New Contract Changes Ratified!

PSUFA Members,

The votes have been counted and you have made your collective voice heard!

With record voting turnout,
PSUFA Members have voted in support of ratification by more than 99%!

Ratification of new contract language provides all Adjuncts at PSU a 10% COLA that goes into effect this Fall term, among many other increases and additions to our existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA). You can download and review the new contract language that will be added to our CBA here: Ratified 2023–2025 PSUFA CBA Language [PDF].

These changes to our contract are a HUGE win for Adjuncts at PSU and it wouldn’t have been possible without YOUR participation, engagement, collective action, and solidarity throughout the bargaining process!

As we look ahead to 2025, when our contract negotiations begin anew, we must keep this incredible and inspiring momentum going. Keep an eye on your email for opportunities to get involved, and reach out to the PSUFA Executive Council if you want to help continue to strengthen our union over the next year!

In Solidarity,

PSUFA Bargaining Team
Ariana, Lyndsie, Vasiliki, Brittney, Alison, Rob, and David

Tentative Agreement Details

PSUFA Members,

Administration thought that YOU would back down. They expected you to believe their austerity narrative and cower in fear. They expected you to accept the bare minimum. BUT YOU SAID NO! Because of your resounding demands for a FAIR CONTRACT NOW, your attendance at bargaining sessions, your willingness to participate in collective action, and persistent pressure via articles in local news media and the Solidarity Letter signed by over 19 elected local legislators…

Your PSUFA Bargaining Team is happy to announce that a Tentative Agreement (TA) with the University has been reached in this economic reopener.

But we’re not done yet! The language of the TA is still being finalized, and once this is completed PSUFA Membership will be asked to VOTE to RATIFY the proposed contract. In the coming days we will have more information for our members about how and when to cast your vote on the TA. Be sure to keep in mind:

YOU MUST BE A DUES-PAYING MEMBER TO VOTE ON RATIFICATION OF THIS TA.

In order to become a member—if you are not already—sign up now at https://psufa.org/membership. Unsure about your current membership status? Email PSUFA Membership Chair, Vasiliki Touhouliotis.

The details of the TA as outlined below demonstrate significant movement toward all the higher-level demands outlined at the beginning of the bargaining process. We pushed Administration to commit to equal pay for equal work and to keep up with the cost of living over a period of economic instability and inflation. We also made it clear that there need to be raises that reflect length of service to the University and that PSU needs to put an end to the unpaid work that routinely falls on Adjuncts to perform. Access to benefits Adjuncts can use, in the form of health insurance and retirement benefits, and an increase to onboarding and inclusion of Adjuncts in the affairs of their department were also on the table. Although there is always more room for improvement, this TA represents tangible gains in each of these areas.

Had PSUFA Membership backed down on any of these demands, the University would have “given” us the paltry $3.3 million total they offered initially (which would have been an effective pay cut as shown in the comparison table linked below), but because of the strength of our bargaining unit (again, that’s YOU!) this TA package is calculated at $4.6 million—an increase of almost 40% over their initial offer.

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The TA contains a number of gains over what we are provided in our current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and adds new language to provide access to benefits we did not have before. These changes include:

Increases to Instructional Appointment Per Credit Minimum Salary Rates

• Effective Fall Term 2023: $1,271

• Increase of $35 & 10% COLA

• Effective Fall Term 2024: $1,339–$1,362

• Increase of $45 & 1.75%–3.5% COLA, variable based on CPI-U West

Increases to Research Appointments Minimum Salary Rates

• Research Assistant

• Effective Fall Term 2023: $30.38 per hour

• Inclusive of 10% COLA

• Effective Fall Term 2024: $32.23–$32.79 per hour

• Inclusive of 1.75%–3.5% COLA, variable based on CPI-U West

• Research Associate

• Effective Fall Term 2023: $32.53 per hour

• Inclusive of 10% COLA

• Effective Fall Term 2024: $34.42–$35.01 per hour

• Inclusive of 1.75%–3.5% COLA, variable based on CPI-U West

NEW: Length of Service Payment

• One-time payment of $850 to Adjuncts who have worked in the PSUFA bargaining unit for a minimum of 6 years

• A year of work is defined as an Adjunct working in an Adjunct instructional or research role in any term in an academic year (Fall, Winter, Spring). Years of work will be calculated to include the academic year in which the payment is made and any years of work in the PSUFA bargaining unit prior to that academic year, including non-consecutive years of work.

Increase to Compensation for Committee Service, Advising, Mentoring Activities, and Special Projects and Certain Curricular Development Work

• Effective Fall Term 2023: $29.16 per hour

• Inclusive of 10% COLA

• Effective Fall Term 2023: $30.99–$31.53 per hour

• Inclusive of 1.75%–3.5% COLA, variable based on CPI-U West

• NEW: Addition of compensation for Course Development

• Up to $500 for either a new course that the department has not previously offered or an existing course that requires major curricular revisions

• “Curricular revisions” defined as requiring change to 50% or more of the course content as determined by the Department Chair

• Paid at the committee service rates above

Increase to Compensation for Independent Study Supervision

• 1 credit hour: $153

• 2 credit hours: $230

• 3 credit hours: $306

• 4 credit hours: $383

Increase in Compensation for Contract Negotiations

• The University will compensate up to three (3) bargaining unit members four (4) credits per term for the purpose of preparing for and participating in contract negotiations for the duration of the contract negotiations not to exceed a maximum of four (4) terms.

Increase to Release Time for Other Union Duties

• Provides an additional one hundred (100) hours, for a total of seven hundred (700) hours

NEW: Retirement Benefits Paid by the University

• For eligible Adjuncts selecting PERS (Public Employees Retirement System):

• PSU shall pay the six-percent (6%) employee contribution to any eligible Adjunct faculty employee’s Individual Account Program (IAP)

• For eligible Adjuncts selecting ORP (Optional Retirement Plan) in Tiers 1, 2, or 3:

• PSU shall pay the employee contribution satisfying the 414(h) contribution option

Sick Leave

• No cap on hours accrued

• Hours accrued at the same rate as full-time faculty

• 1 hour sick leave for 21.66 hours of work

Increase to the Faculty Education Fund (FEF)

• PSU contributes additional $20,000 per year (up to $65,000)

• PSU language change on the per credit amount rate to $31 per credit hour

Increase to the Technology Fund

• PSU contributes $20,000 per year

• Individual eligibility increased to $1,500 per person

Increase to the Adjunct Faculty Assistance Fund (AFAF)

• PSU contributes additional $25,000 per year (up to $325,000)

• Additional money will be available for any purpose as articulated in that article, including financial hardship and/or caregiving expenses

NEW: Adjunct Inclusion Fund

• PSU provides $7,500 per year to provide up to ten (10) departments with high academic density money to pay adjuncts to participate in department meetings and/or other departmental work.

For all the finer details on the Tentative Agreement and how this compares with what had previously been offered by the University, check out our PSU Proposals & TA Comparison PDF.

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Again, the PSUFA Bargaining Team wants to extend a round of applause to YOU! Bravo to all who attended bargaining sessions and showed up in solidarity throughout the process. We are also immensely grateful for our supportive community members outside the bargaining unit who have actively and vocally supported our cause, including many State and Local elected officials. Thank you as well to the media outlets who covered our struggle.

In Solidarity,

PSUFA Bargaining Team
Ariana, Lyndsie, Vasiliki, Brittney, Alison, Rob, and David

PSU Adjunct Health Care - Fall 2022

Dear Colleagues,

The enrollment period is open at PSU for state-subsidized health care for adjuncts who:

• teach more than half time (.5FTE) by combining work across multiple Oregon public colleges and universities or

• average above .5FTE by teaching in summer term as well as the academic year at PSU

The eligibility enrollment period is October 1 through 31. Once you have gone through the initial eligibility application process, you will be provided guidance to choose which insurance plan you want to enroll in starting in November.

You should have received an email last week from PSU Benefits with a table listing your FTE for the last year to help you determine eligibility. Some people have received incomplete or incorrect information, so please follow up with HR if you believe you should qualify but the information provided to you doesn’t back that up.

The emails from PSU HR about adjunct health care confused some of our members, as it described the eligibility criteria incorrectly and had a broken link that discouraged some people from applying. 

