UO Faculty Union Pushes Back Against Humanities Budget Cuts
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Faculty Union and Religious Scholars' Concerns
UA has vowed to engage in bargaining discussions with UO as fall term begins, urging the university to explore alternatives to layoffs. Nathan Whalen, UA chair of the Grievances & Contract Administration Committee, emphasized the need for "ways to avoid laying off a large number of faculty" to address the deficit . The American Academy of Religion, a global association of scholars, also expressed alarm over the cuts, stating that religious studies are "essential to understanding global challenges such as violence and poverty" and warned against eliminating the field altogether .Student Government and Program Impacts
UO’s student government, Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO), has voiced support for faculty unions, with President Prissila Moreno highlighting student concerns about academic program stability. "Students are reaching out asking if they’ll be able to finish their degrees," Moreno said, stressing the need for greater faculty involvement in budget decisions . Specific programs at risk include German and Scandinavian studies, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, and classics departments, with potential impacts on language offerings and graduate programs like Holocaust studies and Judaic studies .University’s Budget Justification
UO administration maintains that budget cuts are necessary to address financial shortfalls, citing a "structural deficit" requiring reductions across multiple areas. In an Aug. 22 statement, the university emphasized it is "involving faculty in budget discussions" and ensuring no single group bears disproportionate cuts . However, UA President Kate Mills criticized the process, noting that tenured faculty layoffs are being considered "in a fraction of the time" required for tenure decisions, raising concerns about bias and transparency .Broader Context: Similar Cuts at WVU
The situation mirrors ongoing struggles at West Virginia University (WVU), where board members approved slashing 143 faculty positions and eliminating all foreign language degree programs amid declining enrollment and budget pressures. Students and faculty there protested, with some calling the cuts "unprecedented" and arguing they harm both academic quality and regional communities . While WVU saved two faculty roles in world languages, it still plans to eliminate most language minors and graduate programs in mathematics and public administration .Student Reactions and Uncertainty
Students like Yulia Kolechkina, a Russian major at UO, fear cuts will disrupt their academic paths. "If I’m not allowed to finish the program… I don’t even know what I’m going to do," she said, highlighting how language programs impact broader disciplines . Meanwhile, donors like Jordan Schnitzer have expressed confidence in university leadership, though he acknowledged the need for difficult financial decisions .Ongoing Protests and Legal Actions
UA plans a Sept. 16 rally during the UO Board of Trustees meeting to pressure administrators, warning that layoffs will "have long-term damaging repercussions" for the institution. The union also urged students to contact university officials in opposition to cuts, while ASUO pledged continued collaboration with labor groups on campus . As no final decisions have been made, the debate over balancing fiscal responsibility and academic priorities remains unresolved.Related articles
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