Dear Students,

We think this situation cannot stand. We think erosion in faculty wages and working conditions directly impacts your education, and the value of a degree from the University of Oregon. We have already seen how our salaries, currently the lowest in the Big-10, have lead many of our best faculty to look elsewhere for employment. Indeed many faculty have already left, and we are having increasing difficulty attracting new faculty. 

Quite simply, the quality of your education is at risk. The value of your degree is at risk. And you’re paying more for it than ever before.

Our asks are simple: raises which cover inflation and bring us up to the average salary of our peers. This is not an extravagant cost, and can be achieved by returning the amount of your tuition dollars going to faculty salaries to its pre-pandemic levels.

We’re here for your education, and we hope you are here with us as we fight not only for fair increases to our compensation and working conditions, but also for the value of a degree from the University of Oregon.

• What Happens If Faculty Strike?

  If faculty strike, all work done by professors, instructors, librarians, and researchers will stop. Emails will not be responded to, and classes will not run (though the administration may try to put strike-breaking “scab” instructors into classes as supposed “replacements” for your real professors). But no matter what, we want you to know that faculty are fighting for a better university—one that values the people who teach, research, and support your education every day.

  Faculty care deeply about our students, their education, their future, and the challenges a potential strike could pose. We understand the worries, the uncertainties, and the weight of the “what if” questions that come with the possibility of a faculty strike. You’ve worked hard to get here, and the thought of disruptions to your education is frustrating and concerning. We have those same worries.

  You may have a lot of questions right now. We do, too.

  • How will this affect your education and time to degree?
  • Will UO rebate your tuition for any days of lost instruction?
  • Should you register for Spring classes early, or wait to see if faculty will be on strike before enrolling?
  • How might financial aid be affected if classes are cancelled?

  These are valid concerns, and we encourage you to pose these questions directly to UO President Scholz at [email protected]. His office should be responsive to your queries—you are paying a lot of money to UO, and he is sensitive around budgetary issues.

  When we find ourselves overwhelmed by the “what ifs,” we remind ourselves to ask a different question: What can we do?

  • What can we do now to prevent these worries from becoming reality?
  • What actions can we take to make a strike less likely and push for a resolution that benefits everyone—faculty, students, and the entire university community?

  One of the most powerful things students can do is show that they support fair treatment for faculty. By signing the community support letter, sharing concerns with university leadership, and staying informed, you can help push for a resolution that keeps your education on track while ensuring faculty are treated with dignity and fairness.

  We didn’t get into this profession to strike. We got into it to teach, to support students, and to help you achieve your goals. A strike would only happen as a last resort. The best way to avoid it is to take action now.

  We stand with you, and we appreciate your support in standing with us.