Home » OEA Regional Office

OEA Regional Office

Members of the EGCC-EA Executive Team met with Regional OEA Director Bret Benack on Wednesday, 2/26 to discuss the new OEA Drop-in Office coming to the Steubenville Campus (located in the space previously occupied by the Head Start/Daycare Center on the first floor, rear entrance).

Executive Committee members (Gina Augustine, Ryan Fritch, Lori Parry, and Shirley Fisher-Ciancetta) spent about an hour talking with Benack. The following are highlights from the discussion:

  • The Regional Office in Brilliant needed to close due to high rent
  • EGCC offered a low-rent option which would accommodate the numerous locals and affiliates in the region (the space will be used for meetings and contract negotiations)
  • An OEA regional office has never been located on a primary or secondary school or college campus
  • EGCC-EA members expressed apprehension about the OEA office being located at the college (these are uncharted waters; we are not sure what to expect; the Association was not notified about the decision prior to a final agreement between the college and OEA)
  • There are concerns about the relationship between the college and OEA (levels of distrust exist stemming from issues the Association experienced with the previous college administration– some of which continue today)
  • There are also concerns/questions about OEA’s interest in the Union Online Program
  • There were questions about hours of operation and the Association’s use of the Regional Office (since it will be located on our campus now)

 

As the discussion began to wrap up, the Association proposed that we have access to the new regional office at times other than when the LRC would be present. Benack stated that he would relay our request to OEA officials in Columbus.

On 2/28, our LRC Jonathan Knapp sent an email stating that the Association would receive its own key to the regional office.

See the attached materials from OEA Regional Director, Bret Benack: Steubenville OEA Drop-In office protocols