Minutes, Truman State University Chapter of AAUP

February 26, 2004, 9:00 a.m.

University Club

Meetings are open to all University faculty members.

Faculty present: David Robinson (presiding), Marc Becker, James Harmon, Kathryn Kuhlman, David Gruber

1) Minutes.  The minutes of the January 30 meeting were read and approved.

2) Representation at Division Head meetings.  AAUP sent a letter requesting that, in the spirit of openness and transparency, faculty should have representation at Division Head meetings or these meetings should be open to faculty.  We have received a memo from the VPAA denying this request.  For the sake of clear communication, he argues that these meetings should be closed.  Interested parties, he states, might be invited to address the meeting.  A question, however, is how faculty could address topics of discussion or request an invitation if we do not know what is happening in those meetings.  There is an unfortunate sense that these meetings are a black box.  In the spirit of transparency, our chapter president will reply to the reply and will request that, at a minimum, the Division Head group should publish agendas before and minutes after their meetings and should see that these are publicly available and widely distributed.  If anyone would like a copy of the VPAA's reply memo, please request one from David Robinson drobinso@truman.edu.

3) Required Teaching of Intelligent Design in K-12.  David Robinson has published a letter concerning this issue on behalf of the chapter in both the Index and the Kirksville Daily Express.

4) Proposed Sexual Orientation Policy.  AAUP stands for inclusion and non-discrimination, and supports the inclusion of sexual orientation in the official, Board-of Governors’ anti-discriminatory clause.  AAUP president David Robinson will send a letter to the Board of Governors supporting the Student Senate Resolution, with copies to all Faculty Senators (in case this resolution makes a stop at FS during its journey).

5) Third-year review.  The original legislation on third-year review and teaching portfolio had "sunset"/review provisions.  AAUP members should be constructively vigilant that the committee(s) to review these are formed and operate well.

6) Sabbaticals.  Truman president Dixon has indicated her strong interest in bringing back sabbaticals.  We anticipate the possibility of contention over a backlog of demand for sabbaticals.  At the March meeting (Friday, March 26, 4:30 p.m. at the University Club) we will have a preliminary discussion of the inherent challenges in the awarding of sabbaticals after a long period without them.

Meeting adjourned at 10:10 a.m.

Respectfully submitted by Marc Becker, Secretary