The “New Normal”
Barbara Altmann, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of French
February 15, 2013
On this site you will find updates from the University’s bargaining team about discussions and developments at the bargaining table from each negotiation session. These summaries communicate what the bargaining team views as the factual highlights of the issues discussed and the topics we know our colleagues care about.
I want to devote this message to a different topic – some thoughts about a process that seems foreign to many of us in our collegial world of higher education.
The first-ever union contract between the University and United Academics has created a “new normal” that we all need to navigate.
Chances are this will take more time than any of us want. In the academic world, we usually work within the rhythms of a quarter or semester. The timeline for this negotiation is different, and the process is set by federal and state laws as interpreted by the courts. For us, that may well mean that negotiating and finalizing a contract will be neither a quick nor simple process.
Both sides in the negotiation recognize that we have important differences that will need to be resolved in order to achieve a contract. It is encouraging to see that the representatives at the table are committed to working through these critical issues in a collegial fashion. These discussions will take time and effort but it is important that the parties find the right solutions to complicated issues.
Our collective patience may be tested in this “new normal.”
I encourage everyone – faculty who are members of the bargaining unit and those who aren’t, as well as others on campus less directly affected – to check the UA site about developments during negotiations, as well as to check back here regularly.
The challenge is to remember our collective mission – what we do, and why we are here. On both sides of the table, we are a community of scholars dedicated to the highest standards of academic inquiry, learning, and service. Though the negotiations may have created a “new normal,” I expect we’re all still committed to that mission, no matter how long this process takes.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the contract negotiations, please contact me at baltmann@uoregon.edu or (541) 346-2172.
