Minutes of the AAUP Executive Committee Meeting of October 8, 2008

Present: C. Smith (Chapter President), E. Chudacoff, M. Crichton, W. Ensminger, K. Kearfott, J. Lee (Conference Executive Director), J. Lehman, R. Lomax, M. D. Thouless

C. Smith called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m.

Agenda. The proposed agenda was reordered and then adopted by consensus.

Active Cases. J. Lehman reported that a Research Professor has asked for the names of one or more possible contacts not associated with the University.

Faculty Governance. J. Lehman reported that SACUA members who are not officers of SACUA will be receiving $3,000 a year. (Officers already receive stipends.) The money will be provided in part by the Provost's office and in part taken from the SACUA budget. This announcement was followed by considerable discussion. SACUA was concerned because the decision to do this was made without previous consultation with SACUA, and in particular, because of uncertainty whether it is appropriate for SACUA members to be paid directly by the Provost.

J. Lehman also reported that AAAC has sent its report on undergraduate academic success to the Provost for comments. At this time, the report is confidential.

C. Smith reported that at their meetings on October 7, the Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty and the Budget Study Committee decided to begin studying the possibility of basing the University's health care premiums on an individual's earnings. To that end, a joint task force was appointed. The committees were told of the AAUP Executive Committee's request to the Provost asking for data on all employee W-2 forms (omitting identifying components) and agreed that the task force would need that data in order to study the possibility for modifying the University's health benefit premium structure.

Minutes. The minutes of the September 24 meeting were adopted with minor corrections.

Treasurer's Report. M. Crichton, Chapter Treasurer, reported that since the meeting on September 24, there have been no receipts and no expenditures; thus, the chapter's checking account balance remains unchanged at $1,136.32.

1. Final Planning for the 2008 Fall Meeting on October 24, 2008. C. Smith reminded members that the meeting will be held in Great Lakes South Central Room at Palmer Commons. As noted in the minutes for the Executive Committee meeting on September 24, Robert M. O'Neil, Founding Director of the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression at the University of Virginia, former president of both the University of Virginia and the University of Wisconsin, will be the speaker. His subject will be "Is Diversity Legal?" Discussion about plans for publicizing this event followed.

2. C. Smith reminded the Executive Committee members of the meeting of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation that will take place in Ann Arbor on October 31. Speakers include Robert M. O'Neil speaking on "The Hong Case," an academic freedom case in which a California professor was fired for criticizing his University's administration, an action upheld in federal court, and Professor Edie Goldenberg speaking on "Hiring of Part-time Faculty".

3. C. Smith announced that Cass R. Sunstein will be giving the 2008 Davis-Markert-Nickerson Lecture on December 4. The lecture will take place in the Honigman Auditorium at the Law School at 4:00 pm. The title of Professor Sunstein's talk is "My University.com, My Government.com: Is the Internet Really a Blessing for Democracy?".

There were no reports on State Conference Developments or on National Headquarters Develop- ments.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Edward Chudacoff

Chapter Secretary pro tem

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