If you are unsure whether you may qualify please reach out to HR benefits at benefits [at] pdx.edu and feel free to CC our union by including Ariana Jacob psufa.bargaining [at] gmail.com.

To begin your health insurance eligibility application, follow the link on this page: https://www.pdx.edu/human-resources/sb-551-benefits-part-time-faculty under the Determining Eligibility heading. If that gives you trouble, email benefits [at] pdx.edu .

We also want to acknowledge that the current eligibility criteria to qualify for this health care is too complicated and sets too high of a threshold for enrollment. PSUFA is working with legislators to improve the law and make it more accessible. This process is slow, unfortunately.

Your union,
PSUFA

Student Borrower Protection Network PSLF Webinars

Last fall, the Department of Education announced an overhaul of the PSLF program designed to allow millions of public service workers who have been struggling under the weight of student loan debt a path to relief. In short, borrowers who were previously ineligible because they had the wrong loan, were making payments on the wrong payment plan, or were knocked off track due to processing errors can now receive credit toward forgiveness for those years worked in public service. The current waiver period ends on October 31, 2022.

The Student Borrower Protection Network is holding multiple free webinars to highlight updates to the PSLF program, guidance on how to navigate the new process, and an opportunity to ask questions about accessing debt relief. Here are the dates for webinars:  

• August 22, 2022, 6 pm ET

• September 8, 2022, 5 pm ET

• September 22, 2022 12 pm ET

• September 27, 2022, 6 pm ET

• October 4, 2022, 6 pm ET

• October 6, 2022, 12 pm ET

• October 17, 2022, 12 pm ET

• October 25, 2022, 6 pm ET

Register here!

For a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the PSLF waiver, visit https://forgivemystudentdebt.org.

And don’t forget! AFT is also offering weekly debt clinics as well. Check them out here.

PSUFA Dues Restructuring

Dear members,

In this season of union wins all across the country PSUFA is beginning to plan for our own contract negotiations, which will start in January 2023. One essential element of preparing for these negotiations is to make sure our union has enough money on hand.

We’re writing to you today because our current dues structure is insufficient to sustain the long-term health of our union. On top of that, the way dues are structured is inequitable. Given that, the PSUFA executive council is proposing to shift our dues from a fixed dollar amount to a flat percentage rate. 

We will be asking members to vote to approve the new dues structure by May 20th using an online voting process.

This email will explain: 

1. The new proposed dues structure

2. How it will impact people who are teaching different amounts of credits

3. Why our executive council believes this is the best model to balance our individual and collective financial needs

4. How you can learn more about this proposal and talk with us about it.

5. Answers to questions you may have

All members will receive an email with a link to your online ballot Friday May 13th before noon.

1.Proposal

We are proposing a dues rate of 2% of monthly salary in the months when we are being paid by PSU. We will phase this in over two years to ensure that no one sees a large jump in their dues. Because of the bargained salary increases we have coming in Fall 2022, everyone will have their pay rate go up next fall even with the proposed increases to dues.

The current dues structure is relatively simple but also inherently regressive: Members pay $28 per month in any month they are employed unless they receive less than $550 in compensation from the university that month. In that case, they pay $23 in dues. The PSUFA executive council wants to shift to a fixed percent of gross income. This is a common practice in unions, including other academic unions at PSU.

More: View a PowerPoint of the proposal here or watch a short video here.

2. Impacts

In our proposed system, your dues will be proportional to your income. The table below shows what dues have been under our current system for different monthly income levels, and what they will become under our proposed structure starting in fall of 2023.

To make sure people who teach two or more classes do not see a large increase to their dues for next academic year (2022/2033) we are phasing in the changes, so dues will be 2% for the majority of people, but no one will pay more than $45/month in the coming academic year. The following year (2023/2024) all dues will move to 2% of monthly salaries. 

Below is how much money you would actually take home with our new dues structure combined with the raises we have won through bargaining in a couple scenarios.

Highlights:

• If you make less than $1,400 a month, you will pay less in dues.

• If you teach one 4-credit class (at the minimum rate) in a term, you will see a dues increase of less than $2 per month. However, in Fall 2023, you will see a raise of $48 per month. 

• In PSUFA’s 2020/2021 bargaining sessions, your union won minimum per-credit and hourly rate increases that exceed any increase in dues. That is, everyone working at those rates will see a raise on their Fall paychecks, even with a new dues structure. 

We cannot estimate exact dues impacts for 2023 because our union will be bargaining for new salaries for that year. Because we are proposing a flat percentage, our dues in 2023 will be dependent on those new (and presumably higher!) salaries. 

What we do know is that for the remainder of the current contract, all members of our bargaining unit will still see an increase in pay that will outpace dues. 

3. Reasons behind the proposal

Three main reasons led to our recommendation. 

1. More equitable dues paying.

In our current dues structure, an instructor who teaches one course in a term pays the same as someone who teaches two courses. A fixed dues percentage of 2 for all adjuncts will mean our members pay dues that are proportional to their income.

2. Creating a strike fund.

Across the country we have seen the threat of striking result in massive pay increases and other improvements to working conditions for higher ed labor unions. Sometimes these wins have come after short strikes but often they result from just the credible threat of a strike. We want to be able to have a credible threat to strike by the time we go into our next full contract negotiations in 2025. To do that we need to start setting aside money for a strike fund. The strike fund would be used to support our members while they are on strike.

3. Long-term sustainability of PSUFA.

The executive council is an eight-person governing board, made up of adjuncts like yourself, that helps run PSUFA. Running PSUFA includes: 

• Bargaining. Bargaining has led to across-the-board raises for adjuncts. The new dues model will result in increased revenue that will allow the bargaining team to prepare for what is sure to be a tough contract negotiation in 2023. 

• Benefits. Managing and distributing PSUFA benefits funds. Last year, PSUFA distributed the following funds to its members:

• $300,000 in our Adjunct Faculty Assistance Funds to over 400 members

• $60,000 in continuing education assistance to allow 52 members to finish their advanced degrees and learn other new skills as PSU students.

• Almost $50,000 in Professional Development grants that have allowed 40 members to present at conferences and pursue research and creative/artistic projects.

• Grievances. Following up on adjunct grievances and fighting for adjuncts when PSU breaks the contract.

• Policy and Political Action. Executive council members fought for years to win adjunct access to employer healthcare and Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for adjuncts through work at the state level.

EC members are paid a stipend of $300 every month, a small amount for the work involved. The nature of our jobs also means that we naturally have turnover in leadership as executive council members move on to other opportunities. Our members already live precarious lives with economic instability. In order for the PSUFA leadership council to continue in the future, the EC roles must pay enough so that members will want to run for and be a part of the executive committee.

4. Next Steps and Where to Learn More

PSUFA executive council members will be available during office hours to answer any questions about these dues changes. Office hours can be joined at this Zoom link at the times below. 

• Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

• Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

• Wednesdays, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

These can always be found on our website.

You can vote between Friday, May 13 and Friday, May 20. We will call the election at 5 p.m., which is during our Spring General Member Meeting (4 to 6 p.m. on May 20). 

We will send you a link to an online ballot on Friday May 13th.

The prospect of restructuring dues is one we take seriously and have spent significant time discussing. Thank you for reading this message and we hope to see you at office hours.

5. Questions You May Have

Didn’t PSUFA raise dues in 2018?

Following the 2018 Janus Supreme Court decision, the revenue of PSUFA—and public unions around the country—were severely reduced. This was a targeted attack on collective worker power and part of the decades-long campaign to weaken unions. PSUFA responded quickly to that decision to ensure the union stayed afloat financially, but we did not have time to fix the inequities in our dues structure at that time. Our proposed fixed percentage decision will mean we will not need to restructure our dues moving forward. 

Why a flat-rate percentage? 

A rate-based arrangement for collection is considered progressive if the rate increases as income increases. So if one person made more than another, they wouldn’t just pay more in dues, they’d pay at a higher rate. A progressive system doesn’t have clear justification for adjuncts. This is because making a larger income as an adjunct is indicative of reliance on precarious employment. On the other hand, making a small amount of money as an adjunct doesn’t imply you have another lucrative job somewhere else and can afford a higher dues rate either. Therefore a flat (percentage) rate seems most fair. Furthermore, a flat system is easy to understand and commonplace among unions for the collection of dues.

