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Promoting Quality Higher Education– An Investment in Oregon’s Future

PSU-AAUP

President’s Weekly Message:News and Bargaining Update- Oct. 21, 2013

October 21, 2013 / Phil Lesch

1.  What Student Debt Pays for at PSU - Odd Priorities
2.  Bargaining Date Added:  Thurs, Oct. 24th, 1 to 4 pm, 6th Floor, MCB
3.  OIT Faculty Raises set for Biennium:  6% and 3%
4.  PSU-AAUP Survey on PSU's Progress Sent Oct. 18th!
5.  Upcoming PSU-AAUP Events!
     Bargaining Support, Caucuses & Workshop on Bullying in the Workplace
6.  Support PSU Adjuncts:  Oct. 30th, Noon at MCB
7.  Support Portland Teachers:  Oct. 21st, 5:30 pm, BESC
8.  SEIU Thank You Party! Weds, Oct. 23rd

A Few Things that PSU Students go into Debt to Pay for
Are you hearing that PSU is broke? Maybe we have odd priorities....

Did you know

1.  that VP Rimai reported to the Faculty Senate Budget Committee that Direct Instruction accounts for only 27% of PSU's budget? or

2.  that until quite recently, PSU relied on the State of Oregon for legal services, but now we have 5 people working in the President's Office of University Legal Services, earning a combined salary of more than half a million dollars a year?  or

3.  that salaries in Athletics last year came to over $2 million?!?!  The Education and General Fund - of which tuition is by far the biggest component - pays these salaries, as well as for subsidies to run Stott Center.

Despite the efforts of multiple student governments over the years to slow down or stop it, Athletics also accounts for a huge chunk of mandatory student fees - $3.8 million last year alone.

How many students do you know who have time to go to PSU games, after school, work and taking care of their families?

Bargaining Date Added:  Thurs., Oct. 24th, 1 - 4 pm on the 6th Floor, MCB
VP Rimai will be there from 1 to 2, to address PSU-AAUP questions about the budget, including the degree to which tuition dollars pay for Auxiliaries like the University Place motel.  Come to observe for any part of the 1 - 4 pm session that you can!

Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) Announces Faculty Raises for Biennium
2013/2014:  6% - 5.25% across the board and 0.75% in market/equity raises
2014/15:  3% - 2.25% across the board and 0.75% in market/equity raises

PSU-AAUP Survey on PSU Progress over recent years!
PSU-AAUP is conducting a short, confidential survey of members, to assess PSU's progress and direction over the past 5 or so years, sent by e-mail on Friday, Oct. 18th.

Is PSU improving or losing ground with undergrad education, grad offerings, research support, academic quality, faculty recruitment and retention...?

You're the experts - you tell us and we'll report back!

Upcoming PSU-AAUP Events!  Mark Your Calendars!
Tues., Oct. 29th, Noon:  AP Caucus!  SMSU 238
Weds, Oct. 30th, Noon:  Fixed-term and Research Faculty Caucus!  SMSU 294
Mon., Nov. 4th, 3 - 5 pm:  PSU-AAUP VP for Bargaining, Ron Narode,
     Updates the Faculty Senate - Come show your support! CH 53
          We'll be quiet.  We don't want to disrupt Senate business, but we have to
          show the decision-makers that PSU faculty care about bargaining.

Weds, Nov. 6th, Noon:  Workshop on Workplace Bullying, SMSU 327-328
Weds., Nov. 13th, Noon:  Tenure-Line Faculty Caucus!  SMSU 333

PSU Adjuncts Ask for Our Help:
Come out Weds, Oct. 30th at Noon, at Market Center Building.

PSUFA reports that part-time faculty now teach approximately one-third of PSU classes, but for very low wages, few benefits, no job security and little integration into their departments.

The PSU Administration claims that it can afford to raise adjunct salaries only 1% each year of the next biennium, which is $90,000 TOTAL each year - or 54% of what we're paying just ONE of our attorneys a year.  If you're not coming to the PSU-AAUP Fixed Term Faculty Caucus at noon on Weds, Oct. 30th, please consider standing with PSU's adjuncts.  They - and our students - deserve better.

Support Portland Teachers!  Rally Monday, Oct. 21st. 5:15 pm
Portland teachers are working harder, class sizes are bigger, quality is suffering and teachers have less and less say in our schools.  (Have we heard this story before?)  Portland teachers are asking for our support to help improve conditions in Portland schools by showing up to a rally at 5:15 pm before the School Board meeting on Monday, Oct. 21st at BESC, 501 N. Dixon.
http://www.pdxteachers.org/

SEIU Thank You Party!
SEIU extends a hearty "thank you" to all faculty, students, and staff who helped us win a fair contract for OUS classified employees.

They say "It was a hard-fought battle, and we truly could not have done it without you.  Please join us for a Thank You party Wednesday, October 23 from 3:30-4:30 in Smith 1. Refreshments provided!"

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