Greetings, colleagues.
I want to extend my best wishes to you as we begin another academic year. And to our newly arrived colleagues: Welcome to campus! We're glad to have you with us.
Before the start of each new academic year I wonder if the novelty will wear off and I’ll feel like I’m just going through the motions. But standing in front of hundreds of first-year students on their first day of college classes remains absolutely electrifying.
One of those students asked on their end-of-class reflection: "Do you actually like teaching?" YES! Despite the occasional shortcomings and challenges of working in higher education, I truly love the core of my job.
I believe many of us cherish much of our work at the University of Oregon. Other aspects, however, we may often find challenging, and even the energy of a new year may not be sufficient to reconnect us to the parts of our jobs that bring us joy and brought us here in the first place.
Let your UA representatives, stewards, and officers know what we can do to actively help you or your local colleagues focus on what you love the most about your work.
Likewise, reach out to us if you have the capacity to lend your expertise and support as we labor collectively to implement the provisions of the recently ratified CBA within units and across campus this year.
With new leadership at the top of our institution--as well as a few of its constituent colleges--this year is filled with possibility and promise. Let’s seize the opportunities for exercising our role in shared governance. Let’s strive to build a university that allows us to fully realize our joy and our purpose for being here.
In solidarity,
Mike Urbancic
Senior Instructor, Economics
President, United Academics of the University of Oregon
AAUP/AFT Local 3209, AFL-CIO
[email protected]
United Academics Fall Picnic
Time to celebrate! Join us this Friday, September 30 from 3-6pm at Alton Baker Shelter #2. Come out for a day in the park and celebrate the beginning of the new academic year and the salary increases our bargaining team fought to get us. This is our union-wide picnic, so please feel free to bring your colleagues, partners, and children along for some snacks, and some fun.
General Membership Meeting
We are excited to host our first in-person General Membership Meeting in nearly three years. Earlier this month, the United Academics Executive Council reviewed priorities and set the framework for a number of strategic initiatives for the coming year. The GMM will be the first of many opportunities for members to engage in the implementation of our new Collective Bargaining Agreement and weigh in on TRP, unit policy revisions, and other upcoming changes. We hope to see you there!
Thank You, Bargaining Team!
Wednesday’s announcement regarding the raises UA's bargaining team negotiated with the administration that will be implemented on October 1, 2022 rather than January 1, 2023 provides another opportunity to send our sincere thanks to the B-Team. Our colleagues spent countless hours over more than two years fighting to get these increases and much more.
Thank you to all who zoomed in to watch bargaining sessions, shared feedback on proposals, asked great questions, and participated in other important ways. We are United Academics.
Thank you, team!