I am really proud to co-sign this Open Letter by Mark Alfano on the University of Oregon Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation strike. (See here at Lawyers Guns and Money and here at Daily Nous for background. Also here for a GTFF cease-and-desist letter on the threat to international graduate students.) Others can co-sign by commenting below.
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President Scott Coltrane pres@uoregon.edu
Provost Frances Bronet fbronet@uoregon.edu
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Doug Blandy dblandy@uoregon.edu
Dear Interim President Coltrane, Interim Provost Bronet, and Vice Provost Blandy:
I write to express my concern for the state of academic integrity at the University of Oregon. In recent days, I have been troubled to learn that the university administration has undertaken a series of actions related to the strike by the local graduate student union (GTFF 3544) that are potentially illegal and obviously immoral. These include intimidating undergraduate students regarding their federal financial aid, diluting academic standards by issuing final grades based on work that was done before the strike started (in some cases less than 50% of graded assignments), threatening the visa status of striking international graduate students, and making final examinations and end-of-term assignments optional in multiple departments (including, to my knowledge, philosophy, linguistics, and ethnic studies).
Such scorched-earth policies are myopic and nihilistic. And in light of Dr. Coltrane’s own published work on the importance of paid parental leave, the administration’s behavior towards its own graduate students who are striking because they want two weeks of parental leave per year is deeply and shockingly ironic.
I urge you to give the graduate students what they’re asking for, cease the morally repugnant behavior, and manifest a little integrity.
Mark Alfano
Assistant Professor
Department of Philosophy
University of Oregon
John Protevi
Phyllis M Taylor Professor of French Studies
Professor of Philosophy
Louisiana State University
Affiliation provided for identification purposes only and does not imply speaking on behalf of our respective institutions.
Co-signed.
Nadya Vasilyeva
postdoc in psychology
UC Berkeley
Posted by: Nadya Vasilyeva | December 09, 2014 at 01:29 PM
Please add me as a co-signer.
Thomas B. Byers
Professor Emeritus of English
University of Louisville
Posted by: Thomas B. Byers | December 09, 2014 at 01:38 PM
Susan Peppers-Bates
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Stetson University
Deland FL 32724
Posted by: The Anglican Scotist | December 09, 2014 at 01:50 PM
Regina Yung Lee
Lecturer, Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Posted by: Regina Yung Lee | December 09, 2014 at 02:51 PM
Please add my name
Naomi Scheman
Professor of Philosophy
University of Minnesota
Posted by: Naomi Scheman | December 09, 2014 at 03:04 PM
Rebecca Kukla
Professor
Senior Research Scholar, Kennedy Institute of Ethics
Georgetown University
Posted by: Rebecca Kukla | December 09, 2014 at 03:17 PM
Please add my name:
J. Adam Carter
Research Fellow
Philosophy
University of Edinburgh
Posted by: J. Adam Carter | December 09, 2014 at 03:19 PM
Nick Wiltsher
Post-doctoral Fellow
Department of Philosophy
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
Porto Alegre, Brasil
Posted by: Nick Wiltsher | December 09, 2014 at 03:30 PM
Joseph Lowndes
Associate Professor of Political Science
University of Oregon
Posted by: Joe lowndes | December 09, 2014 at 03:49 PM
Joel Krueger
Lecturer in Philosophy
University of Exeter
Posted by: Joel Krueger | December 09, 2014 at 03:55 PM
Leonard Ray
Associate professor of political science
Louisiana State University
Posted by: Leonard Ray | December 09, 2014 at 05:40 PM
Cosigning in solidarity,
Kathryn J. Norlock
Asso.Prof. and Chair, Philosophy
Trent University
Executive Committee Member, Trent University Faculty Association
Posted by: Kate Norlock | December 09, 2014 at 07:32 PM
Shame on U of Oregon!
Mandy Mitchell
Lecturer, Dept. of Philosophy
Cal Poly Pomona
Posted by: Mandy Mitchell | December 09, 2014 at 07:36 PM
Solidarity,
Krista Thomason
Philosophy
Swarthmore College
Posted by: Krista | December 09, 2014 at 08:09 PM
Co-signed.
