WWU.OSE Communication from President

Communication to OSE from WWU President

June 5, 2025

Dear Operational Student Employee Executive Committee,

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued engagement and for sharing your concerns about how Western Washington University can improve working conditions for Operational Student Employees (OSEs).

We take your concerns seriously. We are also committed to ensuring parity across all student employee positions. To that end, for any student employee that is not represented under the Educational Student Employee (ESE) the University is committed to the following through January 2027:

  • Sick Leave Accrual  - Effective September 2025, sick leave for OSEs will accrue at a rate of 1 hour for every 20 hours worked; presently, OSEs accrue sick leave at 1 hour for every 40 hours worked.
  • Bereavement leave - for each instance of an immediate family member’s (as defined under FMLA) death. OSEs will be paid for the hours they were scheduled to work on the day(s) missed for bereavement leave up to a maximum of eight (8) hours per bereavement occurrence.
  • Training – Ensuring that OSEs have access to required and relevant training and onboarding support equivalent to what is provided to ESEs.
  • Wage Adjustments – As previously communicated, OSE compensation has been adjusted to achieve parity with ESEs and will continu8e to follow the same schedule.
  • Mental Health Support – During the Fall 2025 quarter, the University will convene a workgroup to review  mental health supports provided to student employees who experience traumatic events on the job.
  • 1 month notice layoff – OSEs will receive 30 days' advance notice before any layoff. This will not apply if the layoff is due to a reversion of federal or state grant funding which includes work study reductions.
  • Dispute resolution – OSEs may utilize the dispute resolution process as outlinied under Addendum A of this letter. Any disciplinary actions will be for just cause with a progressive disciplinary approach. The cessation of an appointment at the end of its designated period is not subject to the just cause requirement. 

The University is committed to meeting with OSEs regularly moving forward to help ensure that student employee concerns are heard. Thank you again for your dedication and for the important work you do each day to contribute to our vibrant campus community.

Sincerely,

Sabah Randhawa,

President Western Washington University


Addendum A. Dispute Resolution Process

For any term of any policy applicable to terms/conditions of employment for Operational Student Employees (described in the letter above from President Randhawa):

  1. Any OSE(s) may allege a violation, misapplication or misinterpretation of any policy and may choose a support person(s) to accompany them through any step of this process. 

    The OSE must (a) detail a specific policy allegedly violated, misinterpreted, or misapplied; (b) provide a statement of the facts upon which the complaint is based, including the date on which the alleged incident(c) occurred; and (c) specify in writing the remedy sought.

  2. Process

    a. Step One. The OSE(s) may submit the initial allegation within twenty-eight (28) calendar days to their Unit Head (or University designee), who has fourteen (14) calendar days to respond. The OSE’s shall submit their allegation, including those initially filed at Step Two, within twenty-eight (28) calendar days of the day the OSE knew or reasonably should have known of the event(s) giving rise to the complaint.

    b. Step Two. If the OSE(s) does not avail themselves of Step One or the matter is not resolved, they may submit the allegation in writing to Human Resources, who will respond in writing within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt.

    c. Step Three. In the event the matter is not resolved at Step Two, the OSE is entitled to a third-party dispute resolution process. The University will request a list of seven (7) arbitrators from Washington and/or Oregon provided by the American Arbitration Association and will select an arbitrator from that list.

  3. The third party shall not have the power or jurisdiction to render a decision that adds to, subtracts from, alters, amends or modifies in any way any policy of the University, or contradicts any applicable law, regulation, or agreement.
  4. The decision of the third party shall be final, conclusive, and binding on the University and the OSE(s).
  5. Any expenses related to an appeal to the third-party process shall be borne by the University.
  6. This process should not be construed as supplanting or eliminating any other rights either the OSEs or the University have under the law or University policy.