Minutes, Truman Chapter of AAUP
December 2, 2005, 4:30 pm
University Club
Meetings are open to all university faculty members.
Faculty present: David Robinson (presiding), Martha Bartter, Chett Breed, Roger Festa, James Harmon, Diane Johnson, Mark Nordstrom, Lynn Rose
1. Minutes of the November 4, 2005, meeting were approved.
2. We reviewed the Town Hall meeting of November 8 (see report given on minutes of Nov. 4 meeting, previous). We have a transcript and a videotape; David Robinson will edit the transcript; it and info on tape availability will be circulated to members later.
3. Further reports on President Dixon’s open meetings on administrative reorganization. We covered the issue pretty well in our previous meeting. AAUP members expressed their interests in useful changes and voiced some concerns about costing, procedure, etc.
4. Report from Executive Council Meeting of Mo-Conference of AAUP (David Robinson and Mark Nordstrom).
There is plenty of trouble brewing in the state legislature, budget committees, even CBHE. We may be threatened with per-pupil funding, a public-private voucher system, a “taxpayer bill of rights,” etc. For more on these matters and for useful statistics on where Missouri presently sits, see the useful website maintained by Mo-AAUP president, John Harms: organizations.missouristate.edu/aaup
Upcoming meetings of interest:
February 4: Annual meeting of Mo-AAUP in Columbia
February 17: AFT and Missouri Educational Roundtable, “economic summit,” entitled “Building an Economic Foundation for Successful Public Schools and Business,” in Jefferson City. Contact Tanner Williams (a Truman alum): 573-635-0073; twilliams@mft-srp.org
April 8: St. Louis Conference on Contingent Faculty (sponsored by Mo-AAUP, among others); contact Earl Henry, henryea@charter.net
5. Other items added to agenda.
An INDEX reporter recently contacted David Robinson concerning National AAUP’s amicus brief for the recent Supreme Court case on military recruiting in law schools, as some law schools will not facilitate recruiting by organizations that discriminate against people according to sexual orientation. The reporter was referred to the AAUP national website and told that neither the local chapter nor Truman State University seemed to be involved in this case.
President Dixon appeared before Undergraduate Council on December 1, giving a very interesting presentation. She will work with chair of UGC, president of Faculty Senate, and others to appoint a Curriculum Task Force. She gave strong reasons for major revision of our curriculum, including majors and LSP, possibly even converting to a 4-course load for students. She assured UGC that faculty governance would not be bypassed if there are changes.
6. Adjournment, ca. 6:30 PM