Bargaining Recap: June 9

Dear PSUFA,

The biggest news from our Friday, June 9 bargaining session is that PSU finally presented their numbers for what they believe PSU adjuncts should be compensated, both the per-credit minimum rate and cost-of-living increases for adjuncts were discussed. PSU administration proposed a meager 3.5% COLA to our unit, despite giving full-time faculty a 8% COLA this past January. The 3.5% COLA amounts to a pay cut. Because of inflation, we make less today than we did in 2019. 

In terms of raises to our minimum per-credit rate, they suggested a sad 1% increase—and only for those paid the least. There would be no raises for those working above the minimum rate. 

It was deeply disheartening to see such a low offer come from the university. Our observers were outraged that such an insulting proposal was presented by the University administration. Because of the Friday proposal, we at PSUFA have scheduled an emergency, all-member meeting to discuss what our next steps will be. 

IF THE UNIVERSITY WANTS TO CLAIM TO BE COMMITTED TO EQUITY IT NEEDS TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE IT TO ITS WORKERS.

If you can attend, and want your voice heard please join PSUFA in discussion on Wednesday, June 14th from 5pm - 6pm virtually on Zoom. Join us here.

PSUFA presented what we believe equal pay for equal work means—what our minimum pay should be, as well as what we should be paid once we have worked here for years and proven our expertise and dedication to the PSU community.

For our minimum rate proposal, we took the lowest full-time non-tenure track annual salary ($50,265), deducted 10% (which is for their service work), and then divided the remaining amount by the 36 credits that most non-tenure track faculty teach. That per-credit rate without benefits would be $1,257. 

Then, because PSU does not offer us healthcare and for the vast majority of us does not give us retirement benefits, we added an additional 30% onto that amount to make up for the benefits we are denied and we have to pay for them ourselves. (The +30% is based on data given to us by PSU about how much additional compensation is spent on full-time non-tenure track faculty for their benefits.) That brings the per-credit rate we would need to be paid equitably including benefits: $1,634 per credit. 

We did a similar calculation based on the median salary for non-tenure track faculty and arrived at a goal for where we want our salaries to rise over time, potentially after teaching 9 years at PSU: $2,174 per credit.

These numbers are based off of what PSU already pays our full-time colleagues for teaching the same or similar classes that we do. While we know we have a long way to go to get to pay equity with the median NTTF faculty, it is important to have these tangible numbers about what we should be aiming for. 

Other Takeaways From the Bargaining Session

We also went through another round of IBB (interest based bargaining) today. During IBB, each team shares their interests on an issue first before swapping actual proposals. PSU started off the session by recognizing and highlighting their interest in providing more support to our union. In several prior bargaining sessions, PSUFA has outlined that in many instances the university departments are not following proper CBA guidelines, often leading to unpaid labor and contract violations. In turn, today the PSU administration recognized that they were interested in co-creating opportunities for leadership development in the union. Currently, we are not sure if PSU is considering investing more financially in our union or if they want to “support our union” in other ways. More to come in terms of what that actually means for PSUFA.

Next we moved on to discussing independent studies. Independent studies function much like a mentoring program, in which a student asks a faculty member to host an independent study on a special topic in exchange for a university-accredited class. The student receives credit like a regular class, while the committed faculty member can opt, upon approval from their chair, to supervise a special project or research a student decides to take on. This program is essential to making sure we are serving our population of students with a wide diversity of needs. 

The university came back with some strong language concerning adjuncts and their roles in terms of providing independent studies to our students. PSU stated that they were interested in “ways to align faculty engagement with enrollment management and unit productivity.” Keywords here, folks—“unit productivity.” PSUFA asked the administration to clarify this statement and what they meant by “unit productivity.” When pressed on the matter, the university administration stated that they felt like independent study was not the most productive use of adjuncts’ time and they also suggested that they did not intend to increase any compensation for adjunct faculty hosting independent studies. Currently adjuncts receive a dismal amount of $ 50 per credit for the entirety of the term that they host an independent study.

