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Summary Report for UIUC AAUP Policy Committee Meeting on May 6, 2015
Present: Connie Caveny, Walter McMahon, David O’Brien, John Prussing, H. F. Williamson. Guests: Susan Davis, Hadi Esfahani, Richard Laugesen, Bruce Rosenstock
The meeting began at about 12:05 p.m. with David O’Brien presiding.
President's Report
(1) Review of the Minutes for April 15, 2015 Meeting of Policy Committee. The minutes were approved as corrected. The corrected dates for two fall meetings were October 14 and December 9 (see item 4 below).
(2) Remarks from President. It was reported that Hilton was attending a national professional meeting and sent his regrets. Williamson apologized for including the preliminary agenda in the meeting packet rather than the revised agenda containing two topics under item (8), Attendance at Annual AAUP Meeting.
(3) Remaining Spring Meeting: The remaining scheduled meeting for the Chapter will be the Annual Meeting: Tuesday, May 12, 2:30 p.m., 209-211 Illini Union
(4) Schedule of Fall Meetings: The (corrected) schedule for the fall meetings was presented and approved. The meetings will be:
Wednesday, September 16 (3rd Wednesday); Instruction begins August. 25 and Labor Day is Sept. 1.
Wednesday, October 14 (2nd Wednesday)
Wednesday, November 18 (3rd Wednesday). Union is booked on November 11th
Wednesday, December 9 (2nd Wednesday) last day of classes; Reading Day is December 11
Action Items
(5) Report on the Spring Tenure Workshop, Thursday, April 30, in 210 Illini Union. Prussing and Williamson reported that the workshop had been well attended and had gone well. Each attendee received the membership packet from the national AAUP office as well as a letter from Hilton about the Chapter’s activities.
(6) Planning for the Chapter’s Annual Meeting, Tuesday, May 12. Williamson reported briefly on the layout for the meeting. The procedure will be the same as last year. Attendees will enter through 211 where the refreshment table will be located and move to 209 where the head table and chairs will be set up. Various individuals indicated how they would help publicize the meeting further. O’Brien described what the panel discussion was likely to cover. He would be concentrate on how we got where we are including a summary of the CAFT report and how it differs from the AAUP subcommittee report. Nelson will lead the discussion of what the University leadership needs to do in response to a sanction. This will undoubtedly include the need for the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor to clarify their positions on civility as a standard for hiring. There was also concern about the proposed policy on background checks for new faculty appointments though it is not directly part of the investigation of the Salaita appointment. As Finkin has noted, this policy is not AAUP compliant.
(7) Discussion of Report from AAUP Investigating Committee. The report has been issued and a copy of the Reichman email cover was part of the meeting packet. “O’Brien noted that it is worth reading the whole report particularly to get an idea of the point of view of informed outsiders regarding this situation.
(8) Attendance at Annual AAUP Meeting in Washington, D.C.
(a) Selection of Delegates. There was a discussion of which members of the Chapter would attend as delegates. Motions were approved (i) to select a third delegate, Bruce Rosenstock, to attend along with Harry Hilton and Cary Nelson and (ii) for the Chapter to cover the registration fee for each of the three delegates.
(b) Proposal to Poll AAUP Members on Whether for or against Censure. An email poll of the members will be conducted on this issue after the Annual Meeting on May 12. O’Brien and Hilton will prepare the document.
(9) Government Relations: McMahon reported that he, Hilton, and Andersen had met with Jennifer Creasey, Office of Governmental Relations, regarding the report McMahon had prepared. He was pleased at a chance to open this channel with the administration. He presented two charts that summarized his analysis of the impact of the proposed budget cuts for higher education on the state.
