[Uosenate] Senate Exec Mtg Friday

Wed Aug 27 22:16:33 PDT 2025

Dear all,

I have continued to think about our letter and how to implement some of the requested changes.  Under the theory that it's unfair to ask of others that which I am not willing to do myself, I have written an alternative draft letter. I have tried to express the forcefulness and urgency that I feel about this situation and to imbue the letter with the authority that rests within the Senate as a co-equal member of University governance.

I'm sure that there's plenty wrong with my draft and so I'm mostly sharing it to spark ideas in preparation for our discussion on Friday.

You can find a working version of this document here, please feel free to add comments, etc. if you feel so moved.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SgDzyfmbm3oHZyRAa2HVmZEDOL88s5elEBwcxIIblB8/edit?usp=sharing

Sincerely, and all the best,
Eric

--
Eric Corwin

Professor
Department of Physics, Willamette 374
1274 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1274

<corwinlab.uoregon.edu>
cell: 773.706.0488
<ecorwin at uoregon.edu>
<eric.corwin at gmail.com>
________________________________
From: uosenate-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu <uosenate-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu> on behalf of Eric Corwin <ecorwin at uoregon.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 4:28 PM
To: Senate President <senatepres at uoregon.edu>; Betina Lynn <betina at uoregon.edu>; uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu <uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu>; uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu <uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu>
Subject: Re: [Uosenate] Senate Exec Mtg Friday

Dear Dyana, et al.,

Thank you for writing this letter and thank you for holding this senate meeting.  I look forward to a valuable discussion, but I thought that it might be worthwhile to offer some detailed feedback in advance of that meeting.

Para1: I don't think it's appropriate to accept the usage of the (apparently) highly loaded term, "structural deficits".  Perhaps instead we could use the more neutral phrasing, "UO leadership has shared with us the budget deficits..."

Para2: Should it be, "We constituents of the Senate..."

Para3: I would argue that the lack of transparency is real. It undercuts our argument to call it "perceived".

Para4: I don't think that this order reflects the prioritization of my concerns.  Perhaps others feel differently, however.  Nevertheless, and for example, the timeline, while certainly rushed, is not the primary problem.  The problem is the attack on tenure and the elimination of programs, which will undoubtedly lead to negative impacts on the students of our University.  In similar fashion, the arbitrary and capricious performance criteria are a part of the attack on tenure, rather than their own independent offense.  I would suggest instead ordering these sections as:

  1.
Attack on tenure (which is facilited and exacerbated by a rushed timeline and arbitrary and capricious criteria).  My understanding is that this is the most legally dubious aspect of the plan and the one most likely to cost the university a large fortune in lost lawsuits.
  2.
Destruction of academic programs (which is facilited and exacerbated by a rushed timeline and arbitrary and capricious criteria).  My understanding is that there is greater legal standing for this action, but it is still almost certainly a violation of both the CBA and tenure protections as currently proposed.
  3.
Negative impact on students.

We've heard much less explicitly about the attacks on NTTF and other members of our community which will result from this plan, but surely they will be treated in a similarly cavalier fashion.  Our opposition to this should likewise be stated explicitly.

Final Para: I think that we should make demands rather than simply asking for more time.  I think it's important to make clear that there are some aspects of this proposed plan that will never be acceptable, even if all voices are heard before action is taken.  The senate describes itselfs thusly, "The Senate derives its authority from the Statutory Faculty, by virtue of the University of Oregon Constitution, and expresses the faculty's will on academic matters through legislation and policy proposals." As such, we should act with authority and demand that this destructive plan be halted.

Thanks again, and I look forward to Friday's discussion.

Best,
Eric

--
Eric Corwin

Professor
Department of Physics, Willamette 374
1274 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1274

<corwinlab.uoregon.edu>
cell: 773.706.0488
<ecorwin at uoregon.edu>
<eric.corwin at gmail.com>
________________________________
From: uosenate-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu <uosenate-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu> on behalf of Senate President <senatepres at uoregon.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 3:46 PM
To: Betina Lynn <betina at uoregon.edu>; uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu <uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu>; uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu <uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu>
Subject: [Uosenate] Senate Exec Mtg Friday

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 <uosenateexec-bounces at lists.uoregon.edu> on behalf of Betina Lynn <betina at uoregon.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 4:48 PM
To: uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu <uosenateexec at lists.uoregon.edu>
Cc: uosenate at lists.uoregon.edu <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)

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