These days many research universities are constantly looking for new grant competitions and encouraging their faculty members to apply. On Friday, the University of California at Los Angeles took the unusual step of telling professors not to apply to a major new grant competition from a pharmaceutical company, saying that the program violated university rules. read more >

“Since students pay so much for their education here, we decided that we could not tolerate a decrease in the quality.” read more >

Several dozen professors in Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences have signed a letter to their dean asking for formal oversight of the massive open online courses offered by Harvard through edX, a MOOC provider co-founded by the university. read more >

Recently, the Education Department issued a controversial "blueprint" for dealing with sexual harassment that could expose colleges that follow it to First Amendment lawsuits and redefine every flirtation and request to go out on a date as potential sexual harassment. It rejects decades of court rulings by declaring that any unwelcome speech or conduct of a sexual nature is harassment, even if it would not offend a reasonable person. read more >

At our third Bargaining Session, May 21, 2013, the AAUP-PSU Bargaining Team gave oral response to the letter delivered to us by PSU Attorney, David Reese . read more >

In an effort to curb Western influence, China's leaders have reportedly banned the discussion of seven subjects in university classrooms, including press freedom, universal values, and the historical mistakes of the Chinese Communist Party. read more >

We'll be bargaining on Tuesday, May 21st, 12-3 in Market Center Building, Room 650 - please come to observe for any part of that time that you can! read more >

Check out what's happening in bargaining! read more >

The scandals roiling Washington over the past two weeks involve troubling government behavior that had been hidden—the IRS targeting of conservative groups and the Justice Department's surveillance of the Associated Press, among others. Largely overlooked amid the histrionics has been a shocker hiding in plain sight. Last week, the Obama administration moved to dramatically undermine students' and faculty rights at colleges across the country. read more >

Wisconsin teaching assistants held a "grade-in"—preparing lessons as they occupied the administration building—to draw attention to their vital work and fight their falling wages. Average take-home pay is just $9,500 a year. Photo: Michael Billeaux. We occupied Bascom Hall (the central administration building) to grade papers, hold office hours, prepare lessons, and analyze data—just like we do for hundreds of courses and projects on campus every day—and draw attention to our economic insecurity. read more >

Please come join us to celebrate 35 years at Portland State! read more >

PSU-AAUP Bargaining and News read more >

For Many Public-College Presidents, Homes Don't Count in Pay Packages read more >

PSU-AAUP Bargaining and News read more >

The Oregon legislature is considering two bills that would give universities more authority and decision-making power. read more >

The American Association of University Professors has sharply criticized New York University’s treatment of faculty members on its campus in Florence, Italy, declaring that adjunct professors there saw abrupt pay cuts and three longtime studio-arts professors were terminated, allegedly for trying to help form a faculty union. read more >

Supporters of legislation to overhaul how higher education is overseen in Oregon describe the measures as a way to streamline the process and provide better coordination between public colleges and elementary and secondary schools. read more >

The California Federation of Teachers and its affiliate representing faculty members at the City College of San Francisco have filed a complaint with the accreditor of that state's community colleges, accusing that organization of having conflicts of interest and of violating federal and state laws. read more >

Administration questions "governance" issues in the contract read more >

Let's all reply to Vice Provost Carol Mack's message to us about last week's bargaining session! read more >