Minutes, Truman State University Chapter of AAUP
October 1, 2004, 4:30 p.m.
University Club
Meetings are open to all University faculty members.
Faculty present: David Robinson (presiding), Kathryn Brammall, Martha Bartter,
Marc Becker, Mark Hatala, James Harmon, Tom Marshall, Judi Misale, Lynn Rose.
1) The September minutes were read and approved as written.
2) Town Hall meeting. We have scheduled our first Town Hall meeting for the fall
semester on October 12, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in VH1000. There was substantial
discussion on whether to broaden the topic to appeal to the widest possible
university audience. The proposed topic is faculty hires with a possible
subtopics of (among others) the University’s use of contingent, non-tenure-track
(“permanent-temporary”); status of division heads; and sabbatical replacements.
David Robinson invited President Dixon to attend but has not yet received a
response; he will now extend invitation to President and VPAA. If the President
and VPAA are not able to attend or faculty attendance is heavy, a second town
meeting may be held later.
3) Division Heads become Deans. Discussion of Wolfgang’s letter to Garry
regarding this name change and its potential to cause as much confusion for
candidates as current names.
4) Sabbatical program. Question was raised regarding why can we have sabbaticals
now with no extra money, but they were cancelled in the past because lack of
financial resources to support them. SS has been told that there will be
absolutely no replacements for faculty who go on sabbatical. Questions have
risen about whether this is the same message being given to other divisions.
5) Footnotes. David gave copies to Kathy Rieck, Mark Gambaiana, Judy Mullins,
Sally Detwiler, Warren Wells, Maria Di Stefano, David Rector, Michael McManus,
Barbara Dixon, Garry Gordon. He will also send copies to Julie Lochbaum and
Marty Eisenberg.
6) State of the University survey. Judi read out questions that have appeared on
previous survey so that we could decide what to keep and what to abandon or
change. Several people agreed that comparison with previous years is valuable so
would like to keep some questions the same. David Gruber would like to see a
question on effectiveness of current division structure. Definitely we want to
keep questions on faculty morale, assessment of student learning, physical
facilities and space, technology, time and resources for scholarship, salaries
and benefits, part-time/non-regular faculty, commitment to Truman, budget cuts,
etc. Discussion on whether to use the new electronic survey mechanism that ITS
has created; will it affect the return rate and accuracy? Marc will ask ITS to
set this up. Some new demographic stuff will be added.
Meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Marc Becker, Secretary