Why does the union need money? 

Sustaining a union is hard work and requires significant contributions of time from many adjuncts. Your PSUFA membership is a commitment to collective action. The financial contributions you make through dues allows our union to improve the working conditions of all adjuncts. This includes: 

• Managing and dispersing our benefit funds like the Adjunct Faculty Assistance Fund and Professional Development Fund

• Representing you at the bargaining table and negotiating our pay and benefits

• Staying in constant communication with PSU administration and never letting them forget the daily struggles of their adjunct employees

• Organizing to take political action at a local, state, and national level to make lasting material impacts for adjuncts

• Making sure that adjuncts are supported whenever they have work concerns or need to file a grievance

Your dues also support our parent union, the American Federation of Teachers. AFT-Oregon has a very strong track record of legislative victories that support us. They actively write and successfully advocate for legislation that improves the lives of adjunct faculty because many of the challenges we face must be addressed at levels that go beyond just PSU. AFT-Oregon & AFT National also provide legal support, training and many useful member benefits.

Adjunct Healthcare Enrollment Is Now Open!

The spring enrollment period for adjunct healthcare is open through the end of April. If you believe you have worked over half time in three out of the last four terms at PSU and any other public colleges and universities in Oregon you may qualify.

Please read through the information about eligibility on PSU’s website. To enroll, email PSU HR at benefits@pdx.edu. 

Coverage would begin in May and you would pay 10% of the full cost. Here is a document that lays out the different options for health insurance that are available. You will want to talk with HR benefits about which plan is right for you.

Feel free to CC psufa.bargaining [at] gmail.com on any communication you have with HR about healthcare.

Letter from PSUFA to University on Lifted Mask Mandate

Dear President Percy, Provost Jeffords, and PSU Incident Management Team,

We have heard from many adjunct faculty members and students who are deeply disappointed in PSU’s decision to lift all mask mandates in spring term. If PSU’s administration chooses to go forward without a schoolwide mask mandate for spring quarter, then we ask that you allow faculty to make their own mask policy for their classes, and for PSU to support faculty to implement those policies by communicating to students that some classes will require masks and that the school will enforce each faculty’s mask policy.

We also recommend that students be able to ask for DRC accommodations that include a mask mandate for the classes they are enrolled in. 

More than a quarter of PSU classes are taught by adjuncts (34%), many of whom still do not have access to adequate healthcare. By removing the mask mandate, you are expecting these faculty to take on health risks of acute or lingering disease and disability in the course of doing their jobs without any kind of healthcare support.

Several parts of the world, including China, are beginning to see a new wave of COVID-19. New York City and other parts of the country are seeing huge increases in the rate of the BA.2 variant of the virus in their tests of sewage. Let us not be rash about declaring the pandemic over prematurely, yet one more time, at the expense of the health of our students and workers.

We must make sure we are taking into consideration the very real ongoing risks that COVID-19 poses to our community, especially our more vulnerable members including those of us who are immunocompromised and those without access to adequate healthcare. 

Sincerely,
Ariana Jacob on behalf of PSUFA Executive Council

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References on increases of new COVID-19 variants:

New York Times
The Independent
Gothamist
Andy Slavitt

Celebrating 50 Years of Adjunct Teaching, Land Use Law, and Union Membership

“I’ve got the gospel of land use planning in my veins,” says Ed Sullivan, who begins his 50th year of adjunct teaching at PSU this year. “I’ve lived it. I’ve advocated it. And this is an opportunity to pass it on to others.”

Originally from New York, Sullivan made his way to the West Coast in 1966, when he attended law school at Willamette University. His first job out of law school was at the Washington County Counsel’s Office, where, as a young lawyer, he had a small role in the enactment of the landmark bill SB 100, a “game changer.” That legislation allowed state and local governments to regulate the use of non-federal lands in the state—for example, to prohibit converting farm or forest lands into subdivisions. The law put Oregon on the map in the world of planning law and policy and made Oregon an outstanding example of progressive land policy. 

Sullivan taught his first course at Portland Community College in 1972. A year later, Sumner Sharpe, who ran the Urban Studies department at PSU at the time (now CUPA), asked him to come to PSU. Sullivan worked as a lawyer throughout the decades until his retirement in 2014, but he continued to teach at PSU, and at Lewis & Clark and Willamette law schools. On February 2, 2022, he gave a presentation to his department at PSU reflecting on his teaching, as well as the past—and future—of Oregon’s land use, which you can read here. 

Sullivan’s signature course, which he has taught for 50 years, is Land Use: Legal Aspects. Starting in 2000, he taught Oregon Land Use Law, the only class in the entire state (including law schools) that specifically covers Oregon land use. He has also taught Environmental Law and Administrative Law at PSU. 

Sullivan, who is a proud PSUFA member, sat down with us to discuss the changing times, what makes teaching so fulfilling, and of course, his passion—land use law.  

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Take me back to 1972, when you were first asked to be an adjunct at PCC. What made you say yes?

I did it because I wanted to drill down on the academic parts of planning law, understand the subject, and make myself work at it. And secondly, to overcome my shyness. I am innately shy. You’d never know it now. [Laughs.] Sumner Sharpe was the Oregon chapter president of an organization which is now the American Planning Association. Over the years, I had provided advice and written an amicus brief for that organization. Dr. Sharpe thought it would be good for PSU to have a land use law component in the department because there was none at the time and it appeared to be an important item for planners to know. 

A photo from the 1973 edition of the PSU Viking.

What was Portland State University like back in the ’70s?

There was a lot less than in terms of buildings, certainly a lot smaller campus. There were a lot more “regular” students—those who were just going through from high school on the way through grad school, without a stop. Today’s students are much less white, which I think is a great thing, that the university is reaching out to minority communities. In fact, minorities are now the majority at Portland State. Many more students are taking academics later in life, taking pauses during their careers, which was less the case in the 1970s. I think people are much more deliberate about their career choices today, perhaps because higher education is much more expensive. And they’re much more involved; they’re more likely to have some job or other position—maybe an advisory committee, maybe being involved in neighborhood associations—than was the case in ’73.

First page of Senate Bill 100. (Oregon State Archives.)

What’s something that a current student would have difficulty comprehending about those days? 

Just how far planning law has come. In early 1973, SB 100 had not yet come down. It came down during my first year of teaching. It said—now, unremarkably—that the comprehensive plan that the local government adopts is the constitution for growth, and that all actions and land use ordinances must be consistent with the plan. That’s a big deal, and it is not the law in most states. We also didn’t have an LCDC (Land Conservation and Development Commission) at that time. So the state’s role in planning and planning law has evolved significantly over that time.  

How has adjunct teaching changed for you since then? 

In some ways, it’s the same: I get a contract every year, I get to teach the classes, and I don’t get any hassle, generally. The money’s better—thank you, union. And I had the benefit about four years ago to get a study grant that was done through PSUFA as part of the union contract. It paid my airfare to go speak to Australians about Oregon’s land use system and housing. So those are all good things, and better.

I’m probably the only adjunct that sits in on faculty meetings. I don’t have a vote, but three times, when accreditation comes up from national reviews of PSU’s planning program, I’ve raised the issue of the involvement of adjunct professors in the department. I complained long and hard enough that the administration finally said, “All right, you want to attend? Go ahead.” So I’m doing that. My participation is limited. Mostly it’s listening to what’s going on, and that’s a good thing. I like to find out what the faculty is thinking about, and new directions in the planning program. So I have the dilemma of answered prayers. But I’m glad I do it, and it makes me feel more participatory, so that I have my own involvement, my own stake, in what happens in the department and the school.

Besides being an adjunct professor for so long, you’ve also been a longtime member of PSUFA. Why is being a union member important to you?

Notwithstanding that I was in a white-collar job for 45 years, I was a union member while working after law school, and my dad was a union member. 

Right after my third year in law school, I worked in a cannery to make enough money to get through the summer. And I joined my first union there, the Teamsters. And I believed then, and now, that union membership is essential to assure that the workers’ rights are on the radar screen of administration. Those are protected, and advanced through unions. From my perspective as an instructor, I love the idea that somebody’s looking out for me. When it comes to contract negotiations, when it comes to—God ever forbid—if I had a problem with the department, the union would be there. All of that is to the good. I have difficulty with declining union membership nationally, and with the atomization of work. And I put my money, and my time, where my mouth is.

