From PSU-AAUP Nominating Committee (Amanda Singer, Music & Theater; Belinda Zeidler, School of Public Health; Trevino Brings Plenty, Diversity & Multicultural Student Services; Brian Elliott, Philosophy)
The ballot for the election of councilors to the Executive Council of PSU-AAUP will open Monday April 5, 2024 at 8am. A link to the online ballot will be sent in a separate email by electionbuddy.com. The ballot will be open for 15 days and will close on Thursday April 20 at 5pm. Watch your email for this ballot.
The nominees for election are as follows (all candidate statements are below):
President (2-year term; vote for one)
- Emily Ford (incumbent). Tenured. Library
VP for Collective Bargaining (2-year term; vote for one)
- David Kinsella (incumbent). Tenured. Politics & Global Affairs
VP for Legislative and Political Action (1-year term; vote for one)
- Jonna Lynn Bransford. Academic Professional. Office of Global Engagement and Innovation (OGEI)
VP for Membership and Organizing (2-year term; vote for one)
- Cristina Restad (incumbent). Academic Professional. School of Business
VP for Communications and Public Relations (2-year term; vote for one)
- Riley Chase. Academic Professional. Advising & Career Services
Councilor’s at Large (3 positions for 2-year terms; vote for three)
(listed in alphabetical order):
- Colleen Carroll. Fixed Term - Research. Urban Studies.
- Matt Chorpenning. Non Tenure Track Instructional (NTTF-I). School of Social Work
- Emme Grafton. Academic Professional. Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA)
- Mauri Matsuda. Tenured. Criminology and Criminal Justice
CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
President (1 candidate; vote for one)
Emily Ford (incumbent)
Professor, Urban & Public Affairs Librarian. Tenured Faculty.
We have so much at stake as we enter into bargaining a new contract and an entirely new Administration. Over the past two years our union power has grown. Together we have stabilized leadership, streamlined and improved Association policies, entered into affiliation with the American Federation of Teachers, negotiated working condition improvements and COLAs, and more. This work is hard but also so gratifying. The best part is that I've been able to do it in partnership with so many tremendous members and volunteers.
PSU-AAUP Service:
Library Unit Representative, 2012-2017; 2019-2020
Communications Committee Chair, 2014-2015 (co-chair); 2017-2018
Executive Council, Councilor-at-large, 2017-2018
Organizing Committee Member, 2020-2022
Acting Vice-President for Communications and Public Relations, 2021
President, 2022-present
AAUP-OR Service
Member, Executive Council, 2022-present
AAUP National Service
Member, Partnership Implementation Coordinating Team, 2022-present
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
VP for Collective Bargaining (1 candidate; vote for one)
David Kinsella (incumbent)
Professor, Politics & Global Affairs. Tenured Faculty
The collective bargaining team will contend with two financial imperatives, among other things, as it enters successor bargaining in May: university budget strain brought on by declining enrollments and the persistent high cost of living in the Portland area. We are fortunate that the CBT includes both seasoned veterans and newer members, and I have learned much working with them and other skilled professionals during my four years on the team, two as VP of Collective Bargaining. I am anxious to continue our work of improving the pay and working conditions of our members. Background: I am a professor of political science and have been a faithful member of our union since joining the PSU faculty in 2002. My university service has included serving as Chair of Political Science, Faculty Senator, and member of the Faculty Senate Budget Committee, Educational Policy Committee, Committee on Committees, and Graduate Council.
PSU-AAUP experience: Vice President for Collective Bargaining (since January 2022), Collective Bargaining Team (2020-present), Vice President of Legislative and Political Action (2021), Organizing Committee (2019-2021), Strategic Communications Committee (2021-present), Finance Committee (2022), Political Science Unit Rep (2018-present).
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
VP for Legislative and Political Action (1 candidate; vote for one)
Jonna Lynn Bransford
International Student Advisor. OGEI/OISSS. Academic Professional
Jonna Lynn has been a proud AAUP member since 2016 and has served as a Unit Rep (since 2017), a member of the Organizing Committee (since 2018), and as the AAUP Statewide Advocate for APs (since 2022). Jonna Lynn is running for Vice President for Legislative and Political Action (VP-PA) because she believes in using collective power to promote AAUP’s mission through political action. In her work as an international student advisor, Jonna Lynn has helped vulnerable students navigate reckless executive orders and abrupt Covid shutdowns, and she has advocated on behalf of international education by commenting on proposed rule-making and meeting with congressional staff. She believes that PSU AAUP is uniquely positioned to harness the power of experts and leaders across the University to envision and enact a bright future for PSU and for the City we serve.
