UIUC AAUP Policy Committee
Minutes for December 12, 2018
217 Illini Union
Web site:  http://www.aaup-ui.org/

Present:  Matthew Ando, Bettina Francis, Harry Hilton, Richard Laugesen, Walter McMahon, Robert Parker, John Prussing, Bruce Rosenstock, Daniel Steward, H. F. Williamson

The meeting began at about noon with Hilton presiding.

(1)  Introductions.

(2)  Review of the Minutes for November 7, 2018 Meeting of Policy Committee.  The minutes were approved. 

(3)  President’s Report.  Hilton discussed the following items in his report. 
(a)  The meeting the provost held concerning sexual harassment issues.  Rosenstock was able to represent the AAUP at the meeting.
(b)  The invitation to meet with the vice-provost on December 13 to discuss issues of mutual interest including our proposed faculty survey; the campus plans for a task force on sexual misconduct, and the annual P&T workshop.
(c)  It was also noted that a Chapter representative might also be involved in meetings on December 19 (Illinois Commitment) and February 20 (Strategic Planning Update).

(4)  Decision on schedule for spring meetings of the Policy Committee.  The proposal to schedule the meetings on Thursday rather than Wednesday was discussed.  It was agreed to make this change providing the meetings began at 12:30 PM.  Thus, the meetings of the Policy Committee for the spring, 2019 semester will be in 217 Illini Union starting at 12:30 PM on the following dates:
            Thursdays:  January 17, February 14, March 14, April 11, May 2 (Reading Day)

(5)  Policy Committee Meeting with President Killeen and Executive Vice President Wilson.  Based on the preferences received from the committee members, it was agreed to propose that we meet in the early afternoon on January 25, 2019.  [NOTE:  Following the meeting, it was agreed with the staff in the President’s office that we will meet from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM on January 25, 2019 in a room to be announced.]

(6)  Discussion of Date for Annual Meeting:  It was suggested that it would be better to schedule the Annual Meeting during the final week of classes (April 22-26 this spring) rather than on the Tuesday of final examination week (May 7, 2019 this spring) as in the past few years.  The next step will be to determine room availability for that week.

(7)  Policies on Sexual Harassment and Title IX Guidelines.  Rosenstock provided a thorough report on the campus-level meeting he had attended representing the AAUP.  Two key documents from the meeting were (a) the AAUP Title IX report:  The History, Uses, and Abuses of Title IX and (b)  The Sex Bureaucracy by Jacob Gersen and Jeannie Suk, 104 Calif. L. Rev. 881 (2016) which he would circulate to the members.  There was a wide-ranging discussion on such topics as (a) the guidelines for determining a violation ranging from (i) guilty without a doubt to (ii) clear and convincing evidence to (iii) a preponderance of the evidence; (b) how these guidelines might vary depending on the individuals involved (e.g., faculty/staff-faculty/staff vs. faculty/staff-student vs. student-student).  Other topics discussed included the policies required by State Law requirements and what defendant’s rights to cross examine the accuser are in various situations.  We also discussed what the Chapter’s policy might be on these issues and whether this could be the topic for the Annual Meeting.  

(8)  Other Possible Activities for Chapter
(a)  Tenure Workshop.  Hilton will continue working with the panelists to arrange a time.
(b)  Membership Campaign.  Laugesen and Rosenstock are continuing to work on the campaign.
(c)  Meeting with Campus Administrators.  Hilton will review a possible meeting with the Chancellor and/or Provost in the spring once the postponed meeting with President Killeen has been arranged.

There were no other reports so the meeting adjourned at about 1:01 p.m.  As noted above, the next meeting will be on Thursday, January 17, 2019 starting at 12:30 PM in 217 Illini Union.