Dear PSUFA,
Labor union coalitions are working with legislators NOW to make positive changes through the 2023 Oregon legislative session. These motions are made stronger with testimony from you, the workers.
Now is your chance to submit testimony—your stories from working as contingent academic workers—to make change that matters.
Below you’ll find:
Instructions on writing testimony
Current bills, testimony needed, and deadlines
Adjunct faculty bills are at the top. Please note:
The “Adjunct Pay Parity” bill is happening tomorrow, Thursday at 3pm. ***This is our priority for messaging. Please send in your written testimony as soon as possible.***
Another priority bill is the Public University Governance Reforms (SB 273), which is happening a week from now—March 30 at 3pm. Please submit any testimony by 11am on Thursday, March 30.
How to Write Testimony
Write your own testimony, in your own words, and in your own voice.
The messaging and testimony template included below are examples only. Feel free to use as much or as little of them in your own testimony as you would like.
If you would like someone to review your testimony before you submit it, please send it to andreah [at] aft-oregon.org or taylor [at] mahoniapublicaffairs.com
Remember that any testimony you submit—whether it is written and submitted online or verbal on the day of the hearing—will be publicly available in perpetuity on the Oregon Legislature’s website. This includes your name, what you write, and any personally identifiable information that you include in your testimony.
The maximum number of characters allowed in the text box is 4,000. The maximum PDF upload size is 15 MB.
Upload all completed testimonies to this Google Folder OR email to Andrea Haverkamp.
Testimony Messaging and Templates
Below are links to the bills in Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS), short summaries of the bills, important deadlines, and testimony templates to download or make a copy of in Google Docs. View or download all templates here.
Adjunct Faculty Issues
Adjunct Pay Parity (SB 416)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: SB416 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Requires public universities and community colleges to pay part-time faculty at the same rate, on a per-hour basis, as public university or community college pays full-time faculty to prepare for and teach courses.
Deadlines: Public Hearing THIS THURSDAY, March 23 at 3pm. Written and/or verbal testimony is needed as soon as possible! Let us know if you are available. Note: You can continue to submit testimony 48 hours after the bill (until Saturday), but it is more impactful beforehand.
Adjunct Faculty Healthcare Vision, Dental, Funding Allocation (HB 2611)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: HB2611 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Requires that dental and vision are included in health benefits available to part-time faculty members. Requires public institutions of higher education to notify potentially eligible part-time faculty members of eligibility requirements and details of health care benefits available to part-time faculty no later than 30 days before application deadline. Reduces the amount of time part-time faculty must work to qualify for health care benefits from 50 percent of full-time equivalent employees to 30 percent of full-time equivalent employees. Requires institutions to include non instructional work when making eligibility determination.
Deadlines: Ongoing. We are collecting testimony in anticipation of forward movement.
General Higher Education Issues
Public University Governance Reforms (SB 273)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: SB273 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: The full text of the bill is still being workshopped and will be introduced before next Thursday. It is expected to include expanded representation for faculty, students, and staff with voting rights, and require two-way communication and availability of email addresses.
Deadlines: Public Hearing NEXT THURSDAY, March 30 at 3pm. Written and/or verbal testimony is needed as soon as possible! Please do not submit testimony yet - we’ll need a strong group to ensure consistent messaging. Let us know if you are available to participate!
Campus Safety Survey and Survivor Services (HB 3456)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: HB3456 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Requires college campuses to provide certified survivor services including free medical, legal, and counseling services. Requires biannual campus climate survey data collected at each institution and aggregated by the State of Oregon. Ensures amnesty protection for reporting parties.
Deadlines: Work Session scheduled today, we are collecting testimony in anticipation of forward movement.
Testimony Template - Use talking points from This Document
Graduate Employee Hours-worked Eligibility for SNAP Benefits (SB 609)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: SB609 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Currently, hours worked as a grad employee do not count towards you or your family qualifying for SNAP benefits. This bill removes that limitation.
Deadlines: Bill is slated for Work Sessions on March 22 and 27. We are collecting testimony in anticipation of forward movement.
Classified Staff Issues
Equal Access to UI Benefits for K-12 Classified Staff (SB 489)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: SB489 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Some classified staff are ineligible for UI benefits over the summer or during breaks. Most are. This closes the gap ensuring all classified staff can access UI benefits.
Deadlines: Bill was heard on March 23. We are collecting testimony in anticipation of forward movement.
Classified Staff Recognition Week (HB 2708)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: HB2708 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Provides that first full week in March is known as Classified School Employees Week.
Deadlines: Bill was heard on March 16. We are collecting testimony in anticipation of forward movement.
There are more Classified Staff bills in the hopper. Contact Andrea if you’d like to work on the full range of bills being considered.
“Fair Shot for All” Coalition / Common Good
Public Banking Bill (HB 2763)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: HB2763 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Establishes State Public Bank Task Force. Directs task force to study and make recommendations regarding establishment of state public bank. Requires task force to submit report to committee of Legislative Assembly by January 31, 2024.
Deadlines: Already passed with amendments! We can collect testimony ahead of forward movement in the Senate.
Reproductive and Gender Healthcare Access Bill (HB 2002)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: HB2002 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: This bill protects reproductive healthcare providers from criminal charges relating to other states, funds a pilot ‘mobile reproductive healthcare’ service for underserved regions, removes limitations within commercial insurance on gender affirming healthcare, increases reproductive healthcare access on community college and public university campuses. More info here.
Deadlines: Passed.
Testimony Template - courtesy of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon
Stable Homes for Oregon Families (SB 611)
Link to Bill and Testimony Submission: SB611 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
Summary: Limits annual rent increases. Increases amount residential landlord owes tenant for landlord-cause termination of tenancy.
Deadlines: Public Hearing NEXT MONDAY, March 27 8am. Testimony submitted online is welcome!
Testimony Template