OEA Cabinets, Committees & Task Forces

OEA Cabinets, Committees, and Task Forces are year-to-year groups chaired by OEA members which help inform and carry out the work of OEA. They also advise OEA Centers on the work being done on behalf of OEA’s members.

Are you an OEA member interested in serving on a committee? Do you have a special interest in professional practice, bargaining and advocacy, political action, or in the structure and budget operations of OEA? If so, fill out the committee interest form below! If you have questions about serving on a committee, please call the OEA President at 503-684-3300 or 1-800-858-5505, or download Considerations for Committee Appointments and Committee Functions.

OEA Cabinets and Committees generally meet two – three times per year on Saturdays. Additional online / conference calls are scheduled by the Cabinets and Committees as needed. Committees of the Board generally meet in conjunction with OEA Board meetings and schedule online/ conference calls as needed.

A complete description of all committees and cabinets can be found at the bottom of this page.

Cabinet and Committee Opportunities

CABINET FOR THE CENTER FOR ADVOCACY AND AFFILIATE SERVICES
The Advocacy and Affiliate Services Cabinet is responsible for advising on topics such as bargaining, grievance processing, and member organizing.

CABINET FOR THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Members of the Public Affairs Cabinet advise on OEA’s communication efforts and OEA’s political organizing.

CABINET FOR THE CENTER FOR GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The GPS cabinet is responsible for advising on education policy and professional development interests.

ASPIRING EDUCATOR COMMITTEE
This committee supports, monitors and makes recommendations for our Aspiring Educator student member program.

BYLAWS/POLICIES COMMITTEE
This committee reviews OEA Bylaws and Policies, reviews amendments submitted by OEA members, and offers recommendations to the OEA RA. The OEA Bylaws and Policies are the guiding documents governing our Association.

COMMITTEE ON RACIAL EQUITY (CORE)
The members of CORE work to promote the interests of our diverse population as they relate to Association members and our students. CORE members help monitor and adjust OEA’s plan for meeting the goals of NEA Bylaw 3-1 (g). CORE has at least one joint meeting with the Human and Civil Rights Committee.

CONGRESSIONAL ADVOCACY TEAM (CAT)
Members of CAT communicate with Oregon’s Congressional delegation and advocate for the policies and positions on issues to improve federal support for public education.

CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE
The Credentials Committee is responsible for overseeing all elections held by OEA and serving at the OEA Representative Assembly to enforce rules of the Assembly. The committee meets several times a year, especially around the OEA elections cycle, and works full time at the OEA Representative Assembly. (Please note that Credentials Committee members cannot be delegates to the OEA Representative Assembly.)

EARLY CAREER EDUCATOR ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

The Early Career Educator Organizing Committee supports and makes recommendations on the New Educators of Oregon Network (NEON) and OEA Early Career Educator engagement and involvement program.

OEA GENERAL BUDGET/POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ON DUES, RELEASE TIME OFFICERS TASK FORCE (NBI 13,24)

This task force will explore and create recommendations for the OEA Board on OEA’s dues structure and creating new release time officers.

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS COMMITTEE
This committee promotes the interests of health professionals in public schools and makes recommendations on best practices for health care policy, contract language, and legislation.

HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE (HCR)
The HCR Committee works to support equity for all members and students. The committee reviews and recommends Association activities and strategies to address social justice and equity issues. The HCR Committee has at least one joint meeting with the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee.

JUDICIAL PANEL
The OEA Judicial Panel reviews cases of suspected Bylaws and Policy violations and alleged violations of the Code of Ethics of the Professional Educator. The panel meets on an as-needed basis.

LICENSED COUNSELOR/SOCIAL WORKER TASK FORCE (NBI 16)

This task force will make recommendations to the OEA Board of Directors for ways to support the needs of members who are licensed counselors and social workers.

LEGAL DEFENSE PROGRAM COMMITTEE
The LDP Committee advises on guidelines for legal services provided to OEA members. Members of the committee also hear appeals of members who were denied funding for legal services. The committee meets twice a year and on an as needed basis.

LEGISLATIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL (LAC)
The Legislative Advisory Council maintains and proposes updates to the Association’s Legislative Objectives, which promotes the values and policymaking objectives of members. LAC members communicate with UniServ councils and colleagues to learn of issues pertinent to public education and bring new issues to the Council and public affairs team for consideration of legislative remedies. LAC also works with the Center for Public Affairs and OEA-PAC to advance the Association’s political agenda. Finally, Council members are often called on to testify on proposed policy before legislative committees and to organize other policy-related activities with colleagues.

OEA ACTIVISTS/MOBILIZING TASK FORCE (NBI 29) This group of members will help identify and be engaged in strategic actions to further union solidarity.

NEA-RA PLANNING COMMITTEE
Members of the NEA RA Planning Committee organize the activities for the Oregon delegation to the NEA Representative Assembly. Such activities include fund raising for the NEA Fund for Children and Education and organizing activities and support for Oregon delegates at the NEA RA.

OEA-PAC BOARD
The OEA-PAC Board is a Political Action Committee of the Association. PAC Board members are elected by the members of their UniServ Council. The PAC Board works to elect pro-public education candidates.

RA PROCEDURES TASK FORCE

Members of the task force will make recommendations on group decision making processes used by OEA and local affiliates.

RELIEF FUND COMMITTEE
Members of the Relief Fund oversee administration of the Relief Fund and the disbursement of benefits from the fund. The committee typically meets two – three times per year, and on an as needed basis.

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE
Members of the Resolutions Committee review and make recommendations to the OEA Representative Assembly to edit OEA’s Resolutions to ensure our belief statements are addressing the needs of our students, members, and public education.

SOCIAL STUDIES COMMITTEE
This committee examines the practice of Social Studies instruction throughout the state and makes recommendations for best practices that meet the state standards for teaching Social Studies.

SPECIAL EDUCATION (SPED) COMMITTEE
Task force members analyze issues facing Special Education in Oregon and make recommendations to the President around possible action to improve the education of all students.

SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST COMMITTEE (SLP)
Members of the SLP Committee monitor, support and make recommendations on how our Association advocates for SLP issues.

UNION SCHOOL ADVISORY CABINET
Committee members review strategic priorities of OEA’s Union School and make recommendations to build our continuum of training and to meet the Union School’s goals.

Board committees (OEA Board members only) OEA Budget, OEA Foundation, Board Training, Organizational Strategy, OEA RA Planning, Member Benefits, OEA Staff 401K Committee, OEA Staff Pension Committee, Facilities Task Force