“Teaching challenges me to rethink everything that I thought was settled.”

You talked about why you started teaching, but what made you keep doing it? 

The challenge to my overly-settled beliefs, the continued need for me to think on my feet, to explain myself and my positions. The “sharing” of academics and experience—you know, that’s a BS word sometimes, but I’ve got the gospel of land use planning in my veins. I’ve lived it. I’ve advocated it. And this is an opportunity to pass it on to others.

I don’t have to do it. I don’t need to do it. But I love doing it, because I love the interaction with students. Teaching challenges me to rethink everything that I thought was settled. It gives me an interaction with the world, which I find useful, pleasant, and helpful in doing the other things that I do—in writing, and teaching elsewhere. 

For everything you have shared with students, it sounds like they have given you a lot in return as well. Could you talk more about that?

Questions come out of left field and make me rethink where I am and what I’m doing. I have graduate students choose their own paper topics in land use law. I have to approve them, but I’ve always told them “pick something outside your area of comfort. And I’ll help you with it, I’ll steer you to the right person or resource.” And I learned enough from the papers submitted that it was worth it.

What words of wisdom or advice would you give to a new adjunct, or someone new to teaching? 

Join the union! Because what happens elsewhere affects you, and you’re all alone otherwise. Secondly, be empathetic with your students. My classes are only night courses, so we have people with other jobs during the day that are doing this out of—not out of necessity, but because they want to advance themselves. Look inside yourself: Why are you doing this? It sure as hell ain’t the money. [Laughs.] But if you’re doing this as I did—to overcome innate shyness, to challenge yourself, to reexamine all the things that you thought were settled, you see new aspects of planning law all the time. Take it on. It’s rewarding. And do it while it’s fun. Right now it’s still fun after 50 years.

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This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

PSU, Omicron, and You

Dear members,
We are all concerned about the surging COVID-19 numbers in our community right now.

Based on our conversations with Admin, we do not believe PSU is going to go all remote this term. That said, the most important thing right now is that you, your family, and your students do what is needed to stay safe. We suggest that you reach out to your department if changing the modality of your class will make you feel safer, and we will support you with that request.

Below are:

• PSU's written guidelines for switching your class to remote

• Advice on what to make of this policy

• What we know about getting tested as an employee of PSU

• What we're doing as a union

• A few actions you can take

PSU Policy on Going Remote

Here is the current PSU policy regarding COVID-19 and working remotely, which was part of an email sent by Provost Susan Jeffords on Friday, January 7:

1. In classes in which 20% or more of students are absent due to COVID-19, faculty may—in consultation with deans and department chairs—shift in-person classes temporarily to remote instruction. It may not be feasible for some classes, such as labs or internships, to shift to remote modalities.

2. For classes that remain in person, instructors are encouraged to utilize the existing Zoom capacities that were installed in all general pool classrooms to enable students who cannot attend in person to be able to stay current with the class;

3. In-person classes in which the instructor must quarantine or attend to symptoms may shift temporarily to remote instruction.

4. Please provide at least 24-hour notice to students when class modalities are changed.

5. Any in-person classes that shift temporarily to remote should return to in-person instruction by February 7.

More info: Employee resources for Return to Campus; PSU COVID-19 Dashboard.

Our Advice

We encourage you to make liberal use of the guidelines above. If you, someone in your household, or someone you take care of has ANY symptoms—such as a sore throat or fatigue—then you should feel confident in making a request to your supervisor to go remote.

Unfortunately, there is no clear guidance for measuring whether student absences are COVID-related. Thus, if approximately 20% of your class is absent (regardless of whether or not you know they are absent for COVID-19 reasons), you should feel confident in making a request to your supervisor.

We understand how language like “faculty may—in consultation with deans” can seem daunting, but nothing should hold you back from being able to work in an environment in which you feel safe. If you want to work remotely, then you have to take action! If you want any support in doing this, please reach out to president [at] psufa.org.

Testing

University Communications sent out an email yesterday with the subject “New COVID-19 testing access for PSU employees” with instructions on how to access these services. The access method is not through SHAC and instead focuses on a voucher system which can be used to set an appointment at three locations:

• Portland Lloyd District (walk-up clinic, accessible via MAX and Streetcar)

• The Vancouver Mall in Vancouver, WA (drive-through clinic)

• Washington Square Mall in Tigard (drive-through clinic)

Start by filling out this form.

We also want to plug the Curative site again, where you can book a free test in Portland. Sign up in advance for an assured appointment or try walk-in appointments, which are often also available. You are asked to provide your insurance info if you have it, but there is no out-of-pocket cost. As of last night some of the Curative sites were offering next-day appointments.

What We’re Doing

PSUFA is meeting with PSU this afternoon to get more clarity around COVID-19 numbers and whether there is a threshold at which they would consider fully remote teaching. We are going to be contacting you via text to hear your specific concerns.

We also invite you to join us at the next PSUFA Executive Council Meeting this Friday to discuss any COVID-19 issues. You can join the meeting here at 1:30 p.m. If you can’t make it but want to ask a question or share anything about your experience, email president [at] psufa.org.

Our bottom line is that you should feel safe while doing your job. If you do not, let us know and we will do what we can to fight for you.

Other Actions You Can Take

If you do test positive, please let SHAC know via this form. Contact tracing is an important tool in minimizing the spread of the virus and protecting our community.

You can request that the university provide PPE (masks, hand sanitizer, and cleaning wipes) via this form. We encourage you to use this request form as it is important for PSU to know how much need there is for proper equipment to keep us safer in our workplace.

If you want PSU to move to all remote, there is a petition led by students that you can sign. Students are collecting signatures demanding the entire university go remote for at least two weeks.

2021 Adjunct Orientation Cheat Sheet

Thank you so much to everyone who attended the 2021 adjunct orientation. We were so pleased to have such a great turnout. 

Adjunct teaching can sometimes feel isolating, especially in the time of COVID. We hope one takeaway you got from orientation was that there are multiple people, at your union and PSU, who are eager to help you succeed. Everyone only had a few minutes to talk about their services, but we’re hoping this cheat sheet can help refresh your memory about certain services and benefits, and at the very least get you pointed in the right direction should you need assistance. 

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PSUFA Is Your Union 

There are multiple unions that make up PSU. One way to think about unions is that they are “tiny democracies.” PSUFA has elected council positions. We advocate for our members, administer benefits (more on that later), negotiate for better pay and benefits, and work to improve your position at PSU. There are roughly 1,500 adjuncts who teach at PSU. We are by far the largest group of people who teach at PSU and are essential to how the university runs and functions. 

Many of the resources and benefits you will see in this report are here because your union fought for them. But your union can only function with your support. Please become a member of the union here. 

General Member Meetings 

These are like our town halls. They take place every term. This is where you can share your input as a union member. We want to know what you want us to work on, or bargain for, or put our time toward. We make decisions based on what our members want us to do. Our next GMM is November 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. on Zoom.

Annual Reports

Check out all of our annual reports—including the latest from the 2019-20 year—online here. 

PSUFA Support/Grievances

Do you have a problem at work? Concerned about your assignment rights/the amount of courses you’ve been given? Contact PSUFA’s chair of grievances, Lyndsie Compton (psufa.lyndsie@gmail.com)

Office of Information Technology (OIT)

OIT offers full office of tech service through their website. They are open from 8 a.m. until midnight every day. They can help you via telephone, chat, or email. The help desk can also help you work with the technology that is in your home. If you’re struggling with your technology at home, please reach out. 

Some links: 

• PSU Help Center Portal

• OIT Support

• OIT guide to working remotely 

• National list of free and low-cost internet

Computer Labs and Printers

There are several computer labs open on campus. Check here to see their availability.

You can also print at these labs. You have 500 printing credits per term. That said, each department also has its own resources when it comes to computer access and printing, so check with your departments as well to see what is available.

Library Checkout 

You can check out a lot, including equipment like laptops and wifi hotspots, from the library. These are available for students, but also for adjunct faculty. Please note the audio-visual section. 

