Oct 24, 2014 University of Oregon Dear Provost, If the University truly cared about GTFs, it would not have misled the student body with this recent email. I am DEEPLY dismayed that an administrator would make such an unethical maneuver to misinform the student body with this abuse of power. First, the administration has made no offer that brings GTFs wages to the level of a living wage, even publishing its own findings as to the income needs of a graduate student in this community, then refusing to provide this funding despite claiming to do so. Additionally, the tuition waivers are NOT income, and as such, cannot be used to pay rent, hire childcare, purchase groceries, or obtain personal transportation. Second, the former provost and current interim president is a staunch advocate for family & medical leave, even recently appearing on local NPR to advocate for this benefit it the workplace. However, when the GTFs responded positively and asked for the benefit touted by the then-provost, the administration balked. To add insult to injury, the latest communication from the administration informed GTFs that the University does, in fact, have the approximately $30,000 available to fund the benefit but was refusing on principle. I know the meaning of principle, and the University is refusing based on something, but its not principles - especially when the entire benefit can be funded for over a thousand GTFs for less than the cost of a single faculty member in most positions. Finally, over 80% of the student body at some point in their degrees passes through the one-third of all courses taught by GTFs. By publishing this email and sending it directly to the student body, a group with no voting stake in this matter, you are needlessly pitting students against instructors in a manner that can be significantly detrimental to appropriate classroom management. Ending this underhanded attempt to pit students against GTFs with a statement of support for the latters well-being is contradictory and disingenuous. This was a shameful & deceitful act towards your own employees, students, and future prospects. You cannot both claim to support GTFs while actively working to undermine their best interests. While the University announced a $2 Billion fundraising campaign, the administration continues to refuse to use 2-5% of its current $30 Million surplus to appropriately compensate GTFs. Telling these GTFs that the small portion of relevant money shouldnt be spent on them because it might need to be spent elsewhere is a prime example of the disregard the administration has for this group - unknown potential expenditures are given priority over compensation for an invaluable proven commodity. But that is how the University is communicating its views of GTFs - commodities. Goods to be bought and dismissed rather than individual human beings brought to the University through a rigorous selection process to ensure the best and the brightest. This is not how the best and the brightest are to be treated. The University of Oregon needs to proceed with integrity, something we have all seen lacking in recent history. I should be able to expect better from my university and will skeptically await a retraction. Tree Graduate Student, PPPM #universityoforegon #UO #uoregon #GTFF #GTFF_3544
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 21:03:12 +0000
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