University of Oregon unions rallied and marched through campus on Thursday to protest new “free speech policies” recently communicated to staff and faculty.
The UO Campus Labor Council organized a rally in front of the Lillis Business Complex, then marched to Johnson Hall, the university’s administrative building, to deliver a joint “letter of condemnation” to UO President Karl Scholz asserting their right to free speech and expression. The CLC consists of four campus unions: United Academics, Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, SEIU Local 503 and UO Student Workers. Combined, the unions represent over 8,000 workers on campus.
“This is over academic freedom, the ability to freely express ourselves and express our free speech,” said Collin Heatley, vice president of external relations for GTFF. “The university has increased surveillance of faculty, graduate student workers, undergraduates and undergraduate student workers, and by extension of staff.”
The call for free expression comes after a string of “increased surveillance,” according to union members. Multiple students have been served Student Code of Conduct violations , beginning earlier this summer for their conduct during pro-Palestinian protests in spring. Heatley said additional violations were still being issued as recently as last week. Some of the students who were issued violations were identified through Board of Trustees public comment , in which students are required to give their names to speak to the board.