Transportation and Parking

Part-Time Parking Permit

The Part-Time permit is designed to fit the needs of Faculty/Staff members traveling to campus on a part-time basis. Part-Time permits are $120/monthly and payroll deductible. This permit option is valid three days/week. Faculty/Staff members will be able to choose which three days of the week their permit is valid at the time of purchase (ex. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays). If an employee's schedule changes, the valid days can be changed up to three times over the life of the permit. 

Transit Pass

You are eligible to for an employee transit pass, which is $50 for a monthly Trimet pass (usually $100). The deadline for the October pass has passed, but if you apply by Oct 10 you will be set for November. You can ride the Portland Streetcar for free any time of day, any time of year. All you need is your PSU ID card!

Department Resources

All adjuncts have rights to office space on campus. Check with your department office manager about where and how to access adjunct office space. 

The University and the Union agreed during bargaining last year to increase adjunct inclusion in the life of their departments. You have the right to be kept in the loop about your department’s decisions and plans through their meeting minutes. We are also working to build adjunct involvement in their department meetings over the next few years.

Any mandatory department or PSU-wide event or meeting must provide compensation to you at the committee service rate of $25.25/hr. Your department is responsible for those contracts and they should be arranged in advance of the event.

Your department will offer you a professional evaluation after 20 credits or three years, whichever comes first, with that the possibility of a 2 year contract.

Office of Academic Innovation

OAI is what other universities sometimes call a teaching and learning center. They have digital learning resources, online learning, face-to-face learning, assessment, service learning, multimedia resources, and more.

Faculty Help Desk

You can get help via phone, chat, email, or live forum. Can help with D2L issues, but also with general teaching issues. 

OAI+ 

This is a new site to help with remote teaching. 

Opportunities for Professional Growth: 

• Certification of Innovation in College Teaching. Originally devised for graduate students, but is also great for adjuncts. 

• Academic Innovation MiniFund Program

• Faculty Academic Writing Program 

• Faculty Book Club

Workshops

They host lots of workshops! Check out their calendar to see what’s coming up.

Adjunct Professional Evaluation

After teaching five four-credit classes or 20 credits, adjuncts are eligible for a 2-year contract. OAI can help with this process in terms of course observation, writing a teaching statement, and more.

Contacts: Janelle Voegele (voegelej@pdx.edu) and Raiza Dottin (raiza.l.dottin@pdx.edu) 

Office of Global Diversity & Inclusion (OGDI)

Julie recommends printing out and referencing this sheet whenever you need it. It has information about the Disability Resource Center, Title IX, sexual violence, CARE program, religious accommodations, accommodations for pregnant students, and more:

• Instructor’s Policy and Mandated Obligations

Contact: Julie Caron (titleixcoordinator@pdx.edu, jucaron@pdx.edu)

Student Support 

• Dean of Student Life

• CARE Program

• Food Assistance

• Learning Center

Contact: Mike Walsh (walshme@pdx.edu) 

Benefits

PSU HR Resources 

• Sick Leave: Adjuncts accrue sick leave at 1 hour per 30 hours work. You can see how that accrues online in your Banweb account. Contact HR for more information for when and how you can use it. We also have new emergency paid sick leave. COVID-19 sick leave. 

• Retirement: Adjuncts begin to qualify for some retirement benefits after passing a state mandated 600 hours worked in one calendar year. You will be notified and asked to make a choice between a traditional PERS pension plan, or the ORP optional retirement plan, which is done through TIAA and Fidelity. It’s a one-time irrevocable decision. There is an employee and a limited employer contribution for both plans. There’s not a wrong choice, but there is probably a choice that works better for you. We encourage you to do research and be active about your decision. PSU also offers assistance with setting up your own individual retirement funds.

• Employee Assistance Program: Free program that can provide personal and financial counselling, discounts on products, and many other useful services. EAP Cascades Center does a great job of accumulating information. There’s a lot here. Worth taking time to look through to see various benefits. Pick “PEBB” from dropdown (PSU isn’t on there). Definitely an overlooked benefit!

Question: How can people who teach remotely use sick leave?

Nathan’s answer in chat: There are some questions above related to how sick leave works in respect to the inherent flexibility (and responsibilities) of an adjunct position. This may be especially true for those who are working entirely remote during the term. It's true that flexibility and remote elements may mean that sick leave is not needed in some circumstances. However, if you are sick over a more extended period of time or have a conflict that cannot be effectively managed through the flexibility of your position, sick leave can help to ensure that time that you take will result in full pay during any absence (including OFLA/FMLA leave). As relates to teaching/research obligations during any health event, please contact your department for procedures.

Helpful Links: 

• Adjunct Resource Page

• Emergency Paid Sick Leave (new)

Contact: Nathan Klinkhammer  (askhrc@pdx.edu, nklink2@pdx.edu)

PSUFA benefits 

There are three PSUFA benefits, all of which are offered once a term. You can read in depth about them at 
https://psufa.org/benefits.

• The Adjunct Faculty Assistance Fund provides financial support for part-time faculty and researchers at PSU who are experiencing financial hardship.

• The Faculty Education Fund offsets the cost of tuition for part-time faculty who wish to take career-related PSU courses.

• The Professional Development Fund provides grants to part-time faculty members to cover the cost of professional development opportunities including travel, conferences, workshops, research, and more.

Contact: Jacob Richman, PSUFA operations chair (psufa.jacob@psufa.org)

Return to Campus

If you feel sick, contact SHAC. We also encourage assigned seating for in-person classes.

• PSU’s Mask Policy

• Vaccinations

• Student Health and Counseling Center (SHAC)
  All employees, including adjuncts, can now get free COVID testing there by appointment

Contact: coronavirusresponse@pdx.edu

Delay Portland State University's Return to Campus: Sign the Petition

PSUFA, along with PSU-AAUP, SEIU Local 89, and GEU are requesting urgent action now, and asking Portland State University to return to remote learning in order to protect our students, staff, and faculty from spreading and contracting COVID-19.

With record numbers of COVID-19 cases in our state and across the nation and breakthrough cases in Oregon at 14% (of known cases), PSU needs to take urgent action to ensure the health and safety of not only our PSU faculty, staff, and students, but also the city and state-wide community.

We believe that remaining remote for the foreseeable future would drastically reduce the chance of a major outbreak on campus (which has already happened at other institutions). Returning to in-person would have ripple effects throughout the community, and would drastically contribute to the life-threatening pandemic that rages across the globe.

Click the button below to sign the petition, and read the full letter below.

Dear President Percy, the Board of Trustees, and Provost Jeffords,​

With record high numbers of Covid cases in our state and across the nation and breakthrough cases in Oregon at 14% (of known cases), PSU needs to take urgent action to ensure the health and safety of not only our PSU faculty, staff, and students, but also the city and state-wide community (see “Oregon, once a virus success story, struggles with surge”). The current alarming upward trajectory of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is reaching the highest numbers since the beginning of this nightmare, proves that the risk is higher than ever, and it’s safe to predict that infection rates will only increase should more and more people begin to congregate in person. The current rates have been increasing dramatically during the summer months while schools and universities have been either remote or out of session, and there is little reason to believe that the pandemic will be under control by the time faculty, staff, and students will be expected to return. Those that have already returned or been working in-person have experienced breakouts. Furthermore, many offices on campus do not allow for social distancing from those with whom we might meet or share space. While it hasn’t been easy, our University has delivered high quality remote instruction and support to our students for the last 17 months, and for the health and safety of our community, we must continue remote learning and support until it is safe to return to campus. We are still in a global pandemic and it’s on the rise.

A large number of staff are currently scheduled to return to campus on September 7 and the University has not shared a detailed plan for contact tracing, nor is there a plan for regular testing for those that aren’t vaccinated. Our vaccination requirement does not ask for any proof. Furthermore, the university isn’t currently requiring people to report their positive Covid tests; rather the policy simply states it’s “strongly recommended." The administration needs to prioritize the health and safety of its employees, students, and beloved city.

