*Dear CGE Members and Community,* *Quick Little Reminders* - *Bylaws Amendment voting and **CGE Executive Council and AFT National delegate nominations open * After the Spring General Membership Meeting yesterday emails went out to members to vote on an amendment to the CGE Constitution and Bylaws and to nominate folks to the EC or AFT National convention. Voting on our constitution and bylaws and nominating representatives (yourself or people you think would be good!) are important ways to make your voice heard in your union. If you have questions about either of these see the email from Co-VP for Organizing Mireia, or reach out to me. - We need your help to bring your healthcare providers in-network. Please share a list of providers you would like to bring in-network in this brief, anonymous survey <https://forms.gle/WZn9Dz528QZsJUxV6>. The survey also includes the option to provide more detailed information about your healthcare providers (both in-network and out-of-network with Cigna). This information will help provide further context for your bargaining team, and be part of creating a list of recommended providers for new grad workers and others looking for healthcare. - *Bargaining Priorities Survey* Our hardworking bargaining team have started preparing for the next round of bargaining, and need our input! They have made an anonymous survey ( *here* <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5jPAQI0Ft8iFSudl8AyfBvo8PexZxygZVpsscFjA1vbIzgg/viewform>) to produce a bargaining platform and contract language that meets workers needs. This is a great opportunity to help shape your working conditions! Announcements - *Changes to on-campus childcare* Beaver Beginnings (an on-campus daycare) is closing due to a contract dispute between OSU and the provider KinderCare. OSU is planning to open a new OSU operated facility in the same location for the Fall, but it will cause a 15% reduction in hours of childcare coverage (this now means that OSU has no on-campus childcare facility that covers a full workday); a tuition increase of 16% for preschool rooms from $950 to $1100 per month (students pay $1100 per month regardless of child's age, which is probably a decrease for infant/toddler rooms); elimination of provided lunches for children; and additional time off and early closures during the summer (closes at noon on Friday during July and August) that would impact OSU graduate student studies and research. The Parent Advisory Committee, a group of working parents on campus, are organizing for childcare on campus that meets workers needs. They have asked the Family Resource Center to hold a town hall to address parents' questions about the new facility, and the FRC has repeatedly refused to do so. In solidarity with Parent Advisory Committee, we are working to organize around this issue. If you are interested in taking action please reach out. - *Summer appointment letters* Summer appointment letters were due on May 2nd. If you expecting a summer position but did not receive confirmation until after May 2nd you may be due compensation for a contract violation. If you think this may be you please reach out. Late appointment letters are an frequent issue, and our VP for Grievances Christopher is filing a stage three grievance on this issue. *Upcoming Events* - *Brew-Off: June 6th, 6-9pm, Avery Park* I hope all the brewers are brewing! Brew-off is THE union social event of the year, with homebrews for competition (beer, kombucha, whatever), supplemental professional brews, music, dancing, food, and, as always, solidarity. Mark your calendars, thank your yeast, see you soon! - *CGE trivia: sometime soon, check back here for more details tbd!* *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. All meetings are at WestM unless otherwise stated. *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 Cortney at vp_bargaining@cge6069.org <vp_bargaining@cge6069.org> or just come to a meeting!* There are many ways you can contribute - doing research, helping draft contract language, and/or being a negotiator. Meetings are Fridays 9:30-11 am in the Student Lounge of WestM. *Constitution and Bylaws Committee:* This committee meets to go over CGE's constitution and bylaws <https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cge6069.org%2Fabout%2Fconstitution%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cfrazeese%40oregonstate.edu%7C37cbd9a28bda4fd77b6f08de8e7a3ed2%7Cce6d05e13c5e4d6287a84c4a2713c113%7C0%7C0%7C639104852915388031%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pRtNJjOPUL9%2FGkT%2BaVEQ5qJym7aRHktXB76VjHQ2npE%3D&reserved=0> and suggest changes to them, which members will vote on at the spring general membership meeting. This year, one of our main focuses will be on solidifying the existence of a strike fund in our constitution. If you have any ideas about other changes that need to be made to the constitution or bylaws, please join the committee! This committee will only need to meet a few times during Spring Term, so it's a pretty easy way to get involved if you've been looking for a place to get plugged in. If you're interested you can either email me (president@cge6069.org) *International Caucus: *The CGE International Caucus is open to all graduate students regardless of CGE membership status and serves to represent the concerns of all international students at Oregon State University. The International Graduate Caucus recognizes that international graduate students attending OSU have unique needs and difficulties in comparison to US students. Reach out to president@cge6069.org. In solidarity, Serena Frazee (she/her) VP for Communications, Coalition of Graduate Employees, AFT Local 6069 PhD Student in Integrative Biology, Oregon State University