We deserve better. It’s time to come together and push hard against PSU’s continued inequity. Our labor is the product our institution is selling,  WE HAVE LABOR, WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE OUR ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCE. 

Again, we hope you can join us and share your voice on Wednesday, June 14th from 5pm - 6pm virtually on Zoom. Zoom Link: https://aft.zoom.us/j/91930902541?pwd=VFpqTUUzNVpneHpnT2hOWVQxS3FBQT09

You’ll want to hear what’s coming up—next week we will be discussing length-of-service increases.

Bargaining Recap: May 30 and June 2

Dear Members, 

Here’s our bargaining recap from last week, when we met on Tuesday, May 30, and Friday, June 2. 

The focus of the discussion on Tuesday was a cost of living adjustment (COLA). We argued that we deserve a one-time 10% COLA to our current per-credit minimum, with annual increases thereafter between 1.75% and 3.5% (depending on the Consumer Price Index). 

The reasoning behind this one-time 10% COLA is simple and, we believe, extremely compelling. In 2019-2020, our per-credit minimum was $1,043. In today’s dollars, that is equivalent to $1,232. And $1,232 is a 10% increase over $1,120, our current per-credit minimum. $1,232 makes us whole relative to where we were in 2019-2020.

PSU administration did not engage as substantively as we would have liked about this proposal, as they wanted first to have a proposal for an increase to our current per-credit minimum. They didn’t want to engage with our COLA proposal in isolation. We left the meeting feeling that not as much had been accomplished as we would have liked.

A key component of Friday’s discussion was equity. Non-tenure track faculty (NTTF) are permanent faculty at PSU who are not tenure stream. We argued that a commitment to equity requires that the adjunct per-credit minimum should be at least as high as the equivalent of what the lowest paid NTTF is paid per credit. At least. Otherwise, we’re simply getting paid less to do the same job.

PSU administration responded by claiming that there are “instructional activities” that NTTF perform that adjunct faculty do not. We pressed them to delineate what these activities are. They struggled with this, eventually citing undergraduate advising and unpaid independent studies as examples. 

We also detected a suggestion on the administration’s part that, because some adjunct faculty have full-time jobs elsewhere, this justifies their low pay at PSU. We claimed that it makes no sense to have one’s pay affected by what one makes elsewhere. Finally, the administration also noted that Article 12, Section 6 of our CBA allows us to be compensated for activities like those “instructional activities” the NTTF perform, such as undergraduate advising. This struck as an admission on their part that adjuncts do perform this work, just like our NTTF colleagues. 

The problem, though—as we articulated to them multiple times, with myriad examples—is that the system to compensate adjuncts for work laid out in Section 6 is entirely broken, since the money for the compensation has simply not been budgeted. In effect, then, we are performing the same instructional activities as NTTF, but not getting paid for them.

PSU keeps claiming that they are committed to equity and fair pay. The only way for them to make good on that commitment is to pay us fairly and equitably and to listen in good faith to our proposals for what that looks like. 

We appreciate all of the support we have received from you all, and we want to extend a special thank you to all of you who were observers this past week. 

We hope you can join us as an observer at our next two sessions:

  • Friday, June 9: 2pm - 5pm. This is remote-only. Join us over Zoom! 

  • Friday, June 16: 9am - 3:30pm (Lunch 12-1). Remote and in-person at Karl Miller Center (KMC), Room 318. Key card needed to access building. 

RSVP here

In solidarity,

PSUFA Bargaining Team

Bargaining Recap: May 2 and May 5

We had our fourth and fifth bargaining sessions on Tuesday, May 2, and Friday, May 5.

Tuesday, May 2

This meeting began with finalizing the ground rules and, after a brief delay around specific language, the University accepted our edits and the document was approved. Completion of ground rules meant that we were able to begin actually bargaining! 

The University volunteered to begin by sharing their general interests for this economic reopener, as well as ones specific to cost-of-living adjustments (COLA). They expressed their usual concerns of student retention and budgetary restrictions. Their interest statement was brief.