We believe that remaining remote for the foreseeable future would drastically reduce the chance of a major outbreak on campus (which has already happened at other institutions). Returning to in-person would have ripple effects throughout the community, and would drastically contribute to the life-threatening pandemic that rages across the globe. Does Oregon need to be the site of the next variant? Furthermore, remaining remote would allow for all those impacted to prepare in advance, rather than finding ourselves in a situation where we would have to pivot back to remote work without notice. The safety and consistency that remote options provide would be the most socially responsible, compassionate, and prudent way to proceed until the pandemic has ended. We can not return to campus when we know it will put every person and those they love in a life or death situation.

We understand that some staff members will need to continue to be on campus as has been the case since March 2020. We are grateful to all those that have been on campus the last 17 months and by most of us staying remote this has let those workers have safer in person conditions. WIth increasing case numbers and higher transmission rates, on campus workers must be provided with PPE in the form of N95 masks and assistance with properly fitting those masks. These folks also need hazard pay. Remote meeting, advising and teaching will reduce the risk of exposure on campus and create a safer environment for those that are on campus.

We request urgent action now to protect our students, staff, and faculty!

Portland State University American Association of University Professors (PSU-AAUP)
Graduate Employees Union of Portland State University (GEU of PSU, AFT/AAUP)
Portland State University Faculty Association (PSUFA)
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 89

AFT-Oregon's 2021 Legislative Report

We’re proud to share this message from AFT-Oregon about the 2021 Oregon Legislative Session. Read on and download the PDF for the full report.

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Executive Summary

It goes without saying that the 2021 Legislative Session was unlike any other session Oregon has witnessed in recent memory. From gavel-in to adjournment sine die, Oregonians watched as the Legislature attempted to navigate a worldwide public health emergency and conduct the people’s business.

In order to accomplish this, legislative leadership ramped up a fully virtual session that found one of the most accessible capitol buildings in the country closed to the public. While this action was a key contention of the session—leading to a short-lived walkout by Republicans in late February—business carried on with the use of video conferencing for public hearings and strict protocols for floor votes.

While the overall session went as smooth as it could have, it was not without complications and controversy. The Oregon House of Representatives lost several days throughout the session when positive COVID-19 tests were identified among members and staff—leading to the cancellation of multiple floor sessions and many members missing for floor votes due to illness and isolation.

This session also saw two members of the House forced to vacate their seats. The first, Democrat Rep. Diego Hernandez, resigned under growing pressure to do so based on multiple allegations of harassment in the workplace. The second, Republican Rep. Mike Nearman, became the first legislator in Oregon’s history to be expelled from the Legislature after evidence surfaced of his involvement with armed protesters at our capitol.

Despite all of these roadblocks and distractions, a majority of legislators were able to work together to meet their constitutional obligation of crafting and passing a budget for the next biennium. The efforts of the Ways and Means Tri-Chairs were buoyed by a very optimistic May revenue forecast and the infusion of federal American Rescue Plan funds.

Progress in Education

When it comes to issues related to pre-K to 20 education, the Legislature spent this session debating bills and budgets aimed at providing quality, equitable education and child care access for all Oregonians. Some highlights of these efforts include, but are not limited to: expanded health care and unemployment insurance access for part-time faculty and classified staff; increased financial aid for students; the inclusion of class size as a mandatory aspect of collective bargaining; and the use of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds to increase access to child care throughout the state.

On top of the many policy efforts, the Legislature allocated over $3 billion to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (including $900 million for the Public University Support Fund and $703 million for the Community College Support Fund), just under $7 billion to the Oregon Department of Education, fully funding the Student Success Act and providing $9.3 billion to the State School Fund for the next biennium. Outstanding issues with the State School Fund are set to be addressed during the interim.

AFT-Oregon Legislative Victories

Adjunct Faculty Health Care: SB 551
PASSED: OR Senate 20-9 | OR House 50-5
A historic legislative win over a decade in the making, SB 551 will ensure that AFT-Oregon adjunct faculty members have access to quality and affordable health insurance. With nearly $13 million allocated to the newly created Part-Time Faculty Insurance Fund established by SB 551, adjunct faculty who work at least half time will be provided the same employer offered health insurance available to their other faculty colleagues at the home institution selected by the adjunct faculty.

Student Loan Forgiveness Eligibility: HB 3255
PASSED: OR Senate 20-2 | OR House 52-6
Further addressing inequities for adjunct faculty, HB 3255 will require notification to all eligible education employees in Oregon about the Public Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) as well as direct institutions to credit adjunct faculty with 3.35 hours of credit for every one hour of instruction—a much-needed policy to ensure adjunct faculty can participate in the PSLF program.

UI Clarity for Education Assistants: SB 495
PASSED: OR Senate 21-7 | OR House 40-17
The passage of SB 495 provides clarity for education assistants when trying to access UI benefits. By aligning statutory definitions of “instruction,” SB 495 removes confusion within the Oregon Employment Department and provides clarity about which employees a “reasonable assurance” test must be applied to.

Removing UI Barriers for Classified Staff: SB 496
PASSED: OR Senate 22-6 | OR House 46-9
With the enrollment of SB 496, the Legislature removed the unfair restriction on UI eligibility for school employees in Head Start programs and food service and ensured these employees will not face adjudication when trying to access UI benefits.

HECC Voting Rights: SB 712
PASSED: OR Senate 18-10 | OR House 50-10
AFT-Oregon’s HECC Voting Rights bill will extend voting rights to the existing Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) positions for students, faculty, and non-faculty higher education staff and creates one new position to extend much-needed representation to graduate students.

Read or download the full AFT-Oregon 2021 Legislative Report here (PDF).

Oregon Adjunct Healthcare Bill PASSES!

WE WON! The Adjunct Health Care Bill PASSED and will be signed into law by the governor later this summer!

Thank you to everyone who wrote letters and spoke with your legislators! We did it! 

This is nationally significant legislation: It is the first time that a state has acknowledged its  responsibility to help cover the cost of insurance for us as necessary public employees who make public higher education possible. 

We still have many implementation details to figure out, so we don’t yet know when this coverage will be available for us, but we do know that people who teach 18 credits/year or more at PSU or the equivalent FTE across multiple public universities and colleges in Oregon will qualify. Those who are eligible will have access to their employers’ health plans and the state will pay 90% of our insurance premiums.

Adjunct faculty and our parent union AFT Oregon have been working to pass a version of this bill for 13 years, so this is a HUGE win. We absolutely still need to fight for access to affordable health insurance and healthcare for all people, but there is reason to believe that this bill is a meaningful step towards state-supported healthcare for all.

Other Legislative Wins for Oregon Education

Higher Education

• Public University Support Fund: $900 million

• Community College Support Fund: $703 million

• Oregon Opportunity Grant: $200 million (nearly $30 million increase)

• Funding to help cover health insurance costs for adjuncts who are newly eligible through the adjunct healthcare bill

• $337 million for university construction projects and deferred maintenance at all public universities

• $77 million for matching funds to help finance 11 community college construction projects

• $5 million for new Benefits Navigator positions at community colleges and public universities (HB 2835)

K-12 State School Fund: $9.3 billion

• Increased funding for the Student Success Act, including $892 million in student investment grants and $436 million for Early Learning

• $17.5 million for broadband access for schools

• Establishment of an education plan for LBGTQ+ student success

• Increased funding for the Latinx student success plan

• STEM program funding targeted for diverse students

• $125 million for capital improvement matching funds and $110 million for seismic rehabilitation grants

Early Learning

• $68 million to expand preschool programs, adding more than 4,000 slots

• $9.5 million to establish the Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion Prevention Program, establish a statewide social emotional learning framework, and enact provisions to diversify Oregon's educator workforce (HB 2166)

• Start-up costs for the new Department of Early Learning and Care (HB 3073)

• Increased funding for relief nurseries, the Early Childhood Equity Fund and for parenting education

• Establishment of a new Tribal Early Learning Hub (HB 2055)

Oregon Tech Faculty Authorize Strike

Dear PSUFA colleagues,

Last week, the faculty of Oregon Tech voted to authorize a strike. This does not necessarily mean they will strike, but if they do, it will be the first time any university faculty have gone on strike in Oregon history.

