President’s Column: Our Annual Member Meeting: A Big Deal

by José Padin, President

The annual member meeting of Oregon’s American Association of University Professors — it is coming up on April 23rd– is a big deal to us.

Big deal.

Because AAUP-Oregon is the member-led, member-driven organization of faculty and academic professionals in Oregon.

At the annual meeting, elected member-leaders report back on the progress made on the strategic priorities given us by the base at the prior meeting.

Two top priorities decided by the member base last year were: (1) faculty and student relations with new Boards of Trustees, (2) defending our rights to organize against anti-academic worker attacks.

At the annual meeting, the member base discusses and sets strategic priorities for the year ahead.

Two issues loom large in our conversation this year: (1) anti-educator and anti-worker ballot initiatives attempting to dismantle our organizations, and (2) racial justice in higher education, and the role we need to play.

We are inspired by, and have been strong supporters of the student movement for high quality debt-free education.

This year, we are excited for our academic class to join students in standing for a racially just university as well.