NEWSLETTER, LEGISLATIVE & POLITICAL, PSU-AAUP

Councilor at Large Appointment

July 10, 2025 / PSU-AAUP

Emme Grafton, Councilor at Large, stepped down from her position in May. Thank you, Emme, for all of your contributions to PSU-AAUP and the Executive Council! Since there was less than a year of the Councilor term remaining, per the PSU-AAUP constitution, the Executive Council held an EC vote of appointment using the list of unelected at-large candidates from our previous election.
Congratulations to our newest Councilor at Large, Jacob Rose, and to the other Executive Council members who were elected this year!

Candidate statement:
Jacob Rose
Research Assistant, Institute for Natural Resources. Fixed term – Research

I am a proud representative of our unit, a member of the Strike Committee, and a dues-paying member since 2023. I earned my master's degree from the Environmental Science & Management Department, where I gained insight into issues facing students.

Fixed-term researchers encounter unique challenges from other AAUP colleagues, and this perspective can’t be lost. Many of us rely entirely on “soft funding,” securing grants to cover our salaries. However, PSU does not incentivize us to stay—there are no structured promotion pathways, nor a culture that encourages merit-based advancement, as doing so may make us too costly to retain.

We must stand together with all members to ensure that PSU supports instructors, academic professionals, and researchers alike. My goal is to build on the momentum from contract negotiations and unite our members in collective action.

Thank you for your consideration!