PSUFA then presented a detailed general interest statement, which spoke to our commitment to delivering equity, financial sustainability, and opportunity for advancement for our bargaining unit in this Economic Reopener. 

Here’s an excerpt from our presentation:

​Our union shares PSU’s interest in its mission statement of expanding opportunities for all. We include ourselves in that definition of “all,” and we yearn for PSU to take into consideration adjunct faculty and researchers who deserve the opportunity to grow in our roles at PSU and in our earnings as long-term members of this community. We have adjuncts who have worked at PSU for multiple decades and still are only paid the minimum per credit rate. We have adjuncts who have the best possible teaching evaluations who are passed over when they apply for full-time positions. We have an interest in having real pathways for professional growth. And we are deeply hurt by the structural disrespect and disregard with which we are compensated and expected to work under.

Our presentation also included personal testimony from team members, Brittney Connelly and Vasiliki Touhouliotis. Brittney spoke about being asked to serve as interim head of her program for the year for insultingly low wages. Vasiliki shared her experience of being informed of a mandatory curriculum change and the silence that she received when she asked how adjunct faculty would be compensated for redesigning and updating the course. Their personal narratives were moving and powerful evidence of the reality of our exploitative working conditions. Our COLA interests included data regarding inflation and testimony from our Member Survey (which, if you haven’t taken yet, please do!).

Our presentation clearly made an impact. They were face-to-face with the indignation of our bargaining unit. They didn’t expect a show of force like that! We’re not here to play nice, we’re here to fight for what’s right. The session ended with a short and general discussion of PSU’s budgetary circumstances (more doom-and-gloom from the budget office, but we’ve heard this story many times). 

Friday, May 5

The session began with a discussion of the University’s COLA interests, with the PSUFA team asking clarifying questions. Then the University questioned the length and detail of our interests. They did not understand how some of the interests listed had any connection to COLA. Some also objected to the use of the term “exploitation,” as they feel it implies malicious intent of the University. We had to explain that a lack of equal pay, which includes COLA, enhances Adjunct feelings of alienation and exploitation at PSU. We stuck to our lengthy list of interests and did not eliminate the term “exploitation” (despite pearl-clutching objections from members of the other team), because it accurately defines Adjuncts’ working conditions.

After a caucus break, we were introduced to PSU’s costing model calculator, which is a tool that can be used to forecast the monetary costs of future proposals. 

Finally, we discussed data needs for COLA, including a request for Administrative employee COLAs for the last five years as well as ones proposed for the future. There is no doubt that generous COLAs are in place for Admin, which is why we are going to fight to get a COLA that makes up for the meager ones we have received in recent years. 

A Data Subcommittee will meet next week to refine the data needs of both sides.

Although there are three weeks between now and the next session, the PSUFA Bargaining Team will be working hard to strategize and formulate our next moves. If this week's sessions are any predictor, we can look forward to more SPICY and POWERFUL moves from the PSUFA Bargaining Team.

Many thanks to all of the observers, who took the time out of their schedules to attend. 

What’s Next

Our next bargaining sessions are

  • Tuesday, May 30 from 9 to 11:30am

  • Friday, June 2 from 9am to 3:30pm

Please RSVP to observe here!

We love to see observers in person, but you can also join via Zoom. Use this Zoom link and download our bargaining background here.

In Solidarity,
Alison Lutz
PSUFA Bargaining Team member

Let's Pack the Room Next Week!

Dear members,

We’re on a roll at bargaining, and we want you to join us in person at our next three sessions.

Our third bargaining session was this past Tuesday, April 25. PSUFA and PSU Admin continued to finalize ground rules for our negotiations. Ground Rules are tedious, but the good news is that we are almost done with them and then we can move on to the good stuff—which is why we want you to be there.

Our next two bargaining sessions are next week:

  • Tuesday, May 2 from 9 to 11am

  • Friday, May 5 from 12 to 3pm

We are scheduled to discuss cost of living adjustments (COLA), and we think it will be worth watching. We won’t be presenting proposals yet, but we will be letting PSU Admin know how critical a fair and adequate COLA is for our members. Keep in mind that PSU Admin recently signed off on significant COLA increases for both AAUP (full-time union) and GEU (grad worker union). We deserve one too— and we are going to fight for it!

