Save Dr. Gies!

During a really difficult period a few terms ago I was in two of Dr. Guesses classes. In each of them he supported me immensely. Portland State University would be losing one of the best professors they have.

The education I've received from Dr. Gies has been pivotal in career as a student.

MAKE SPACE FOR QUEER PROFESSORS!!!

Dr. Gies brings a unique and useful perspective to political science at PSU. There's literally no other political primary philosophy/theory professor, and in the one class I've had with him he was excellent.

Dr. Gies is an incredible instructor and it was an honor to learn from him!

Great professor!

Personally, I have benefited immensely from Dr. Gies’ mentorship and instruction. He goes above and beyond his job requirements to provide consistent, ongoing, personalized guidance. I was able to take a class with him nearly every term throughout my program and the assigned readings, discussions, and assignments blew my mind and opened so many new avenues of potential scholarly inquiry for me. There are many excellent faculty in the PS department but were it not for Dr. Gies I likely wouldn’t be graduating with a master’s degree, and I certainly wouldn’t be applying to PhD programs. He’s a uniquely engaged instructor and discussion facilitator, able to masterfully guide conversations and create a space in which everyone is encouraged and empowered to participate. He is committed to remembering students’ names, identities and, most importantly, their areas of interest and/or expertise. His ability to facilitate rich discussions and to put students in conversation with one another (rather than a back-and-forth with him) never ceases to amaze me! Putting my own experience to the side, political theory is an essential component of a robust political science education and, as the only full theorist on staff, Dr. Gies is an indispensable faculty member at Portland State. Theory encourages students and scholars alike to think more deeply about the underlying assumptions that inform scientific inquiry and research. Political theory classes enrich the academic journeys of students like me, fostering an intellectual curiosity that extends beyond the classroom. Certainly, employability is a worthwhile outcome for a public university like PSU to pursue, and political theory develops valuable critical thinking skills that cannot be easily replaced by technology or AI. Furthermore, these classes cultivate informed and responsible citizens who are better able to participate in the democratic process, contribute to public discourse, and navigate the complexities of both a rapid

Professor Gies is an amazing lecturer and teacher. I have taken two of his classes and hope to take many more. Our classroom discussions have been nothing short of amazing because students feel supported and listened to.

Education is Elevation!

PS needs a political theorist. As a discipline it literally can't function without one. Nathan Gies is a superb teacher and colleague. We need to retain him.

Dr. Gies is one of the greatest teachers I've ever had. Political Theory is something all students and PSU should have the opportunity to take. This course helped me develop a better understanding of fundamental issues regarding political philosophy. He introduces the early thinkers of political science, as well as, contemporary philosophers. He incorporates indigenous knowledge and highlights the importance that BIPOC communities bring to political theory topics. He is a fair, professional, and understanding. He is a facilitator who guides students in forming their own thoughts and ideas. He challenges students to think critically. Losing an important community member like Dr. Gies would be devastating to the department, as well as, the broader PSU community. Dr. Gies is the only professor that encouraged me to continue my education and stay at Portland State University. Preserving Dr. Gies' position at PSU would be beneficial to all. It is a privilege to have such a well-qualified individual like Dr. Gies. His class Queer Theory and Politics has also greatly benefited my professional and personal development.This class critically examines the power dynamics of our political systems and legitimizes queer experiences. I've never felt more prepared, more challenged, more engaged then I do in Dr. Gies classes.

Without a political theorist, the department is unable to offer courses in one of the cornerstones of the discipline.

Dr. Gile is an indispensable instructor for our interdisciplinary programs, MPP and PAP. We cannot have a political science department that does not have any political theorist among the faculty.

It seems shortsighted of PSU to be cutting teaching and course loads because of declining enrollment, rather than investing in recruitment and retention efforts, especially when our finances are actually decently healthy at the moment. As an urban public university, we're in a good position to benefit from financial and life stressors on college students, and to serve that community with an expanding rather than contracting set of course offerings, particularly during the summer when a lot of students want to take classes to keep on track for graduation in the face of part-time status during the regular year resulting from their need to work to survive. The administration seems to have a disappointing focus on narrow quantitative measures for departments -- mostly student credit hours (SCHs) -- rather than on a holistic assessment of how these programs being targeted are actually serving our students and the broader Oregon community. While this is becoming more and more common among universities throughout the nation, I would expect more from PSU as an urban public university with an explicit outreach and service mission.

I'm devastated by the lack of care that PSU is showing to the PoliSci Dept as a whole. Cutting valuable staff and classes in a department that is needed now more than ever. I just don't understand the reasoning at all. I sincerely hope that administration reconsiders their attack on the PS department. I suspect the lose of quality instructors and instruction will only aid in the continued decline of enrollment for the school as a whole. As an undergrad looking at potential grad school, I was really hoping to continue at PSU... but now that seems in jeopardy. I'm truly disappointed in this decision and hope to see better from the administration moving forward.

spend money on teachers

We demand an end to the arbitrary budget cuts that reduce the value of our professors and students to mere excel cells. The current situation, exemplified by the imminent threat to Dr. Gies' position, reflects an administration that views us solely as cost-benefit ratios. This petition aims to shed light on the invaluable contributions of Dr. Gies, whose presence within our program is indispensable. In a time of desperate need for diverse perspectives, his expertise and insights provide much-needed weight to our academic community. The university must recognize that his contributions far surpass the monetary value of his salary, and these considerations should heavily influence their decisions. Dr. Gies is not a mere entry in a spreadsheet; he is an extraordinary professor who consistently delivers both quantitative and qualitative results for the betterment of our students and our university as a whole.

Save Dr. Gies

I see immense value in keeping Dr. Gies as a PSU student myself.

Pay your f&cking teachers, troglodytes!