On May 8: Yes on State Issue 1

OCAAUP Board endorses Issue 1

On the primary ballot this May 8, Ohio voters will be asked whether to approve Issue 1. The Ohio Conference AAUP Board has endorsed a YES vote.
Issue 1 would end the partisan gerrymandering process for congressional districts in Ohio. Gerrymandering is the practice that allows one political party to draw districts in a way that favors their party. This is why there are so few competitive congressional elections in Ohio and, consequently, very lopsided representation in Congress.

The amendment needs a simple majority of votes to become part of the Ohio Constitution. The proposed changes would take effect for the next redistricting process and be in place for the 2022 mid-term elections.
Issue 1 has received broad bipartisan support, with endorsements from both the Democratic and Republican Parties, as well as major Ohio newspapers. We encourage our members to vote in the primary election on May 8 and to vote YES on Issue 1.

For the text of the ballot issue, click here.

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Reminder: Vote by May 3 in STRS Elections

By now, you should have received information in the mail about voting in this year’s State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) elections. Two Retirement Board positions are to be elected for four-year terms starting in September.

We are encouraging the election and re-election of Ben Pfeiffer and Dale Price, respectively.

Mr. Pfeiffer and Mr. Price are members of the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT). They understand the fiduciary responsibility that the Retirement Board has to the system, but believe those interests must be balanced with the real-world impact these decisions have on STRS members.

We hope that you will take the time to vote in these important elections to help diversify the voices on the STRS Retirement Board. The balloting period is open until May 3.

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Two National AAUP Events This Summer

The National AAUP Annual Conference will be held June 14-17 in Arlington, VA. The conference will focus on the theme of free speech on campus. More information about the event can be found here.

From July 19-22, the Summer Institute will take place at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH. The Summer Institute is a great event that brings together AAUP members from across the country to participate in a wide range of workshops and special programs. To view the complete program and for other information, click here. If you are interested in sponsorship to this event, first get in touch with your chapter leadership to see if funding is available. The Ohio Conference also will be providing “scholarships” to members from chapters with fewer resources. For more information about scholarships from the Conference, e-mail sara@ocaaup.org.