The University of Oregon’s graduate employee union worked with the UO administration to organize two town halls on August 20 and 21 over Zoom, posing questions to administrators about international students and students of color’s concerns.
The Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation wanted to have a town hall with the Student and Scholar Services Office and the Division of Equity and Inclusion to discuss resources for graduate students and UO’s response to international graduate students’ needs, according to Mushira Habib, GTFF’s vice president of equity and inclusion.
“In Spring, the increased vulnerability of Black, Indigenous and People of Color in the face of COVID-19 was coupled with the particular precarity of International Students with travel and employment restrictions,” Habib said. “The murder of George Floyd and nationwide protests afterwards made the need for conversations with the university about their lack of support and resources for Black students more acute.”
August 20
Provost Patrick Phillips, Chief Resilience Officer André LeDuc and Psychologist Mariko Lin were just a few of the panelists for the first town hall, focusing on Black, Indigenous and students of color. Approximately 180 people attended.
“Some things will require additional research,” Kate Mondloch, interim vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, said, referring to the discussion being had around race at UO. “We certainly want this to just be the beginning of many conversations. We don’t expect to solve every problem today or to be able to address everything.”
Habib asked the panelists and the audience to be mindful and respectful of the GTFF members’ complaints and frustrations in a white supremacist institution, she said referring to UO. Students asked how to report incidents of discrimination on campus and how the university responds to these allegations. Students were also frustrated by UO’s lack of Black faculty and People of Color to support students on campus.
Missy Matella, senior director of employee and labor relations, said UO is an overwhelmingly white institution and is seeking to hire individuals from diverse backgrounds. “I have to own that we have a homogeneous population in some of these offices,” she said. “They’re not as diverse as we want them to be.”
Students were frustrated that they did not have access to records regarding faculty discriminatory behaviors. Matella explained that unfortunately, these records cannot be shared with students, although UO takes discrimination reports seriously and often takes punitive measures.
LeDuc addressed some students’ concerns about the University of Oregon Police Department, stating that UOPD will not enforce on-campus mask requirements in the fall.
Lin encouraged students to schedule appointments with the counseling center to talk about the difficulties that students of color are experiencing on campus. She said the counseling center has staff who specialize in Black student experiences and international student experiences.
“We’re really trying our best to serve you and support you with whatever you’re needing,” Lin said. “We’re here for you.”
August 21
The second town hall focused on international students’ concerns. Vice Provost for the Division of Global Engagement Dennis Galvan, Assistant Residential Director Francis Pastorelle and International Student Advisor Ethan Mapes served as panelists. Around 100 people attended.
Multiple international students said they had guaranteed funding for the 2020 to 2021 academic year but do not yet know if they have a position. Panelists were surprised and asked these students to send them an email after the town hall so they could investigate the issue.
Students requested more information on the resources available to them during the pandemic. Galvan said that the student crisis fund is available to all students who need short term financial assistance. He also said that funds for international student scholarships have decreased in recent years due to a decrease in international student enrollment.
“I’m not happy about it,” Galvan said. “I wish it were otherwise. We’re all fighting for funding like this. Resources are, as you know, pretty tight.”
An attendee alleged some faculty threatened to reveal students’ immigration status for participating in protected union activities.
“No one should be retaliated against for engaging in protected union activities,” Matella said. She encouraged students to submit an anonymous report through the union so they could address the problem and better protect students from these threats.
International graduate students were frustrated by how long they have been waiting for university apartments. Pastorelle said housing is available to students depending on when they want to move in and not solely based on when they apply. Students who want to move in at a time when more housing is available are more likely to get an apartment.
