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September 2025

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Welcome back: Health care enrollment period, DEI at OSU, the Fall BBQ, and more!
by Serena Frazee 24 Sep '25

24 Sep '25

*Dear CGE Members and Community,* *Quick Little Reminders* - *Please share affects of the health care change as well as your ideas on specific outcomes and contract language* you would like to see come out of impact bargaining with <healthcare(a)cge6069.org> healthcare(a)cge6069.org. - *The health care enrollment period is starting soon **(10/1-10/31)! **This is the period for:* - Out-of-network providers transitioning to be in-network for Cigna - Adding or removing any dependents - Waiving the plan if you have existing comparable coverage - *Don't forget to do the OSU required trainings* *Announcements* - *Welcome back!* With the start of the new academic year, I want to say welcome back (although we all know grads work over the summer) and wish everyone a good fall term. We are starting the term at a strange, uncertain time for the country, the future of higher education, and even OSU. Graduate school is hard work, and not something we can do alone in the simplest of times. As we navigate this year, the Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE) and this newsletter will be a space for grads to support each other. - *Support DEI at OSU* Two *programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at OSU are being terminated:* the Search Advocate Program (SAP), which focused on training about and implementing inclusive hiring practices, and the Social Justice Education Initiative (SJEI), which offered interactive, reflective workshops on social justice for faculty, graduate students, and staff. Higher education institutions are under pressure from the federal administration to remove DEI programs and services. In the face of these threats, it is the responsibility of the Oregon State University community to hold our university accountable to its commitments of supporting diversity and creating equitable outcomes for marginalized communities.* Please sign this petition <https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-reverse-cancellations-of-de…> to show that we care about DEI at OSU.* - *Submit testimony for Health Care for All* The state of Oregon is currently developing and assessing a state-wide universal health care program and looking for public comment. Universal health care would protect people from the experience we've had of our healthcare changing unexpectedly based on our employers financial choices. *You can submit testimony to the Universal Health Care Governance Board here <https://www.oregon.gov/uhpgb/Pages/public-comment.aspx>*. There are also public meetings and lots of other ways to get involved at Health Care for All Oregon <https://www.hcao.org/take-action>! *Upcoming Events* - *Housing Rights Rally, this Saturday, 9/27 2-4pm, Chintimini Park* Show up and show support for public housing, rent control, and the decriminalization of homelessness, while enjoying free food and live music. Learn more at humanright.house. - *Fall BBQ, 10/4, 6-9pm, Lions Shelter, Avery Park* This year the Fall BBQ is also the CGE 25th Anniversary Party! Kick off the new academic year and celebrate our 25th birthday with food, drinks, music, and lots of games. Everyone is welcome, bring friends and maybe even make some new ones. I will see you there! [image: Flyer for the fall bbq, warm colors with a cartoon microphone, speaker and bottle dancing and information about the event.] In solidarity, Serena Frazee (she/her) VP for Communications, Coalition of Graduate Employees, AFT Local 6069 PhD Student in Integrative Biology, Oregon State University

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MOI positions closing, health insurance GMM, Fall BBQ, and more!
by Serena Frazee 08 Sep '25

