Portland State University students Strike, We're a university. That's what we're here for

Faculty rally to support union in contract negotiations

Hundreds of students and faculty members marched around the student union at Portland State University Thursday to support the union in contract negotiations with the administration.

"This boils down to one thing: R-E-S-P-E-C-T," said history professor David Horowitz, spelling out the word. "And people who don't get R-E-S-P-E-C-T often S-T-R-I-K-E."

Students & faculty at PSU are marching in a circle in front if the student union.

Fair wages and educator-led education are two of the major points of contention, said Patricia Schechter, a history professor and union officer. Educator-led education means allowing faculty have more control over university decisions, such as which classes to offer or who to promote, she said. The ultimate goal, she said, is to better serve students.

"They are paying more tuition for less access to their faculty," Schechter said.

Max Orhai didn't have as much access to faculty during his first two years at PSU as he would have liked. The math major didn't have a math professor until his third year in school, he said. The less advanced classes were all taught by graduate students.

"We have an administration that is out of touch with the students and faculty," he said, holding a "Let PSU serve the students" sign above his head.

Job stability is another key aspect of the contract for faculty.

"Like many faculty I’m laid off each year and rehired," David Osborn said in a press release. "I have no way of knowing if I’ll have a job in the next year."

Jeff Schnabel wants to see a major culture shift at the university, he said, not just higher pay or more stability. He wants the administration to lobby the Legislature for more funding when the budget gets tight instead of cutting staff or programs.

"Find resources from the state instead of cutting them from the faculty," said Schnabel, an associate professor in the architecture school.

The tenure-track faculty union declared impasse Monday. There will be a 30-day cooling off period after both sides submit their final offers March 3, after which the union can vote to strike if a deal has not been reached.

Senior Amanda Keener said a strike could push her graduation back a term. She marched alongside her peers Thursday to send a message to the administration.

"I'm doing it because professors I love aren't making as much as they deserve," she said, adding that she thinks the president makes too much money.

The administration is disappointed the union declared impasse, said spokesman Scott Gallagher, but supports the students right to gather.

"We certainly support students right to have an informational gathering on the park blocks," he said. "We're a university. That's what we're here for."