RE: President’s Monthly Report to Policy Committee (12/12/18 – 1/23/19)
Statute revisions: The revisions have been approved by the three senates and the Senates Council. They were transmitted to the president on December 5, 2016. President Killeen and Executive VP Wilson indicated that they are actively pursuing the various details necessary for a major revision effort. Next BoT meetings are on:
Mar 14, 2019 Urbana
May 16, 2019 Springfield
July 24-25, 2019 Chicago
We have been assured of notification prior of transmittal to BoT of the president’s recommendations. Nothing has yet been transmitted. Barbara Wilson has indicated that a general “clean up” of the statute language is in progress.
Executive Committee and Trustees: The Executive Committee and Trustee meeting scheduled for 9/27/18 was cancelled by the trustees at the last minute. It is being rescheduled for March 14, 2019.
PC meetings with president: The meeting with President Killeen and Executive VP Wilson and PC members is being rescheduled. You have received form Bill Williamson a list of possible dates.
Legislative attacks on tenure, course content, free speech and science: Bob Parker continues to track and monitor news items on these important subjects.
Shared governance questionnaire: Hadi Esfahani and his committee have prepared a questionnaire to be sent to the faculty. It has been transmitted to the provost and I asked him to have his office email it to the faculty. See also Item 7. We may wish to consider this topic and responses for a future special or annual chapter meeting.
Sexual harassment: The reported number of such campus and near campus incidents has increased. I suggest that our PC monitor the proper and equitable disposition of such occurrences and of the guidelines. Also, this could also be a topic for a membership meeting or the annual meeting.
Meeting with vice-provost Bernhard: Members of the Executive Committee met with him on Thursday, December 13, 2018. The subject of the meeting was: “Discussion of some issues of mutual interest, including the proposed faculty shared governance survey, the campus’s plans for a task force on sexual misconduct, and the annual P&T information meeting.” No date for the latter as yet.
Merger at national level of AAUP advocacy part and CBU: We have been notified of the proposed merger in order to save operating funds needed because of membership decreases. There are serious policy and operating issues here that the PC needs to discuss in detail and respond to national.
Hank Reichman, national chair of AFC to visit University of Chicago: Mark Steinberg notified us of the forthcoming fall 2019 visit. We might consider inviting him here if PC agrees and if the visit is not too expensive.