6/17/2013: Today I got this email:
From: President Gottfredson
Subject: RE: Protect and Preserve Shared Governance at UO
Date: June 17, 2013 3:03:25 PM PDT
To: William Harbaugh
Dear Colleague,
Thank you for your email about the ongoing faculty contract negotiations. I agree that this first-ever collective bargaining agreement is critical as it will become part of the foundation upon which we will build the university's future. I believe both sides have taken great care and have been thoughtful and deliberate in their negotiations. We are all concerned that the university have outstanding compensation in order to recruit and retain the best faculty in the world. At this point, all proposals to be discussed are on the table and I'm optimistic that a sound, fiscally responsible and fair agreement will be reached soon.
I appreciate your concern and want you to know that I am proud to be a part of this great university.
Regards,It's not like I was expecting a personal response to the email below, sent almost a month ago, but these platitudes are just insulting. "best faculty in the world" "proud to be part of this great university"? If I got this from a student I'd tell them they'd be better off just taking a zero.
Michael Gottfredson
President
From: Professor Bill Harbaugh [mailto:harbaugh@uoregon.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 8:38 AM
To: President Gottfredson
Subject: Protect and Preserve Shared Governance at UO
Dear President Gottfredson:
I am very concerned about the lack of explicit protections for faculty governance in SB270 bill, and by your continuing refusal to consider inclusion of the UO Constitution in the faculty CBA.
I think the bill should be amended to include these protections, and also to add 2 faculty members to the independent boards, with these members to be selected by the faculty senates. I also think you should aquiesce to the almost unanimous vote of the UO Senate and agree to put the Constitution in the faculty union CBA. Your arguments against this are very weak.
I've been disappointed by your lack of communication with the faculty over the progress and content of this bill. I understand that it has been a difficult process to get this legislation as far as it has gone, and that transparency is not always helpful to legislation.
But you have been on campus less than a year. Many faculty have been here 10,20,30 years. We have a large stake in the operation and success of the university. You need to talk to us about matters that are this important, and you need to do it before the last minute, when it's too late for us to have any effective input.
Sincerely
Professor Bill Harbaugh















