Open Letter to the Ohio University Board of Trustees
To Board President Evans and Members of the Ohio University Board of Trustees:
We write as faculty, students, alumni, parents, community members, and supporters of Ohio University because we are increasingly concerned about the university’s relationship with its faculty.
Nearly a year after faculty won union recognition, Ohio University remains locked in a costly and unnecessary legal fight against the very people responsible for teaching students, conducting research, mentoring future leaders, and carrying out the university’s academic mission.
In 2025, Ohio University’s faculty voted overwhelmingly to form their union. More than 80% of eligible faculty participated in the election, and more than 70% voted in favor of unionization. Rather than accept the results and focus on building a productive relationship with faculty, Ohio University chose to challenge the outcome in court.
At the same time, faculty and administrators have spent months at the bargaining table attempting to negotiate a first contract. The first contract determines working conditions that shape the quality of education students receive. It establishes standards for compensation, professional support, academic freedom, and the recruitment and retention of talented faculty.
Yet after months of bargaining, progress has been slow, and faculty continue to face delays while the university devotes time and precious resources to litigation. This should concern every person who cares about Ohio University’s future.
Ohio University cannot claim that faculty are essential to its mission and simultaneously fight them in court. It cannot claim to value shared governance while refusing to embrace the democratic decision faculty have made. And it cannot continue to remain mired in conflict while students, families, alumni, and the broader community are left wondering why a fair resolution remains out of reach.
As members of the Ohio University community, we believe the Board of Trustees has both the authority and responsibility to help change course.
We urge the Board to:
Direct the administration to end its lawsuit challenging faculty unionization.
The election has been decided. Faculty voted. The results were certified. Continuing this legal battle serves no constructive purpose and only deepens division.
Ensure that Ohio University engages in meaningful bargaining aimed at reaching a fair first contract without further delay.
Faculty have been waiting nearly a year for the protections, stability, and respect that come with a first contract. The university should be focused on reaching an agreement, not prolonging uncertainty.
Ohio University’s strength has always come from its people: the students who learn here, the alumni who carry its legacy forward, the community who supports it, and the faculty who dedicate their careers to educating the next generation. The time for delay has passed, and the Board of Trustees must act. Drop the lawsuit, and bargain a fair contract to help move Ohio University forward.
If you agree that Ohio University should end its lawsuit against faculty and work toward a fair first contract, add your name to this letter.
Together, we can send a clear message to the Board of Trustees: Ohio University’s future is stronger when faculty are respected, heard, and treated as partners in the institution’s success.