Minutes of the AAUP Executive Committee Meeting of September 12, 2007
Present: D. Burns (Chapter President), E. Chudacoff, M. Crichton, W. Ensminger, W. Kaplan, K. Kearfott, J. Lehman (SACUA Liaison), R. Lomax, J. Maddock, T. Moore, I. Perfecto, C. Smith, K. Stoffers, M. Thouless
D. Burns called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m.
Agenda. The proposed agenda was adopted as submitted.
Announcements: C. Smith announced that the title of the Seventeenth Davis, Markert, Nickerson Lecture will be "Defending Freedom: Even for Speech We Hate." He reminded the Committee that the lecture will be delivered by ACLU President Nadine Strossen at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 9, 2007, in the Honigman Auditorium of the Law School. C. Smith reported that the University will be holding its 2007 Fall Summit on Diversity on October 4, 2007, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Michigan League. He said that he had been asked to present the position of faculty with respect to diversity in a panel discussion. The Committee discussed a proposal that Senate Assembly meetings be televised. J. Maddock and M. Thouless expressed the reservation that to televise these meetings might inhibit free and open discussion.
Minutes. The minutes of the August 22, 2007 meeting were adopted unanimously with several modifications.
Treasurer's Report. M. Crichton reported that the Chapter neither received nor dispersed funds since the last Executive Committee meeting and that the balance in the Chapter's checking account remains at $1,255.34. The Committee voted unanimously to accept the Treasurer's report.
Active Cases. J. Lehman reported on a case in which a clinical professor was removed from his clinical practice although he continues to teach students prior to their going to the clinic. The professor was accused of being forgetful by several clinical assistants although subsequent psychological testing showed the professor's thought processes to be better than average for his age. J. Lehman pointed out similarities with the case of former English Professor E. Cloyd and to an agreement made between the Office of the General Counsel and the Court that the University would not take similar action against any other professor in the future. It was not clear whether this ruling applied only to L.S.A. or to other units of the University, as well. J. Lehman brought the Committee up-to-date on a second case which involves a decision by a dean to request Regents' Bylaw 5.09 demotion and dismissal procedures for a faculty member, who a year earlier had a 5.09 procedure against him dismissed by the executive committee of his unit. J. Lehman reported to the Committee on a third case which involved a grievance filed in response to a denial of tenure. He noted that the processes for promotion and for the handling of grievances were very problematic in that faculty member's unit. He added that a ruling by Provost T. Sullivan was anticipated in this case.
Faculty Governance. The Committee discussed the manner in which the University had decided to manage domestic partner benefits. W. Kaplan said that the approach taken by the University was "devious" and "not satisfactory." J. Maddock disagreed and expressed the opinion the University had possibly come up with the best possible solution to a highly complicated and damaging decision by the State Court of Appeals.
Other. D. Burns discussed the issue of holding faculty recruitment meetings to which new faculty might be invited. Several Committee members volunteered to organize and attend such meetings. C. Smith was asked to contact interim Executive Secretary E. Benjamin at national headquarters to determine whether a special membership rate could be negotiated for new members.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
C. B. Smith
Chapter Secretary