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UO Matters

Board of Trustees to authorize $12M for UO’s emergency coronavirus response

Just kidding, they’re going to authorize $12M for the biggest big screen in big time college football, apparently paid for by tax-deductible Duck donations solicited by AD Rob Mullens, while VP for academic development Mike Andreassen was asleep at the wheel. Not what the legislature had in mind when they…

Student Senator Brian Sun concerned students may drop UO’s ersatz remote classes, take real on-line classes at other univs.

Posted with permission: Dear Senate President Skowron, Provost Philips and the Academic Council,      My name is Brian Sun. I am a student senator on the University Senate. I hope everyone is staying healthy at this crazy time.      We had lots of meaningful conversation regarding the continuity…

How will UO replace Trustee Ballmer after cancellation of Duck BBall games?

Trustee Connie Ballmer is quitting 3 years early. The normal replacement procedure is for President Schill and Gov Brown to cut a secret deal on a new Trustee for the “Independent” Board that sets his salary and bonuses at a basketball game, with followup by Chuck Lillis’s Board Secretary Angela…

Pres Schill on coronavirus response: no sports spectating, meetings restricted, no in-person finals, first 3-weeks next term all online

Provost Phillips is talking about this to the Senate now. Very knowledgeable and sensible. Answering many many questions, earning every penny of his full-priced provost pay. Emphasizes UO is not closing, but practicing “social distancing”. I expect UO’s response plan below will reassure a lot of people who have already…

Oregon Supreme Court, wary of UO Law profs and students, cancels annual visit to Law School

A generally reliable source passes on this snippet from an email apparently sent to all UO Law students: I regret to inform you that Oregon Law, in consultation with the Oregon Supreme Court, has changed its plan for tomorrow’s scheduled oral arguments. In light of the large number of attendees…

Senate to meet today on evals, coronavirus, curriculum, research

Location: EMU 145 & 146 (Crater Lake rooms) 3:00 – 5:00 P.M. Live cast here. Senators got an email today from Pres Skowron, allowing them to participate on-line. Good call. 3:00 P.M.   Call to Order Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron 3:10 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes February 12, 2020…

Texas university proposes annual collegiality reviews for faculty

From InsideHigherEd, here: … Sam Houston State’s proposal links poor collegiality assessments to comprehensive performance evaluations and assisted faculty development plans. Timelines for remediation vary by plan, but the maximum extension of any plan is one year. After that, the faculty member’s fate is in the hands of the dean…

Leave PEBB and give everyone a 5% raise with no cuts to benefits

3/6/2020: Given the proposal by the UO Administration’s lead bargainer Missy Matella along these lines during Thursday’s bargaining, this seems like a good time to repost this from 2013. The numbers below are old and for all Oregon universities not just UO, but very roughly they suggest potential savings for…