How can you help? Please attend in person. Let’s pack the room with adjuncts and supporters, so Admin can see your faces and feel the heat!

RSVP HERE

Our next three sessions:

  • Tuesday, May 2: 9-11am, Room 651, Academic Affairs, 6th floor, Richard and Maurine Neuberger Center (RMNC), 1600 SW 4th Avenue, Portland, OR 97201.

  • Friday, May 5: 12-3pm, Room 651, Academic Affairs, 6th floor, Richard and Maurine Neuberger Center (RMNC), 1600 SW 4th Avenue, Portland, OR 97201.

  • Tuesday May 30: 9-11:30am. Location TBA.

Here’s how to get there: You do not need a card to enter RMNC. Take the elevator to the 6th floor and enter the Academic Affairs office. There is a student worker who will open the door for you into Academic Affairs and can direct you to room 651.

Can’t attend in person? Join via ZOOM LINK: https://pdx.zoom.us/j/82423314228 We use the same Zoom Link every session, so save it! While in-person attendance is so powerful, Zoom attendance is a great alternate choice. Make sure that you have your name listed and keep your camera and audio off, except when instructed during recognition.

Joining on Zoom? Download our 2023 Zoom background here!

Finally, do you want to add your testimony to help us in our fight? Please take this survey!

Thank you all for your support and see you on Tuesday!

In Solidarity,
Alison Lutz
Bargaining Team member

Rally for Fair Pay, April 6, 2023

Our rally last Thursday was rainy as heck, but we still had a stellar turnout. PSUFA members and allies rallied to raise awareness and show how much solidarity we have among students, educators, and works. Speakers from PSU AAUP, Jobs With Justice, PCCFFAP, GEU, SEIU 89, and elsewhere gave great talks, and it was so good to see so many people come out to support workers in higher ed. Here’s a batch of photos—we’ll share more (and video!) soon!

Share Testimony for the 2023 Oregon Legislative Session

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: 

  1. 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.***

  2. 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.

  • Testimony Template

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.

  • Testimony Template

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!

  • Testimony Template

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)

Classified Staff Issues

Equal Access to UI Benefits for K-12 Classified Staff (SB 489)

Classified Staff Recognition Week (HB 2708)

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.

  • Testimony Template 

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)

Bargaining Report: March 10, 2023

Hello Fellow PSUFA members!

I’m happy to report we have started bargaining for our economic reopener. It was a short session where we mostly introduced the different team members who will be negotiating on behalf of our membership and on behalf of PSU. As is typical, we started by reviewing negotiating guidelines. However, our teams brought different documents with different organization and framework. We brought the document we’ve used in the past, using the same procedures we’ve used every year. They brought a “different option”—a new document and protocol, and did not follow our agreed upon procedures from the past. We’re off to a slow start, but we’ll be working on aligning our versions to come to agreement about the minimums we need in place to bargain well for our team.  

Shout out to Meg Panichelli, Alan Brickley, Shannon Kidd, Bob Hanks, Valah V. Steffen-Wittwer, Dustin Bessette, Anna Gray, Amy Duncan, Cassandra, Miche Dreiling, Anna Weichsel, Carl Christiansen, Natalia Rios, Alejandro Segura, Andre Pruitt, John Shuford, Ben T, Katie Van Heest, and Jacob RIchman for coming to observe. We know it’s hard to carve time out of your busy schedules to come help us fight for our rights, but it truly makes a difference. Knowing you have our backs helps us be fearless and empowered when asking for what we deserve. Without you, NOTHING! 

Our next bargaining session is tentatively scheduled for April 7th.

Join us as observers to help make sure we are in a strong position to negotiate for better pay and working conditions.

In solidarity, 

Myrna Muñoz

PSUFA Bargaining Team

Bargaining Is Beginning!

