As the first day of a strike by the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation comes to a close, I want to assure students that our commitment to academic achievement continues as planned.  Today, the large majority of classes and lab sections took place as usual with instructors reporting to work on schedule.

The university had course monitors at each GTF-led class today and will continue to do so during the strike.  Our monitors, all of whom are UO employees, are ensuring that when a GTF does not appear for their classroom duties, students are given an explanation of the situation. Course monitors are not teaching courses or taking instructional roles.  

I appreciate the mostly respectful behavior that I witnessed from students, faculty, staff, and our striking colleagues. While there were a small number of reports of disruptive noise and other distractions, we were able to address those issues quickly.

We remain committed to reaching agreement with the GTFF, look forward to continuing mediation Thursday, and will continue meeting the needs of students tomorrow and beyond. Thank you for being part of this community.

Sincerely,

Scott Coltrane
Interim President