We wanted to share this message from our colleagues at Oregon Tech:

As you may know, the administration at Oregon Institute of Technology declared impasse with Oregon Tech AAUP faculty on March 10, 2021. The two parties are still engaged in mediated negotiations through the cooling off period, but their faculty are planning for the worst possible scenario following a final offer from their administration which, among other things, proposed:

• Merit-only salary increases

• A 10% reduction of insurance premium coverage for faculty with families

• Any insurance premium cost increases borne solely by faculty

• The potential for administration to leave PEBB for another insurer each year

• A workload policy with no definition of workload unit

• A workload policy that can be changed at the Provost’s discretion.

If faculty at Oregon Tech are forced to strike, it will be the first time in Oregon history.

Oregon Tech has work sites in Klamath Falls, Wilsonville, and Salem as well as a site in Seattle, Washington. During the pandemic, however, most instruction is delivered online.

Oregon Tech administration recently created adjunct instructor pools and we encourage you to be aware of any calls for replacement workers (also known as scabs).

Hiring adjunct instructors in Spring for courses normally taught by OT-AAUP faculty is a blatant attempt to undermine collective bargaining and the potential power of our unions.

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We wanted to let PSUFA adjuncts know about the potential call for scab workers. You can support our colleagues at OIT by:

• Refusing to cross the picket line and not adjuncting at Oregon Tech during the strike

• Sending a letter to OIT’s president and provost here

• Staying connected to OIT AAUP on social media on Twitter or Facebook

You can read more about this story at OPB. 

You Did It! We Ratified Our New Contract.

On Friday, March 5, PSUFA members unanimously voted to ratify our new contract, which our bargaining team has been working tirelessly on, remotely, for more than a year. We can’t thank them enough, as well as to all our members who showed up to observe and vote on our contract. Click through the slideshow below for some major bargaining wins from the new contract!

Fall Orientation 2020 Recap

On Friday, September 25, 2020, PSUFA held our first virtual orientation in conjunction with PSU. It went really well! We shared a ton of resources for both new and returning adjuncts. Although much of this information is available on our website, we still wanted to share everything discussed for those who couldn’t make it. We have a short recap here. Thanks to everyone who came, and to our PSU guests for sharing resources.

PSUFA Introduction

PSU Is a Union University 

There are multiple unions that make up PSU. One way to think about unions is that they are “tiny democracies.” PSUFA has elected council positions. We advocate for our members. We administer benefits (more on that later).  We negotiate for better pay and benefits. We work to improve your position at PSU (and as adjuncts, our conditions can always be improved). There are roughly 1,300 to 1,400 adjuncts who teach at PSU. We are by far the largest group of people who teach at PSU and are essential to how the university runs and functions. The other two teaching unions are AAUP and GEU. To become a member sign up here: https://awa.knack.aft.org/online-membership#psufa-member/


Union membership meetings

These are like our town halls. They take place every term. This is where you can share your input as a union member. We want to know what you want us to work on, or bargain for, or put our time toward. We make decisions based on what our members want us to do. 

Bargaining

We’re bargaining for fair pay, more security and better working conditions right now. It’s a very long process! You can join us at the bargaining table by being an observer. Click here for more information. 

Annual Reports

Check out all of our annual reports—including the latest from the 2019-20 year—online here. 

PSU Resources

Office of Information Technology (presented by Kirk Kelly, Vice President of Information Technology, kkelly@pdx.edu)

OIT offers full office of tech service through their website. They are open from 8 a.m. until midnight every day. They can help you via telephone, chat, or email. We have many student and union OIT employees! The help desk can also help you work with the technology that is in your home. If you’re struggling with your technology at home, please reach out. 

Some links: 

• PSU Help Center Portal

• OIT Support

• OIT guide to working remotely National list of free and low-cost internet

Computer Labs and Printers (presented by Kirk Kelly)

There are several computer labs open on campus. Check here to see their availability.

You can also print at these labs. You have 500 printing credits per term. That said, each department also has its own resources when it comes to computer access and printing, so check with your departments as well to see what is available.

Library Checkout (presented by Kirk Kelly)

You can check out a lot, including equipment like laptops and wifi hotspots, from the library. These are available for students, but also for adjunct faculty. Please note the audio-visual section. This is just for faculty, including adjunct faculty! 

Disability Resource Center (presented by Ariana Jacob, PSUFA co-chair, psufa.ariana@gmail.com)

Some of your students may have disability accommodations, and the DRC will help make those accommodations. They are also a resource if you need support. Sometimes it can feel difficult, but they are there to help you and your students. 

Testing Center (presented by Ariana Jacob)

If you provide a test but a student can’t make it during your class time, the testing center can proctor a test for your student. 

CARE Team (presented by Ariana Jacob)

If you notice any student is having significant life challenges, e.g. outbreaks in class, or they are not doing well, the CARE team can reach out to the student and see what they need. As professors, we are mandatory reporters, so if a student tells us something—like if there is violence around them—you can recommend they go to CARE team, who doesn’t have to report in same way we do. 

Benefits

PSUFA benefits (presented by Jacob Richman, PSUFA operations chair, psufa.jacob@psufa.org )

There are three PSUFA benefits, all of which are offered once a term. You can read in depth about them at 
https://psufa.org/benefits.

• The Adjunct Faculty Assistance Fund provides financial support for part-time faculty and researchers at PSU who are experiencing financial hardship.

• The Faculty Education Fund offsets the cost of tuition for part-time faculty who wish to take career-related PSU courses.

• The Professional Development Fund provides grants to part-time faculty members to cover the cost of professional development opportunities including travel, conferences, workshops, research, and more.

PSU HR Resources (Presented by Nathan Klinkhammer, PSU HR, askhrc@pdx.edu, nklink2@pdx.edu)

• Sick Leave: Adjuncts accrue sick leave at 1 hour per 30 hours work. You can see how that accrues online in your Banweb account. Contact HR for more information for when and how you can use it. We also have new emergency paid sick leave. A new page on that! We tried to front and center COVID-19 information. 

• Retirement: Adjuncts begin to qualify for some retirement benefits after passing a state mandated 600 hours worked in one calendar year. You will be notified and asked to make a choice between a traditional PERS pension plan, or the ORP optional retirement plan, which is done through TIAA and Fidelity. It’s a one-time irrevocable decision. There’s not a wrong choice, but there is probably a choice that works better for you. We encourage you to do research and be active about your decision. 

• Employee Assistance Program: Free program that can provide personal and financial counselling, discounts on products, and many other useful services. EAP Cascades Center does a great job of accumulating information. There’s a lot here. Worth taking time to look through to see various benefits. Pick “PEB” from dropdown (PSU isn’t on there). Definitely an overlooked benefit!

Helpful Links: 

• Adjunct Resource Page

• Emergency Paid Sick Leave (new)

Student Health and Counseling Center (SHAC)All employees, including adjuncts, can now get COVID testing there by appointment

Office of Academic Innovation

Presented by Janelle Voegele and Raiza Dottin)

OAI is what other universities sometimes call a teaching and learning center. We have digital learning resources, online learning, face-to-face learning, assessment, service learning, multimedia resources, all of that. Your home for teaching at PSU. Our office is in SMU, but we’re fully remote right now. 

Faculty Help Desk

You can get help via phone, chat, email, or live forum. Can help with D2L issues, but also with general teaching issues. We also have virtual teaching consultations. Course and program assessment work. Helping you think about good processes for feedback. 

OAI+ 

This is a new site to help with remote teaching. Guides that are meant to be DIY guides, usable strategies 

Professional growth: 

• Certification of Innovation in College Teaching. Originally devised for graduate students, but is also great for adjuncts. 

• Academic Innovation MiniFund Program. 

• Faculty Academic Writing Program: 

• Faculty Book Club

Workshops

We have lots of workshops! Check out our calendar to see what’s coming up.

Adjunct Professional Evaluation

After teaching five four-credit classes or 20 credits, adjuncts are eligible for a 2-year contract. OAI can help with this process in terms of course observation, writing a teaching statement, and more.

Membership

Our union is only as strong as our members. Our union is you! And the best way to do that is to actively sign up to be a dues-paying member. Please sign up now: https://awa.knack.aft.org/online-membership#psufa-member/


Q&A

Tell me more about the two-year contract thing. 