Our first negotiation with PSU administration is next week, March 10. This is our opportunity to negotiate fair raises and better access to benefits. We want to see you there! Read on for our list of demands and how to get involved. 

The key issues we are fighting for are: 

  • Equal Pay for Equal Work

  • Keeping Up with the Cost of Living

  • Raises for Length of Service

  • No More Unpaid Work

  • Benefits We Can Use

  • Increased Onboarding & Inclusion

Click here to read a detailed list of our demands, show your support, and provide a response. 

Here is how you can help us succeed in our bargaining goals:

1. Attend a bargaining session! The first session is Friday March 10th from 11-1:30pm. Sign up here. (You can also join our Discord channel to stay up to date and chat about the sessions live.)

2. Attend our Rally for Fair Pay on Thursday April 6th from 4-6pm at the Urban Plaza. Sign up here

3. Share your story to bring your voice to the bargaining table on the issues that matter to you. We want to slam a five-pound folder of testimonies on the table. Click here to share your testimony.

4. Come to the Bargaining Action Team meetings! Every other Tuesday 4-5pm
Next meeting: March 14th, 4-5pm Sign up here.

5. Attend our next union Town Hall (general member meeting), Friday March 17th, 4-6pm. We will have a special presentation and Q&A focused on bargaining. Sign up here.

We will be bargaining throughout Spring term, mostly on Fridays. Our goal is for those to be in-person sessions, with both in-person and online opportunities for you to come observe.

Your involvement with bargaining is so important! Together we fight and together we win!

Thank you to PSUFA member Shannon Kidd, School of Art and Design, for her graphics illustration. 

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

Everything You Need to Know About Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Dear Colleagues,

This page contains information on how PSU adjuncts can apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Now is possibly the best chance for some adjuncts to get their loans forgiven. Read on to learn about:

  • Recent PSLF Changes. Why the current changes are different from previous PSLF conditions and why you might qualify.

  • Steps to Apply for PSLF. Information about what to do for PSU employees specifically

  • Additional Resources. Links to helpful resources and free webinars (and tools for AFT members)

Recent Public Service Loan Forgiveness Changes

Here are two changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that could qualify past payments that were previously not eligible.

1. On Oct. 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced a change to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program rules for a limited time. The rule is a temporary expansion of who is eligible for the program. If you previously did not qualify for PSLF because of the type of loans you have, that may have changed.

Please review the temporary changes to the program on the PSLF waiver website. If you believe that past payments may qualify you will need to complete a Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) Certification & Application and upload this to PSU’s Human Resource website. The deadline is October 31, 2022. 

Once you finish the steps, all future payments on these loans will be considered qualifying even after the October 2022 deadline.

2. PSUFA and AFT-Oregon helped write and pass an Oregon law in February 2022 that makes it much more likely that part-time faculty will qualify for PSLF. 

The new law makes it so that each credit hour of teaching for a public college or university in Oregon counts as 4.35 hours work per week for the purpose of determining full-time status for the PSLF program. In other words, 1-hour lecture/classroom time equals 4.35 hrs of time towards your eligibility. This means that a 4-credit class counts as 17.4 hours per week and teaching 7 credits or more in a given term counts as full-time status (defined as 30 hours of work or more per week.) 

There is no deadline to apply. This is a permanent change that specifically benefits part-time instructors at public universities and colleges in Oregon.

  • Full-time status can be achieved by piecing together part-time employment from multiple qualifying employers. 

  • Full-time is an average of 30 hours a week.

  • This applies retroactively back to 2007.

  • Classroom time will be counted by the number of credits you are teaching. So in any term where you worked 7 or more credits, payments made toward your federal student loans are now considered qualifying full time payments for PSLF.

  • Each month that our loans were in pandemic-forbearance can also be counted toward forgiveness.

  • For instance, if you teach 4 credits at Portland Community College in the fall, then 8 credits at PSU in the winter, and 12 credits at PSU in the spring, then you have taught an average of 8 credits per term. Payments made towards your loans during those terms would count towards loan forgiveness.

