UIUC AAUP Policy Committee
Minutes for March 15, 2017
213 Illini Union
Web site:  http://www.aaup-ui.org/

Present:  Abbas Aminmansour, Bettina Francis, Harry Hilton, Richard Laugesen, Walter McMahon, David O’Brien, Robert Parker, John Prussing, Leslie Struble, H. F. Williamson

The meeting began at about 12:02 p.m. with Harry Hilton presiding.

(1)  Introductions.

(2)  Review of the Minutes for February 15, 2017 Meeting of Policy Committee.  The minutes were approved.

Discussion Items

(3)  President’s Report.  Hilton reviewed the key topics in his report, some of which are covered further elsewhere in the minutes.
(a)  He continues to work on arranging the Promotion and Tenure Workshop.  Provost Wilkin and Vice Provost Benmamoun will participate.  Once the final panelist has accepted, the publicity will be under way.
(b)  He continues to follow up on the status of the revisions in the Statutes regarding hiring policies that have been approved by the three senates and the Senate Council. They were transmitted to the president on December 5, 2016.  He has asked the President’s office to notify him when they are sent to Board of Trustees. 
(c)  Parker continues to track actions which are being taken at the state level to outlaw tenure such as legislation introduced in Iowa and Missouri. 
(d)  He worked with the Associate Provost to be sure that the questionnaire prepared by the Shared Governance Ad-Hoc Committee will be ready for distribution after spring break.
(e)  He reported on the meeting of the Chapter officers with Shawn Gilmore, President of the NTFC Local #6546.  The national AAUP office has indicated that there could be two separate AAUP chapters on a campus.  In this case, the current chapter would concern itself with advocacy matters pertaining to issues such as governance and academic freedom.  The NTFC chapter would deal principally with collective bargaining matters.
(f)  Hilton recommended the membership on the Policy Committee of Daniel Steward, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology.  He would provide a link to the work of the NTFC chapter.  The motion to approve his membership was approved.
(g)  He reported that Professor Mark Criley, Illinois Wesleyan University, will be making the campus site visit from the national AAUP on April 7.  It was suggested that he be asked if there were any information that the Chapter could provide him as background.  There was also discussion of how the Chapter members would be informed of his visit.  

 (4)  Review of schedule of meetings for spring semester.
(a)  Regular Meetings of Policy Committee:
April 5:  217 Illini Union
April 26:  213 Illini Union
(b)  Promotion and Tenure Workshop: 3:30 p.m., Thursday, April 20, 2017 in 314A Illini Union
(c)  Special Meeting for voting members of the Policy Committee with Vice President Wilson:
11 a.m., Wednesday, April 26, in 217 Illini Union.
(d)  Annual Meeting:  3:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 9, 2017; 104 Illini Union

(5) Preparation of the schedule of meetings for fall, 2017 semester. Williamson was asked to prepare a schedule of meetings for the fall semester so Hilton could begin planning for meetings with Campus Administrators.  It was also suggested that the Policy Committee be polled on whether an alternative day of the week would be preferable.

(6)  Planning for Annual Meeting on May 9, 2017
(a)  Report from Nominating Committee. Prussing reported for the Committee that the nominations would again be:  President, Harry Hilton; Vice President:  David O’Brien; and Secretary-Treasurer:  H. F. Williamson.  He suggested that the Bylaws be revised to extend the term of the current officers from June 1 to a date at least after the Annual Meeting of the AAUP.
(b)  Selection of Program and Speakers for Annual Meeting.  Two possible topics were discussed:  (i) the attacks on tenure and (ii) the funding difficulties facing higher education.  Hilton noted that we have until the April 5 to determine the agenda.  

(7)  Discussion of Policy Statements
(a)  Statement on Attacks on Tenure.  Prussing discussed the statement he had prepared noting in particular that this topic had been reviewed on our campus previously in the report prepared by the “Seminar on Tenure” committee set up in 1996 by then Vice-President for Academic Affairs Sylvia Manning on which he was a member.  He was asked to scan and circulate the report so that it also can be on the Chapter web site. 
(b)  Letter to Representative Davis on Executive Order on Immigration.  O’Brien reviewed the letter he had prepared on this issue.  He agreed to revised based on the discussion and prepare the final letter for sending and the Chapter web site.

As there were no reports, the meeting adjourned at about 1:15 p.m.

The meeting adjourned at about 12:55 p.m.

As noted above, the meeting next month will be March 15, 2017 in 213 Illini Union.

Prepared by H. Williamson, Secretary

 

 

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