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@cge6069.org asap to indicate your interest and get the application materials. 
  • 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@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@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:

  • 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@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