You will still need a total of 120 qualifying payments, but both of these changes will increase the number of people who are able to achieve loan forgiveness through this program. 

Even if you do not think you have 120 qualifying payments yet, we believe it is worth certifying now to see how much progress you have made towards loan forgiveness.

Steps to Apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Step 1: Determine which of your jobs qualify for PSLF.

Portland State University is a qualifying employer, but if you also work other jobs you should figure out if they qualify too. All public universities and community colleges in Oregon are qualifying employers. Private universities are not.

Step 2: Make sure your loans qualify for PSLF.

Unless you have just a single direct loan, there are action items for you to take at this step. If you have multiple direct loans, it is recommended that you consolidate them so that your most recent loan can be forgiven at the same time as your oldest loan. If you have loans that are anything other than direct loans, you must consolidate them before October 31, 2022, in order to take advantage of the temporary program.

Step 3: Consolidate your loans.

If you have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL), Perkins Loans, or any other loans without the word “Direct,” you will need to consolidate your loans. If you consolidate before October 31, 2022, then payments made on these loans can count towards the 120 qualifying payments you need for forgiveness. You can learn more about consolidating your loans here.

As a member of an AFT (American Federation of Teachers) Union you have free access to a service called Summer that will help you consolidate your loans and make sure they are in the best Income Driven Repayment plan. To set up your account with Summer, follow these instructions. Summer has a built-in mechanism for applying for PSLF, however we recommend that once you have consolidated your loans you apply for PSLF through PSU directly following the steps below.

Step 4: Apply for PSLF.

  1. Fill out the PSLF and Temporary Expanded PSLF form here:

    • You only need to fill out sections 1 and 2. PSU’s HR will fill out the sections 3 and 4 on your behalf.

  2. Upload your form on PSU HR’s website: https://www.pdx.edu/human-resources/ 

    • On the main HR page scroll down and click on the “UPLOAD DOCUMENTS” button

    • In the dropdown menu click on: Public Service Loan Forgiveness(Adjunct  ONLY)

    • You will need to have your PSU ID number for this upload process

  3. Check to see that you received a confirmation email from PSU

    • If you work for other qualifying employers reply to PSU’s HR upload confirmation email with the names of your other qualifying employers

  4. After HR completes your PSLF form, they will submit it directly to the U.S. Department of Education, and send you a record of how they have calculated the hours you worked.

Additional Notes

  • For a limited time, you may receive credit for past periods of repayment on loans that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF.

  • If you have Federal Family Education (FFEL) Program loans, Perkins, or other federal student loans, you'll need to consolidate your loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify for PSLF, both in general and under the waiver. Before consolidating, make sure to check to see if you work for a qualifying employer.

  • Past periods of repayment will now count whether or not you made a payment, made that payment on time, for the full amount due, or on a qualifying repayment plan.

  • Forbearance periods of 12 consecutive months or greater, or 36 cumulative months or greater will count under the waiver. In fall 2022, ED will begin making account adjustments to include these periods. Forbearance periods provided by the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Flexibilities are not included toward these months.

  • Months spent in deferment before 2013 will count under the waiver. Additionally, ED will include Economic Hardship Deferment on or after January 1, 2013. These periods of deferment will also be applied to your account in fall 2022.

  • Periods of default and in-school deferment, still do not qualify.

NEW: Biden Student Debt Relief

In order to qualify for Biden’s new student debt relief, you must take action. First, sign up for notifications here: https://www.ed.gov/subscriptions. Click the button for “NEW!! Federal Student Loan Borrower Updates.” This will allow you to get notification about when the Biden student debt relief application forms open.

Additional Resources

Websites

Free Webinars

AFT Weekly Debt Clinics

AFT National is holding weekly, free workshops for AFT members. These 90-minute sessions will provide

  • Information on how to enroll in income-driven student loan repayment programs;

  • Help in enrolling in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program;

  • Opportunities to interact with members who haven’t been engaged with their union;

  • A curriculum that demonstrates the power of our union in improving the lives of AFT members and the people in our communities;

  • A resource to help persuade union members to become activists and leaders.

