Organizers trying to unionize the University faculty ran into a snag this week when the University refused to print and distribute fliers advertising one of their meetings.
The United Academics of the University of Oregon held two events this week discussing unionization and tried to distribute fliers through campus Printing and Mailing Services.
The service is generally available to all staff, faculty and student groups for University-related business. However, somewhere along the line it was decided that the UAUO event was not University-related business.
At Tuesday’s meeting, mathematics professor Marie Vitulli, the acting editor of UAUO, said the group was told the directive came down to campus mail from the University general council.
Vitulli said the group didn’t find out its fliers would not be distributed until the day before the event.
UO spokesperson Julie Brown wrote in an e-mail that University policy was behind the decision. The policy reads:
“University mail delivery and addressing services are available only to University departments, committees, registered employee groups, registered or recognized student groups and employees conducting University business. These services are not available to non-University organizations or persons, or to University organizations, employees, or students in connection with their conduct of non-University business, personal activities, or political activities.”
Brown said the policy has been in place since 1983.
Fliers for the second UAUO meeting happened to be distributed by campus mail. However, Brown said it was “an oversight that is being resolved to ensure the UO policy is adhered to moving forward.”
Though Brown said the content of the message was not taken into account, she said the message violated policy.
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