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
VP for Membership and Organizing (1 candidate; vote for one)
Cristina Restad (incumbent)
Career & Academic Advisor. ACS-School of Business. Academic Professional
I would be honored to be elected into the VP Membership & Organizing role I've served as Interim since December 2023. We have had amazing increased engagement on campus this year, supporting and growing organizing leaders within units, and increasing our membership density and sense of community. I'm excited to continue this critical work into bargaining our full contract this summer. I served as an at-large member of PSU - AAUP Executive Council 2021-2023, and was on the caregiver caucus while expecting my daughter in 2019. I am a Portland native and PSU alum via PCC, I've worked here since I was a student researcher many years ago, and I'm very passionate about serving our students and our communities. Solidarity and engagement can win us the transformative contract we and our students deserve!
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
VP for Communications and Public Relations (1 candidate; vote for one)
Riley Chase
Academic & Career Advisor. Advising & Career Services. Academic Professional.
I would be honored to have your support for the office of VP for Communications and Public Relations. I am an Academic Advisor and a PSU alum. I work here because the university had a tremendous impact on me as a student, and I've seen that impact echoed across the PSU community. We each have a story that brings and keeps us here, and those stories matter. As the AAUP rep on the Strategic Planning Committee, I helped to plan and carry out campus engagement events this winter that captured some of those stories to help us move forward. As the VP for Comms, I am eager to hear and share your stories as we head into bargaining. We are our own best advocates, and our narratives have power to change our changing working conditions. As I've heard time again - "our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions."
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
Councilor’s at Large (4 candidates; vote for three)
(listed in alphabetical order):
Colleen Carroll
Urban Studies & Planning. Fixed Term - Research
Colleen is a member of the Organizing Committee and the Contract Action Team (CAT). She chaired the 2022 ‘strike-ready’ committee. She coordinated cross-campus union participation in the “Skills to Win” workshop with Jane McAlevey in 2023. She is a longtime organizer.
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
Matt Chorpenning
Non Tenure Track Instructional (NTTF-I). School of Social Work
I have served on the AAUP Family-Friendly fund committee and have been a dues paying member since 2017. I bring almost 20 years of community organizing experience to this role and, if elected, look forward to building labor power on our campus during times of impending austerity.
I am currently an Assistant Professor of Practice (NTTF) and the coordinator of the online MSW option in the School of Social work.
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
Emme Grafton
Current AAUP Representative for RGS/SPA.
Agreements Specialist. Sponsored Projects Administration / Research & Graduate Studies. Academic Professional.
I have been an Academic Professional at PSU since 2022 as an Agreements Specialist for the Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) unit within Research and Graduate Studies (RGS). Prior to PSU, I worked for a teachers’ union: my job included helping teachers prepare for their contract negotiations, and I was also on our own staff union’s bargaining team. Those experiences solidified my commitment to union work and so joining AAUP was a bit of a no-brainer for me. As one of the AAUP representatives for RGS/SPA, I have greatly enjoyed doing my part, in terms of empowering my colleagues to take collective action. Every bit of our combined effort helps move the needle closer toward equity, fair treatment, and an appropriate work/life balance for everyone. It is an honor to be nominated for this position, and I pledge to be an engaged, determined member of this Executive Council if chosen.
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
Mauri Matsuda
Tenured. Criminology and Criminal Justice
I have been a member of PSU-AAUP since I joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor in 2016. Our union is vital for ensuring a fair contract, and defending the interests of our members so that we can effectively serve our students and the broader mission of our institution. In seeking the nomination for at-large councilor, I hope to support our leadership by advocating on behalf of faculty and academic professionals so that we can continue to fulfill our mission. My previous experience includes serving on/chairing the board of a local nonprofit (2017-2023), in addition to a variety of departmental, college, and university committees. Thank you for your consideration.
[This statement was submitted by the nominee]
END OF BALLOT
Be on the lookout for your electronic voting ballot from ElectionBuddy.com on April 5th