United Academics at UO: Exciting and Challenging Times Ahead

by Michael Dreiling, President

Welcome back for Winter Term 2017.  We have exciting and challenging times ahead. At the state level, critical budget decisions impacting Oregon higher education will take place in Salem in the months ahead. Our local, along with our friends across the state, ask that you keep abreast of updates and calls for action. On January 19, Marcus Swift from the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon will be giving an overview of the upcoming legislative session, with a special focus on what Salem has in store for higher education. Swift will be presenting in the Lease Crutcher Room of the EMU at 4 pm until 5:30 pm.

Across the country, the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors are proud to be partners with the Women’s March on Washington, this Saturday, the 21st, with satellite marches in locations across the country.  Here in Eugene, a group of faculty will be participating in the Women’s March in Eugene at noon on Saturday, January 21 at the Federal Courthouse to show solidarity in the face of a changing America. We will have the United Academic banner at the courthouse before the rally. Feel free to gather up with your union siblings for marching. You can find the details on the event’s facebook page.

Next week is our Winter Term General Membership Meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 26 at the Ford Alumni Center from 5 to 7 pm.

We are also looking forward to late April when Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, will be visiting our campus to give an address through the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics. The details of her visit are still being worked out, but Randi’s visit is very exciting to everyone who knows her dedication to fighting for civil rights and justice in and out of the labor movement.