08 Sep '25

*Dear CGE Members and Community,* *Quick Little Reminders* - *Paid Position: Fall MOI applications close today!* Applications for AFT-Oregons Member Organizing Institute (MOI) are open! MOI is a 3 month paid training program that teaches organizing skills through real-world experience in concert with staff and local leaders. It pays 25$/hour for a maximum of 10 hours a week. Reach out to organizer(a)cge6069.org asap to indicate your interest and get the application materials. - *Fall Appointment Letter Deadline* If you got your appointment letter after 8/16 or still haven’t gotten it, OSU owes you 50$! Please email Christopher at *vp_grievances(a)cge6069.org* <vp_grievances(a)cge6069.org> or use the confidential grievance form <https://www.cge6069.org/grievance/>. - *Bargaining Team:* *Like everything else CGE does, the impact bargaining team is made up of members - that’s you!* If you are concerned about the change in our health care from PacificSource to Cigna and want to get involved, *please reach out to Piper at vp_bargaining(a)cge6069.org <vp_bargaining(a)cge6069.org>.* There are many ways you can contribute - doing research, helping draft contract language, and/or being a negotiator. Meetings are Mondays 10-11 am in the Student Lounge of WestM. - *Please share affects of the health care change as well as your ideas on specific outcomes and contract language* you would like to see come out of impact bargaining with <healthcare(a)cge6069.org> healthcare(a)cge6069.org. - *Speak to you out-of-network providers* about transitioning to be in-network for Cigna (the transition period starts 10/1). *Upcoming Events* - *Special Health Insurance **GMM, September 11th, 5-7pm* (Cordley Hall, 1316 or on Zoom) At this meeting we will discuss how the health insurance change will impact us and work together to plan for it. This is a time to address questions or concerns about Cigna or impact bargaining, as well as ideas for contract language and goals for impact bargaining. *Health insurance affects all of us and it's important that our response reflects that. This event open to everyone covered by the bargaining agreement, meaning all GTAs and GRAs.* Please bring your thoughts, your voice, and your friends. *A note about zoom:* If you need to attend on zoom please change your display name to your first and last name before entering the waiting room to make to prevent chaos and stress for our zoom moderators. Zoom link: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/91387759292?pwd=18FRzGpmixbjHHwKIGNNnZrbvtJRv… - *25th Anniversary Fall Barbecue, October 4th, 6-9pm* (Lions Shelter, Avery Park) The annual fall bbq is coming up soon, and this year we're celebrating 25 years of CGE! In the fall of 1995, OSU grad workers began to organize to convince the administration to provide them with health insurance. OSU refused, which lead the workers to form an official labor union which eventually successfully negotiated a contract that includes health insurance. Although our health insurance is in a state of uncertainty right now, due to those early efforts our health insurance is contractually protected. There will be food, drinks, games, and music, plus a celebration of how far we've come in the last 25 years. Everyone is welcome! *Committees and Caucuses that need your help* Grad workers are capable and passionate people who can together exercise great power. One of the ways we do that is through caucuses and committees. *Meeting this week:* *Contract Action Team (CATs): * We need more CATs! Our CATs do all of our on-the-ground work, including turnout to events, talking to members, planning actions, and so much more. You can commit as much or as little time as you have. If you want to be more involved in organizing efforts, but don’t know where to start, CAT meetings are the place to start! Come to a CAT meeting in Cordley 4329! Wednesdays 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Cordley 4329. *Committee on Political Engagement (COPE)*: Plans and implements actions around wider political issues. COPE members channel collective power into concrete efforts to make a difference at local and national scales of government and policy. Wednesdays 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm in WestM. *Disability Justice Caucus:* The DJ Caucus is committed to providing space for disabled, Mad, crip, mentally ill, neuroqueer, neurodivergent, crazy, blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing graduate students to be in community with each other, as well as to center their needs, interests, and concerns. Moreover, the DJ Caucus works to end ableist/sanist structures and dynamics within CGE and Oregon State University. Open to all graduate students, regardless of current CGE membership status. Every other Thursday (this week!) 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm in WestM. *Mutual Aid Caucus:* Organizes mutual aid for grads and other members of our community! The Mutual Aid Caucus organizes resource sharing events and builds a supportive empowering community. Wednesdays 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm in WestM. *Priority and reviving caucuses and committees:* - Environmental Justice Caucus - International Caucus - Membership Committee If you are interested in helping with any caucuses or committees (or start a new one!), email solidarity(a)cge6069.org to connect with the Executive Council, who will help you get started! In solidarity, Serena Frazee (she/her) VP for Communications, Coalition of Graduate Employees, AFT Local 6069 PhD Student in Integrative Biology, Oregon State University In solidarity, Serena Frazee (she/her) VP for Communications, Coalition of Graduate Employees, AFT Local 6069 PhD Student in Integrative Biology, Oregon State University

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