SOU Governing Groups
Association of Professors: Southern Oregon University (APSOU)
... is the SOU teaching faculty union for those faculty working at least half time and who carry the rank of Instructor or higher. Technically, APSOU is a "bargaining unit" to which all teaching faculty belong. Then, each person in it can either choose to be a member of the union by paying dues or make an equivalent "fair share" donation to a nonreligious charity if reasons of conscience move them to not be a member of the union ($120/year, $60 APSOU + $60 AOF). APSOU is an "independent" union, not affiliated with any national organization. The primary role of APSOU is to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement every two years, which governs SOU teaching faculty's compensation and working conditions. Other duties include contract enforcement, advising individual faculty when they feel their contract rights may have been violated, and consulting with the SOU and OUS administration on policy matters that affect compensation and working conditions. APSOU has a nine-member board elected by union members which meets approximately monthly.
SOU Faculty Senate
... is the body of teaching and administrative faculty which advises the President of the University on the administration of the University. It is an elected body whose representation is described in the SOU Bylaws. It carries out the activities and duties spelled out in the Constitution and Bylaws of Southern Oregon University. The Senate is the voice of the SOU faculty on a wide variety of matters, including curriculum and program offerings, changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, and advising the President on administrative issues. The Senate meets every other Monday while classes are in session, and its meetings are open to the public. For more information, check out: www.sou.edu/senate/
Association of Oregon Faculties (AOF)
The Association of Oregon Faculties (AOF) is an association that represents and protects the interests of Oregon public university'sfaculty and professional staff before the Oregon Legislature and various state agencies. Our primary goal is to increase the quality of the professional working environment for all faculty in the system. We were formed in 1978 by the Interinstitutional Faculty Senate to serve in this political capacity. By clicking on the AOF link above, you can find out more about this organization including reading its periodic newsletters.
Our dues pay for a professional lobbying firm, Parta Oregon, Inc., to represent our interests to the Legislature, to the Governor, to the HECC, to the other groups aligned with higher education interests (e.g. the other public universities, student organizations, etc.), to the PEBB Board, and to the PERS Board. The chief lobbyist for Parta Oregon is Chris Parta. Both he and his firm represent a nice cluster of clients with generally compatible interests. AOF is also part of the PERS Coalition, a group which has legally challenged numerous attacks on public employee retirement rights. see www.oregonfaculties.org.
Interinstitutional Faculty Senate (IFS)
…serves as a voice of the faculty members of Oregon public universities in matters of statewide concern; to consider statewide policies and to make recommendations thereon; and to endeavor to strengthen the participation of faculty members in the governance of the various institutions, through representatives of their own choosing. IFS works with state legislators and civil servants to ensure that faculty views are reflected in state higher education policy.
Members are elected faculty from all public institutions of higher education in the state of Oregon consisting of 3 (three) representatives each from University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Portland State University, and Oregon Health Sciences University, and 2 (two) representatives each from Western Oregon University, Southern Oregon University, Oregon Institute of Technology, and Eastern Oregon University.
For more information, see oregonifs.org.