October 17th march on the administration and October 24th practice picket
Massive amounts of PSU-AAUP members showed up for our October 17th march on the administration and October 24th practice picket. Administration has never seen this level of membership engagement and indignation in contract bargaining. Due to the number of members and students present President Cudd met with PSU-AAUP members and students on October 17th. Unfortunately, President Cudd spoke over NTTF faculty members who’d received notice of layoff, blew a kiss to a Vanguard student journalist, and said “go Viks” to the Vanguard’s camera as one NTTF faculty member was describing the impacts of receiving a notice of layoff letter. That said, after months of stalling, the robust number of PSU-AAUP members and dynamism of the actions caused the administration’s bargaining team to say repeatedly that they want to conclude negotiations. RSVP to the upcoming 11/7 and 11/14 practice pickets to help push the administration to make good on this assurance and recruit your coworkers, students, and community allies to join.
OPB quoted PSU students who spoke out powerfully about the impacts of the 94 notice of layoff letters:
“Mason Wilder, a current Portland State student, said he came to the AAUP rally to support his professors.
‘I feel like it’s really personal,’ said Wilder about the layoff notices that went to some of his teachers. ‘Whenever the institution is trying to cut down on money, it’s always going to be professors first. I’m tired of this culture of sacrificing our education for buildings.’”
Meanwhile over at the Portland Mercury, NTTF members detailed the impacts of receiving a notice of layoff letter:
“‘I feel gut punched,’ Bergland said in a speech at the protest. ‘I feel betrayed and
abandoned, but more than that I’m worried about my students. I can’t imagine who is going to teach these first year students who show up with their bright shiny faces, who need that personal connection with me.’”
|
|