View calendar and register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/44eafa4a-5536-45de-88a1-10d9f479c7b2/register

Video of AFT-Oregon member who had debt forgiven: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wVFePWyGvA&ab_channel=AFT-Oregon

Student Borrower Protection Network Webinars

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 (note time is in Eastern Standard Time, not Pacific): 

  • 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!

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.

July Labor & Lit!

Labor & Lit is a new social event being offered by PSUFA where you can meet your PSU colleagues, as well as other higher education and union comrades, and have conversations about a given reading or video/film.

We discuss short articles, book chapters, or podcasts—the perfect book club for the contingent worker!

This month, we’ll be discussing local and regional strategies to make meaningful demands to stop climate change. Here are the materials to check out ahead of time:

We’ll be meeting in person (but outside) at the Red Fox. Labor & Lit will be co-facilitated by Erica Thomas, PSUFA political action chair, and Rory Cowal, PSUFA member and organizer in Divest Oregon.

When: July 13th from 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Red Fox, 5128 N Albina Ave


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.

Share Your Debt Story!

PSUFA, along with a coalition of other PSU organizations, is holding a rally April 4 in conjunction with and in support of the Day of Action for National Student Debt Cancellation. 

If we aren’t struggling ourselves from debt, we know someone who is. Student debt in the United States has more than tripled in the past 15 years, from $363 billion in 2005 to more than $1.7 trillion today. The average student debt for a bachelor’s degree is around $29,000 and around $71,000 for a graduate degree. 

 In order to spread awareness, lower stigma, and illuminate how debt affects our life, we’re asking folks to Share Your Debt Story. We’re asking: 

  • How much debt do you have? 

  • How does this debt affect your life? 

  • What would you do if you had no debt? 

These stories can be shared as anonymously as you like. We’ll be sharing them at the event and at a Zoom meeting with Senator Ron Wyden afterward. 

Share your debt story here! 

The April 4 event will take place on the PSU South Park Blocks at 12 p.m. There will be free food, screen printing, speeches given by student leaders and organizers, as well as suggested forms of action that can be taken in support of the movement.

But wait, there’s more! 

That same week, AFT-Oregon is hosting three Student Debt Clinics. These clinics help folks with eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Recent changes to the PSLF program at both the federal and state level have significantly increased the number of folks who are now eligible. These clinics discuss:

  • Oregon and federal changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and eligibility

  • Help enrolling in Public Service Loan Forgiveness

  • Current status of federal student loan payments, and how to apply for income-based repayment

  • AFT member resources for PSLF and navigating student loan payments: Forgive My Student Debt and Summer: Simplifying student debt

Student Debt Clinics are free to union members and registration is required. The dates are: 

  • Monday, April 4, 6:00-7:30 pm PT (Register)

  • Tuesday April 5, 2:00-3:30 pm PT (Register)

  • Wednesday, April 6, noon-1:30 pm PT (Register)

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

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.  

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. 

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.

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.

Rally With SEIU 503 on November 17

PSUFA invites you to rally with SIEU on November 17th as they fight for respect, living wages, and gender pay equity. We’ll be meeting at noon at the Urban Plaza (the outdoor gathering space and transit hub between PSU’s College of Urban and Public Affairs and the Campus Rec building).

Oregon’s legislature invested every dollar the universities asked for —$900 million in higher education—so now is the time for PSU to do the right thing and invest in the classified staff who support students and keep our campus running.

The statewide bargaining teams will be at PSU to make their economic proposals. Let’s show we are united for good working and learning conditions!

If you can’t make it, we invite you to take a selfie wearing PURPLE that day and post it to social media and let everyone know to RESPECT, PROTECT & PAY our SEIU colleagues who keep our campus running! You can print out the sign below and hold it up! (Download as PDF here.)

 We hope to see you there!

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. 

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: 

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: 

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:

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

Student Support 

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: 

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.

Contact: coronavirusresponse@pdx.edu