There’s reason to be optimistic this academic year!

It is my joy to welcome you back to campus for the 2024-2025 school year. Unlike the past four years of welcoming messages, I feel a little bit more free to be joyful at coming back to campus. It feels like this year is poised for something better than struggling to keep our colleagues, friends and families safe through COVID, worrying about an uncertain economy, and maintaining hope against the relentless challenges facing our profession. Let me see if I can explain my optimism.

At the state and national level, the AAUP is getting stronger every day. Many of you know that an affiliation agreement was signed between our national AAUP and the American Federation of Teachers. While many details of this affiliation still need to be worked out in our state and nationally, I believe that the higher education labor movement will be stronger thanks to this affiliation. With your support, we sent a sizable delegation to the AAUP Biennial Meeting in June, and together we helped elect new leadership with a strong vision for the future of the AAUP. In fact, earlier this week AAUP, AFT, and eight other higher education unions collectively announced their vision for the future of our profession. I know that we can make this vision a reality if we continue to work together on our campuses, in our state, and across the nation.

Our most ambitious project going forward is to be a leader in Oregon calling for greater financial support for higher education from the state legislature.  At our annual meeting this spring, we brought together key legislative allies to chart a plan for how we could bring collective pressure to the legislature for increased funding to higher education. Their message was clear: the entire university community – students, parents, staff, and faculty – must speak with one voice if we are to reverse the funding austerity that has plagued higher education in Oregon since 2008.  We look forward to sharing opportunities for your input, energy, and participation in this necessary work. In the meantime, if you are looking to get more involved in political advocacy, AAUP Oregon has endorsed the campaigns of legislators who strongly support higher education and labor rights. Check our endorsement page for more information about how you can support our endorsed candidates and ballot measure.

Some aspects of the coming year that might not fit my optimistic view. We are in the midst of an election season that many people consider existential to the continued success of building what Lincoln called the last great hope on earth. Depending on the results of that election, we may see further unrest and instability, let alone whatever new challenges 2025 will have in store for us. Regardless of what is to come, we have the strength and solidarity to overcome almost any obstacle so long as we continue to stand together.

It has been said that the best times to plant a tree are a century ago or today. We look forward to working with you in the coming year to grow for that sunny day when we can bathe in the shade of comfort from our labors expanding the quality in education, fairness in our workplace, and  academic freedom in Oregon’s universities.

In solidarity,

Steve Shay

President of AAUP Oregon