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Summary Report for UIUC AAUP Policy Committee Meeting on April 11, 2011
Present: Abbas Aminmansour, Ken Andersen, Bettina Francis, Walter McMahon, John Prussing, Robert Spitze, Leslie Struble, H. F. Williamson.
The meeting began at about 12:10 p.m. with Prussing presiding.
(1) Review of the Minutes for March 17, 2011. These were approved.
(2) Schedule of Meetings for rest of Spring 2011 Semester. The schedule of Policy Committee meetings, the meeting with Katherine Laing, and the Annual Meeting were listed in the agenda. (NOTE: The possibility of scheduling a meeting in June was discussed. It would be June 13 if held on the second Monday in a room to be chosen since the Union is closed. This will be considered further in May.)
(3) President’s Report. Prussing reported on what occurred with regard to the actions taken regarding Wozniak. He reminded us that he and Hilton had met with Hogan and Easter in the fall to discuss the concerns about procedures being followed. They stressed the importance of having an independent committee if an appeal was to be heard. Prussing was told that a meeting of an appeals committee was scheduled which was not in fact independent. It contained members who from the College Executive Committee who had already been involved. Wozniak did not attend the meeting perhaps for this reason. It was suggested that Wozniak be made aware of our concerns and that we feel he should be sure to exhaust the campus alternatives (e.g., the FAC) in his appeals.
Action Items
(4) Actions by Senate Educational Policy Committee. Aminmansour and Francis discussed the actions taken by this Committee with regard to the Institute of Aviation. The most recent decision was to recommend maintaining the MS Program in Human Factors while closing the remaining programs and functions of the Institute. A prime factor in the arguments by the Provost and other supporting this position was that it would be a cost-cutting measure.
(5) Plans for Meeting with Katherine Laing, Executive Director of the President’s Office of Governmental Relations, on May 2, 2011 and future Meeting with Campus Administrators. We discussed possible topics we would include in the agenda that she would be sent and in our discussion with her. These included (a) the role faculty can play in determining what issues are being considered and how they are being handled; (b) our concerns about the fact that members of the legislature are too often asked to view the University on a cost-plus basis rather than with regard to the outcomes generated; (c) the role of her office in building support among the leaders in Springfield; and (d) the difficulties she faces in avoiding some of the problems that occurred in the past due to political pressures. Williamson asked that member send him the questions they would like included in this outline. Regarding future meetings, there was strong support for asking Charles Evans, Director of University Outreach and Public Service and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, to be our guest early in the fall.
(6) Preparations for Chapter’s Annual Meeting on May 10, 2011 in 209 Illini Union. The agenda is set since both Nelson and Andersen have agreed to be our speakers. We agreed to have the social hour start at 3 p.m. with the program staring at 3:30 p.m.
(7) National Meeting. Andersen is planning to attend so approval of his serving as a delegate and the funding the Chapter will provide will occur at the next meeting.
