposed to nine colleges and universities, has now been opened up to all US colleges and universities. This outrageous, unconstitutional compactoffers universities preferential access to federal funding in exchange for agreeing to align with MAGA ideology and submit to intrusive oversight by the DOJ.

United Academics is using this moment to lead, uniting with higher education unions across the state not only to reject Trump’s compact but to put forward our own positive vision for higher education reform. One goal is to use the Oregon Compact as an organizing tool to form coalitions between unions, elected leaders, faculty senates, and higher education administrators. On Saturday, Oct. 5, UA members attended the Oregon Higher Ed Labor Summit at Western Oregon University where a new Oregon Higher Education Labor Coalition was formed. As an initial joint project, union leaders from AAUP, AFT, SEIU, UAW, AFSCME, OEA, OSEA, and APSOU all agreed to join forces on the proposal put forward by United Academics for an Oregon Compact on Higher Education. That compact will promote independence from government intrusion and excessive donor influence; protection of international students, faculty, and staff; freedom of speech and research; job protections for all; affordability for students; and democratic governance.

To promote our “Oregon Compact” and strengthen relationships with elected officials, four members of the UA Politics Committee attended the Democratic Party of Oregon’s Biennial Summit in Sunriver from Oct. 17-19. We met directly with Governor Tina Kotek, Oregon Senate and House committee chairs on education, and numerous other elected officials and staff, union leaders, and activists. In addition to the compact, we strategized regarding revenue reform, Oregon’s higher education funding model, public outreach, and state oversight over university boards. This was the first time United Academics has participated in this major organizing event. Though other education unions are regular participants, it is our understanding that 4-year higher education institutions are very poorly represented at these events, including at the drafting of the Democratic Party platform.

Politics Committee members also recently met remotely with staff of US Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici and Maxine Dexter; leaders from the Higher Education Coordinating Committee (HECC); and Governor Kotek’s Executive Appointments Director. One plan to emerge from these meetings is for UA to more actively consult with the Governor’s office over the selection and appointment of trustees for our university’s board.

How You Can Get Involved Politically

Join UA’s Politics Committee! The Politics Committee is a vibrant group of committed organizers with a positive approach to our work. Committee members often report how important these connections are to their sense of well-being at UO. We have big plans to promote our Oregon Compact, work with legislators, organize around immigration issues and academic freedom, and build social connections among union members, but we need more help. Note that you can choose to participate in very limited ways, or robustly, so don’t let time constraints dissuade you from reaching out. (email bmann@uauoregon.org)