Michael O'Rourke
Professor of Philosophy
Michigan State University
Posted by: Michael O'Rourke | December 09, 2014 at 08:20 PM
Co-Sign
John Kaag
Associate Professor of Philosophy
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Posted by: John Kaag | December 09, 2014 at 08:27 PM
mark lance
Professor of philosophy
Professor of justice and peace
Georgetown university
Posted by: Mark lance | December 09, 2014 at 08:36 PM
S. West Gurley
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Department of Psychology and Philosophy
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
Posted by: West Gurley | December 09, 2014 at 08:40 PM
John R. Harris
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Texas Christian University
Posted by: John R. Harris | December 09, 2014 at 08:41 PM
Please add my name:
Eric Martin
Assistant Professor of History and Philosophy of Science
Baylor University
Honors College
Posted by: Eric Martin | December 09, 2014 at 08:54 PM
Amy Reed-Sandoval
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
The University of Texas at El Paso
Posted by: Amy Reed-Sandoval | December 09, 2014 at 09:29 PM
Nicholas Fleisher
Assistant Professor of Linguistics
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Posted by: Nicholas Fleisher | December 09, 2014 at 09:47 PM
Adam R. Thompson
ABD. Philosophy
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Posted by: Adam | December 09, 2014 at 09:49 PM
Co-sign, please.
Katie Terezakis
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Rochester Institute of Technology
Posted by: Katie Terezakis | December 09, 2014 at 09:49 PM
Co-signed,
Blain Neufeld
Associate Professor
Department of Philosophy
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI, 53201
Posted by: Blain Neufeld | December 09, 2014 at 09:54 PM
Gregory Moss
Lecturer in Philosophy
Clemson University
[Affiliation provided for identification purposes only and does not imply speaking on behalf of the institution]
Department of Philosophy and Religion
Posted by: Gregory Moss | December 09, 2014 at 10:07 PM
co-signed,
A J Julius
ass't professor, philosophy, UCLA
Posted by: A J Julius | December 09, 2014 at 10:20 PM
Heidi Howkins Lockwood
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Southern CT State University
New Haven, CT
Posted by: Heidi Howkins Lockwood | December 09, 2014 at 10:35 PM
Co-signed in solidarity:
Alex Worsnip
PhD candidate in Philosophy
Yale University
Posted by: Alex Worsnip | December 09, 2014 at 10:42 PM
Josh May
Department of Philosophy
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Posted by: Josh May | December 09, 2014 at 10:50 PM
Josh Epstein
Assistant Professor of English
Portland State University
Posted by: Josh | December 09, 2014 at 11:26 PM
I support this cause. Please accept this as my signature. Sincerely,
Elsie Walker
Department of English
Salisbury University
Maryland
Posted by: Elsie Walker | December 09, 2014 at 11:32 PM
Corey McCall
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Elmira College
Posted by: Corey McCall | December 10, 2014 at 12:11 AM
Co-signed
Chad Kautzer
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Director, Social Justice Minor
University of Colorado Denver
Posted by: Chad Kautzer | December 10, 2014 at 12:25 AM
Stephanie Jenkins
Assistant Professor, School of History, Philosophy, & Religion
Oregon State University
Posted by: Stephanie Jenkins | December 10, 2014 at 12:48 AM
Richard A. Grijalva
Doctoral Candidate and Graduate Student Instructor
Member and Former Steward, UAW Local 2865
Department of Rhetoric
University of California, Berkeley
Posted by: Richard A. Grijalva | December 10, 2014 at 01:14 AM
Lisa Rivera
Associate Professor, Philosophy
University of Massachusetts, Boston
Posted by: L Rivera | December 10, 2014 at 01:20 AM
This boorish and unethical behavior by upper level administrators is both outrageous and altogether typical of how people in such positions have made higher education into a bad joke. Shame on the university.
Posted by: Robert Paul Lamb / Professor of English / Purdue University, West Lafayette | December 10, 2014 at 02:08 AM
Elinor Mason
Dept of Philosophy
University of Edinburgh
Posted by: Elinor | December 10, 2014 at 02:33 AM
Cosigned.
