PSU Faculty, Staff, Students and Community Members March & Rally to Demand a Student-Centered Budget

Portland, OR – Tuesday 12:00 PM: faculty, staff, students, and community members rallied with the PSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors to demand a student-centered budget in response to an administrative directive that all academic units identify 8% of their budget for possible elimination.  This cut would come on top of 20 years of skyrocketing tuition.   “Students are going into debt to pay for their education, it’s imperative that PSU’s budget prioritize academics,” said PSU AAUP President Mary King.  “Students deserve a stable faculty and support services; tuition money should be invested where it most benefits students. ”

The crowd gathered on the sky bridge over Broadway in at the Smith Memorial Student Union Building.  Carrying banners, red balloons, and wearing red shirts, demonstrators flanked by faculty in academic regalia as they marched to rally on the steps of the PSU Market Center Building, where the offices of PSU President Wim Wiewel and his administration are located. 

“The University is unreasonable and unfair with the faculty in bargaining this year,” says Ron Narode, PSU-AAUP’s VP for Bargaining.  “They are demanding contract changes that would erode the faculty’s ability to serve students rather than cutting excess administrative layers and off-loading under-performing real estate,” says Ron Narode, PSU-AAUP’s VP for Bargaining.

Once assembled the rally was addressed by newly appointed Senator Michael Dembrow.  “Fifty two percent of PSU faculty members are part-time, as compared with 35% of the average for the Oregon University System.  It is time that PSU prioritize students by investing in academics,” Dembrow announced.  “PSU has an obligation to serve not just the city, but the students.”  In addition to high rates of part-time faculty, forty one percent of full-time PSU faculty are on short contracts, two-thirds of them for one year or less. Meanwhile the number of Executive Administrators at the level of Asst. Dean and above grew 65% over the past decade, from 31 to 51.

The current PSU-AAUP contract will expire on November 30.  If both sides have not come to an agreement at that time there will be a required cooling off period.  Then in January the administration will have the ability to force a contract.  “We’re hopeful that we can reach agreement with the PSU Administration,” said Narode.  “Unfortunately, I think PSU’s negotiators underestimate exactly how upset students and faculty are about the Administration’s failure to prioritize research and teaching at PSU.”

PHOTOS:

Picture - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxvILt8g-aDfdGxhZUFOa0dUZHM/edit?usp=sharing
Picture - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxvILt8g-aDfYXZWUmZpSWZYODQ/edit?usp=sharing
Video - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxvILt8g-aDfRTJWMUVsbzU5ckU/edit?usp=sharing