[Uosenate] Senate Exec Mtg Friday

Wed Aug 27 21:10:03 PDT 2025

Dear Dyana,

Thank you for sharing the draft letter and for organizing Friday’s meeting. I appreciate the clarity and care with which the concerns have been articulated, and I support the message and its call for transparency, shared governance, and thoughtful planning.

I would be honored to be included as a co-signer.

In addition, I’d like to suggest a possible addition to the paragraph regarding the termination of tenured faculty. While the letter rightly emphasizes the importance of tenure in protecting academic freedom and supporting research excellence, I believe it’s also crucial to highlight the role of long-term senior instructors—now referred to as “teaching professors”—whose substantial teaching loads enable our tenured colleagues to maintain their research productivity.

At institutions such as the University of Memphis, Oklahoma City University, Oberlin College, and the College of Wooster, tenured faculty are primarily responsible for teaching, with limited expectations for research. In contrast, at the University of Oregon, the presence of dedicated teaching faculty allows our tenured professors to teach fewer courses and devote significant time to research, which is essential to our standing as an R1 university. For example, I personally teach twelve courses annually (nine during the academic year and three in the summer), which allows my colleagues to teach five, and in some cases, only four courses per year, so they can focus on their scholarly work.

The termination of teaching professors would not only disrupt this balance but also risk undermining the university’s research mission. I believe the letter would be strengthened by acknowledging the importance of retaining teaching professors as part of a sustainable academic ecosystem.

Thank you again for your leadership on this issue. I look forward to Friday’s discussion.

Sincerely,

Tim

Tim S. Pack, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor of Music Theory
School of Music and Dance
1225 University of Oregon
Eugene. OR 97403-1225
(541) 346-3731
tpack at uoregon.edu

On Aug 27, 2025, at 3:46 PM, Senate President <senatepres at uoregon.edu> wrote:

Senate Colleagues,
Yesterday, I invited you to attend an emergency Executive Committee meeting this Friday from 12-1 on zoom. https://uoregon.zoom.us/j/99524312478<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/uoregon.zoom.us/j/99524312478__;!!C5qS4YX3!AV3As8KXQn3sFSo74nor4l6axC3-oTz-kwCy28vD15pwFK_qx0gPzwBSR9K9sss2Z6nPQPDBa80HWDjhmJU$>
The main agenda item for discussion is an open letter that your Senate Leadership has written to President Scholz, Provost Long and the Board of Trustees.  I have attached a draft of that letter here.  At the meeting on Friday, I will open the floor to discussion and feedback. I will circulate an updated letter by Monday morning.  My goal is to invite you in joining me as a co-signer.
In addition, President Scholz and Provost Long have both agreed to provide some remarks and answer questions at the meeting.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and I will look forward to seeing you on Friday.
Dyana
Dyana Mason, PhD
University Senate President and Associate Professor
Director, Master of Nonprofit Management
School of Planning, Public Policy and Management
University of Oregon

________________________________
From: uosenateexec-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu<mailto:uosenateexec-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu> <uosenateexec-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu<mailto:uosenateexec-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu>> on behalf of Betina Lynn <betina at uoregon.edu<mailto:betina at uoregon.edu>>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 4:48 PM
To: uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu<mailto:uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu> <uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu<mailto:uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu>>
Cc: uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu<mailto:uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu> <uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu<mailto:uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu>>
Subject: [Uosenateexec] Senate Exec Mtg
When: Friday, August 29, 2025 12:00 PM-1:00 PM.
Where: Zoom

https://uoregon.zoom.us/j/99524312478<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uoregon.zoom.us/j/99524312478__;!!C5qS4YX3!FYbbQDbXPelM2V0oGiBrHfEA2k2GR0grzmcUDb02VtxAzhDE2WYhylCuVW2HtCEDXmy-EADw-yf3Rw4U-ySj1Q$>

Dear Senate Executive Committee members and Senators,

In recent weeks, I have heard in many different forums the deep anxiety and concern that everyone is experiencing regarding the Administration's call to cut $25-30 million dollars<https://president.uoregon.edu/revisiting-uos-financial-outlook> from the University budget.

Although the Senate's "official" calendar typically does not begin until the start of the academic year, I feel it's important to offer a time and place for us to gather, hear different perspectives from across our Senate constituencies and articulate our collective concern with the Administration about the impacts any potential cuts may have.

Additionally, the timeline that has been shared with us makes comprehensive campus engagement difficult.

I'd like to invite you to a special "emergency" Senate Executive Committee meeting on Friday, August 29 from 12-1pm.    You will also receive a zoom invite to add to your calendar.

Agenda
I.  Welcome
II. Brief  Remarks
IV.  Potential Open Letter - Introduction and Discussion
V. Next steps, and adjourn

Although our Executive Committee meetings are generally not recorded, we will be recording and posting this meeting as well as inviting all Senators. Visitors are also welcome but will only be allowed to participate at the discretion of the Senate President.

I understand that meeting when many faculty are "off contract" is unusual, so let me thank you in advance for taking time out of your schedules to participate.

Dyana Mason
Dyana Mason, MBA PhD
Director, Master’s in Nonprofit Management
Director, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management
School of Planning, Public Policy and Management
University of Oregon
541-346-2324  |  dmason at uoregon.edu<mailto:dmason at uoregon.edu>  |www.dyanamason.com<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.dyanamason.com__;!!C5qS4YX3!FYbbQDbXPelM2V0oGiBrHfEA2k2GR0grzmcUDb02VtxAzhDE2WYhylCuVW2HtCEDXmy-EADw-yf3Rw5SYIlDiA$>
Book an appointment: https://calendly.com/dyanamason/officehours<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/calendly.com/dyanamason/officehours__;!!C5qS4YX3!C91lBVCo2lnPk6l3tQeiYXesdtBbn3ObrB5gkQw0lxwQTDayLrDGKAYh6mOio9eL_nsRgzzzfg7gY6OrItGH$>

President of University of Oregon Senate (2025-2026)

<OpenLetterBugetCuts.pdf>_______________________________________________
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