Minutes of the AAUP Executive Committee Meeting of June 27, 2007
Present: D. Burns (Chapter President), E. Chudacoff, M. Crichton, W. Kaplan, K. Kearfott, R. Lomax, C. Smith
D. Burns called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m.
Agenda. The proposed agenda was adopted as submitted.
Announcements: C. Smith announced that Nadine Strossen, Professor of Law at the New York Law School and President of the American Civil Liberties Union, will deliver the 17th Annual University of Michigan Senate's Davis, Markert, Nickerson Lecture on Academic and Intellectual Freedom. He said that the lecture will take place at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 9, 2007, in the Honigman Auditorium of the Law School. C. Smith also announced that the New Faculty Orientation will be held on Wednesday, August 29, 2007, in the ballroom of the Michigan League. D. Burns and K. Kearfott agreed to represent the Chapter at that meeting. C. Smith noted that the Michigan Conference is preparing a display that can be used at such events and suggested that the Chapter President contact Jeffrey Lee, the Executive Director of the Michigan Conference.
Minutes. The minutes of the May 23, 2007 meeting were adopted unanimously as submitted.
Treasurer's Report. M. Crichton reported that the Chapter has received $246.95 in payroll deduction dues since the last Executive Committee meeting, had no expenditures, and that the current balance in the Chapter's checking account was $1,293.39. The Committee voted unanimously to accept the Treasurer's report.
Active Cases. No active cases were discussed,
Faculty Governance. C. Smith reported that SACUA held its annual retreat on Monday, June 11, 2007, at which SACUA members generated a list of issues to be addressed during the 2007-2008 academic year. He said that on Monday, June 18, 2007, SACUA met with P. Courant, Dean of the University Libraries and University Librarian, President M. Coleman, and Provost T. Sullivan. Dean Courant discussed recent trends and developments in academic publishing with particular attention to economics, legal constraints, and bibliographic control. President Coleman discussed the search for a new General Counsel, domestic partner benefits, faculty control of intercollegiate athletics, and the University budget. Provost Sullivan announced that she was creating a Faculty Budget Advisory Committee and SACUA Vice-Chair D. Potter would be a member of that committee. In addition, she discussed the University budget, the size of the incoming freshman class, which has approximately 600-700 more students than anticipated, the Senate Assembly proposal for reform of grievance procedures, and the process by which she is selecting a new Faculty Ombudsperson. In executive session, SACUA members conveyed to the Provost their opinions on the four individuals that they interviewed for the open faculty ombudsperson position.
State Conference. C. Smith reported that the Michigan Conference Executive Board had met on Saturday, June 16, 2007, at the Eastern Michigan University AAUP headquarters in Ypsilanti. He said that the Conference Board had adopted a position on the proposed changes the organization of the National AAUP. Copies of a letter send by the Executive Board to AAUP President Cary Nelson were distributed.
National Headquarters Developments. D. Burns reviewed the proposed changes in the structure of the AAUP that were proposed at the 2007 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The Committee entered into a lengthy discussion of the proposed changes in structure.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
C. B. Smith
Chapter Secretary