Jon Lawhead
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Southern California
Philosophy and Earth Science
Posted by: Jon Lawhead | December 10, 2014 at 03:20 AM
Stuart Foyle
Associate Lecturer
The Open University
UK
[Affiliation provided for identification purposes only and does not imply speaking on behalf of my institution]
Posted by: Stuart Foyle | December 10, 2014 at 05:21 AM
I concur.
Patrick Fessenbecker
Assistant Professor
Program in Cultures, Civilizations, and Ideas
Bilkent University
Posted by: Patrick Fessenbecker | December 10, 2014 at 05:25 AM
I concur.
Nicole Wyatt
Department Head
Philosophy
University of Calgary
Canada
Posted by: Nicole Wyatt | December 10, 2014 at 08:11 AM
Kris McDaniel
Dept. of Philosophy
Syracuse University
Posted by: Kris McDaniel | December 10, 2014 at 08:25 AM
Katherine Spring
Associate Professor, English & Film Studies
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Canada
Posted by: Katherine Spring | December 10, 2014 at 08:49 AM
Consigned
Christopher A. Vogel
Graduate Assistant
Department of Philosophy
University of Maryland
Posted by: Christopher A. Vogel | December 10, 2014 at 08:59 AM
Co-signed
Nathan Wood
Department of Philosophy
University of Georgia
Posted by: Nathan Wood | December 10, 2014 at 09:14 AM
Tim Kenyon
Department of Philosophy
University of Waterloo
Posted by: Tim Kenyon | December 10, 2014 at 09:33 AM
Matthew J. Brown
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Director, Center for Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology
The University of Texas at Dallas
Posted by: Matthew J. Brown | December 10, 2014 at 09:53 AM
I would like to co-sign this letter.
Kara Barnette
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Westminster College
PhD in Philosophy from UO '12 and former GTF
Posted by: Kara Barnette | December 10, 2014 at 10:07 AM
Cosigned
Jason D'Cruz
Assistant Professor, Philosophy
University at Albany, SUNY
Posted by: Jason D'Cruz | December 10, 2014 at 10:13 AM
Robin Zheng
PhD Candidate, Philosophy
University of Michigan
Posted by: Robin Zheng | December 10, 2014 at 10:16 AM
Kevin McDonough
Associate Professor
McGill University
Posted by: Kevin McDonough | December 10, 2014 at 11:16 AM
Alistair Welchman
Associate Professor
Department of Philosophy and Classics
University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio TX 78249
Posted by: Alistair Welchman | December 10, 2014 at 11:38 AM
Co-signed
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Worcester Polytechnic University
University of Oregon Alumna Ph.D. 2005
Posted by: Jennifer McWeeny | December 10, 2014 at 11:58 AM
Dylan Dodd
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
University of Alaska Anchorage
B.A., University of Oregon
Posted by: Dylan Dodd | December 10, 2014 at 12:15 PM
Cosigned
Shannon Dea
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy
Director, Women's Studies
Faculty of Arts Teaching Fellow
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Canada
Posted by: Shannon Dea | December 10, 2014 at 01:11 PM
In solidarity,
Mara Bollard
PhD Student
Department of Philosophy
University of Michigan
Posted by: Mara Bollard | December 10, 2014 at 08:37 PM
Brian Talbot
Instructor, Philosophy
Washington University in St. Louis
Posted by: Brian Talbot | December 10, 2014 at 09:22 PM
Please include me also.
Richard D. Pollak
Associate Professor (ret.)
Department of Biological Sciences
Queensborough Community College/CUNY
Posted by: Richard Pollak | December 10, 2014 at 11:42 PM
Thanks to everyone who co-signed this letter. The administration has backed down. The graduate students won this fight. The larger struggle remains, of course, but I and many others are grateful for the small victory and for the heartwarming support.
Posted by: Mark Alfano | December 11, 2014 at 11:32 AM
Eric Olson
Professor of Philosophy
University of Sheffield
Posted by: Eric Olson | December 11, 2014 at 01:03 PM