After teaching 20 credits or for three year, whichever comes first, you will get an offer to possibly get a two-year contract after a professional evaluation. Jaime Wood at OAI is a great resource. The two-year contract does not guarantee a specific number, but it guarantees the amount of teaching you were doing prior to process. (Although “guarantee” is a strong word.) It’s something that is actually pretty unique for adjuncts, and something PSUFA specifically gained during bargaining. 

Is it possible to purchase healthcare via PSU as an adjunct? 

At the moment, no. We are working on a healthcare task force for a number of years to solve this issue, but there is nothing to share yet. 

We can recommend using the free Oregon healthcare.gov navigator to help find the best deals on private insurance that meets your needs. (For instance there is an educator’s deduction that you can use on your OHP application to help you qualify if you are close to the income cut off.)

Select “Market Place” and add your address for a list of navigators near you.

Once I become a dues-paying member, do I need to annually renew my membership?  No, once you sign up, your membership is ongoing. 

Can you tell me more about retirement? 

PERS works on a calendar year, and in order to qualify for the PERS option (OPSRP), adjunct instructors and professors need to reach 600 hours. This roughly equates to 17 credit hours of teaching. Those teaching hours could be at multiple public institutions: For example, if you teach 12 credits at PSU and 8 credits at PCC in a calendar year, you’d be eligible for PERS. The non-PERS option, ORP, has no hours-based ongoing eligibility requirement.

There are two options for retirement: OPSRP and ORP. OPSRP is the traditional PERS option, which means that you are paid out in a pension fund as well as through your IAP account. ORP is not a pension fund. Instead, it is equal to the value of your employer account upon retirement. In other words, it is a pool of money that you accrue during your working career. Click here to read and learn more. Email Eli Ronick at PSUFA if you have more questions (psufa.eli@gmail.com).

Testimony to the PSU Board of Trustees

On June 18, 2020, PSUFA’s Chair of Bargaining, Ariana Jacob, testified during the public comments of the PSU Board of Trustees meeting asking for a more equitable campus for students and staff. We are sharing it here.

Dear President Percy and Members of the Board of Trustees,

I am adjunct faculty in the School of Art + Design and the Co-Chair for PSUFA, our adjunct union.

I am speaking to you today filled with hope for this moment of transformation, which has opened up in the midst of all the layers of crisis we are experiencing together. 

It is clear that now is a moment that we MUST, CAN, and WILL make significant changes to PSU so we can become a more equitable institution. Economic and racial equity are not lofty goals, they are essential to the survival of PSU.

We can no longer afford to be an institution where some of our administrators and faculty are paid more in one month than our adjuncts can be paid in one year. For the survival of our school I ask that you cut all PSU salaries to no more than $160K/year, which will mean they are still in the top 5 percent of income earners in the United States.

Rather than raising tuition this fall, lower it. We cannot keep charging our students more money for fewer services; they will stop coming. It isn’t right to raise tuition when our campus will almost certainly be closed. We are capable of creating a budget that doesn’t require tuition hikes, and now is the right time to reprioritize our economics towards economic and racial equity.

We must become accountable to our claims of valuing equity. To do that we can begin listening to Portland’s Black leadership and community at large, who are calling for PSU to disarm. The proven consequences of armed security is the loss of, in particular, Black people’s lives, specifically Jason Washington’s life. We can no longer ignore the fact that armed security is incompatible with our equity mission. 

Please, let us not be hypocrites when we say PSU cares about our diverse students, faculty and community members. It is clear that if we are accountable to our Black, Brown, and Indigenous community we will disarm PSU.

As many of you know PSU was originally founded as Vanport College, a college for the working class multiracial people who came to Portland to build better lives for themselves around the second world war. The Vanport neighborhood was the origin of Portland’s vibrant black community. When Vanport City was destroyed by floods in 1948, Vanport College moved to our current campus site and became Portland State University. 

The white neighbors from Vanport were able to pick up their lives and integrate into the rest of Portland, but due to housing and employment discrimination based on race the Black neighbors were kept segregated and economically disenfranchised, marking one of the major moments in our civic history when Portland failed to care for the lives of our Black community members.

Portland State University as Vanport College was founded to be in service to our multiracial working class community. We have a special accountability to the legacy of working class, Black, and immigrant descendants of Vanport and their peers. The legacy of Vanport is both painful and beautiful. PSU belongs to that history. Let’s live up to our responsibility by transforming our institution into a powerful civic force for racial and economic justice. Anything less is dishonoring our own history.

Thank you for your work, and your time considering this.

Ariana Jacob
Adjunct Faculty School of Art + Design
Co-Chair of PSUFA

We are proud of Ariana and echo her words. If you would like to read a sampling of other testimonies from the meeting, many calling to disarm our campus security officers, you can read them here.

Joint Statement on George Floyd and PSU Campus Police

Members of PSU-AAUP, PSU Faculty Association (PSUFA), and the Graduate Employees Union (GEU) were outraged at the recent murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, the murder of Breonna Taylor by Louisville Police, and the murder of Ahmaud Aubery by white men in Georgia. These atrocities occurred in the context of decades of police brutality against members of the Black community and other Communities of Color and queer communities. With this in mind, we want to remind members of the PSU community, President Stephen Percy, and members of the PSU Board of Trustees that the Executive Councils of PSU-AAUP, PSUFA, and GEU continue to call for PSU to disarm the campus police. Considering all that is happening in Portland and across the country in response to the uprisings of individuals and groups protesting the criminal justice system, the fact that more communities of color are dying from COVID19 and also experiencing negative virus-related economic impacts, continuing to maintain the legitimacy of armed police should stop now. 

We call on the Board of Trustees to have an emergency meeting to reassess their prior decisions which do not serve the best interests of our community, a community with diverse voices who have legitimate fears of the consequences of armed campus police. If the President's statement of support for Minneapolis sent out on Friday is to have any truth to it, disarmament must happen now. As Philip V. McHarris and Thenjiwe McHarris wrote in The New York Times on May 30: we should redirect our funding of arming campus police towards other services that would better benefit our students and community. Alex S. Vitale came to PSU this past year to speak to the same topic of redirecting resources to “develop non-police solutions to the problems ... people face.”

PSU police have only been armed since 2015, when the Board of Trustees made this decision over and above the objections of nearly all campus constituencies—students, faculty/staff, and campus unions. Over 70% of the student body rejected this idea and entire departments took stands against it as well. In the short time after campus police were issued firearms, they killed Jason Washington, a good Samaritan whose perverse death in June of 2018 was the result of the arming of campus police.  As our cities burn in response to these kinds of tragedies, PSU should lead the way in rethinking the role of police forces, starting by disarming our own campus police.

As a reminder: here is the PSU-AAUP November statement against the arming of campus police and our particular concerns for how this impacts members of our community who are persons of color, whether they be students, staff, or faculty. 

PSU-AAUP

PSUFA

GEU

Part-Time Faculty Pack Public Hearing to Demand Access to Affordable Health Care

Khalil Zonoozy testifying in front of the Senate Workforce Committee on behalf of adjuncts seeking healthcare.

Over 30 Part-time faculty members, supporters, and their family members filled a hearing room on Tuesday, March 28, to attend the Oregon Senate Committee on Education public hearing on Senate Bill 196, and effort to provide affordable healthcare insurance to part-time faculty who work at multiple institutions. Many were clad in AFT-Oregon t-shirts. The large turnout was thanks to efforts by Mary Sykora (PCC Local), Travis Neel (PSUFA) and others.

PSUFA member Khalil Zonoozy gave passionate testimony about the need for accessible, affordable health insurance for faculty who work part-time at multiple institutions. The turnout was so large, there was not enough seating in the committee room and it forced the Capitol facilities team to open up overflow space. Even more submitted testimony in writing, which you can read here.

You can watch the entire hearing, here. After the hearing, the President’s of AFT-Oregon, the Oregon Education Association, and AAUP-Oregon, and the Association of Oregon Faculties issued a joint statement.

The bill has been voted out of committee and on to the Committee on Ways and Means. The effort on SB 196 is led by Senator Michael Dembrow and Representative Chris Gorsek-two long time champions of higher education.

Thanks to PSUFA Members Narendar Sahgal (for driving and bringing some amazing Chai Tea), Sheila Alfsen, Erin Currie, and Khalil Zonoozy! Thank you also to members Shane Abrams and Una Kim who submitted written testimony.