Arshy Azizi
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omeros94.bsky.social
Arshy Azizi
@omeros94.bsky.social
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PhD candidate classics uchicago
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Reposted by Arshy Azizi
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A huge attack on several humanities units (Arabic, Judaic Studies, Holocaust Studies, Classics, Religion, German/Scandinavian, Russian) and tenure now unfolding at the University of Oregon (a blue state!) Closure of units + faculty layoffs threatened. See next post in thread for actions to take. 1/3
I've now been allowed and asked to share more details about what's going down at the University of Oregon, which involves imminent announcement of firings, among others, of tenure-track and tenured faculty. Given the units impacted (see below), please share this with your professional networks in related disciplines and start getting ready to put pressure (or begin putting pressure already) on the University of Oregon upper admin to abandon this alleged plan before they finalize it. It appears that, with no prior consultations, the departments of Religion, Classics, and German & Scandinavian (three separate units); in addition to Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies; Judaic Studies; Arabic Studies; and Holocaust Studies (all parts of a previously-consolidated mega unit called the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages) are facing imminent announcement of elimination (expected the week of Sept 7), with layoffs of pre-tenure, tenured, and career faculty in these units. The reason given is that personnel expenses outpace revenues -- upper administrations of several universities across the country (and in blue states like Oregon also) appear to be giddy to use the context of Trump attacks on higher ed to dismantle the humanities. The faculty union at UO won a new contract not long ago; this may be, in part, a retaliation for that, I've been told. The union is working with AAUP, etc.; my understanding is that the maximum spotlight is needed at this point.
August 19, 2025 at 3:17 PM