rev. 04 October 2011 pjw

CWRU Chapter of the

American Association of University Professors

Report on September 9^th meeting with President Barbara Snyder

The CWRU Chapter of the AAUP hosted its first open meeting of the 2011-12 academic year on September 9^th. Chapter president Ted Steinberg welcomed about 45 faculty members to a free-ranging discussion with CWRU president, Barbara Snyder. Ted opened the discussion, enumerating a list of recent studies on problems facing American universities and their faculties. He announced an upcoming visit to CWRU of Cary Nelson, national president of AAUP, who will speak at the Law School on academic freedom (23 September). He then introduced the other officers of the Chapter, and then President Snyder.

For the following hour, there was an open and frank discussion of a variety of issues of concern to the participating faculty. Among the topics raised were the following:

• Who make the decisions on undergraduate education programs?
• How are School of Medicine faculty expected to work and survive within the complex structure of University Hospital? How are their contributions evaluated? What does tenure mean when the hospital can break the connection? What are the President’s thoughts on the work of the ad hoc committee on compensation plan in the SOM?
• How is the university budget prioritized? For example, library as compared with athletics programs?
• What are the plans for the Temple and music space on West Quad? President Snyder made it clear that there will be no restrictions on the academic side regarding what can take place in the temple when asked, specifically, whether a critic of Israel would be welcome to speak there.
• What are the President’s thoughts on implementation of the AAUP standards for contingent faculty?

The Chapter thanks President Snyder for her visit and her informative remarks on these and other issues, and we hope that many of the CWRU Faculty will participate in future open meetings with university administrators and guest speakers.

Ted Steinberg

President, Case Western Reserve Chapter, AAUP

Officers

President Ted Steinberg of History and Law

President-elect Robert Petersen of Pathology

Treasurer Gary Stonum of English

Secretary Peter Whitehouse of School of Medicine

The new officers are currently making plans for the Chapter’s activities in the Spring of 2011, including open meetings and membership enhancement.

Please see links below for more information on the AAUP and how to join.

Google earth view of CWRU campus

link to 2009-2010 salary report from AAUP

This report shows CWRU faculty compensation, by rank and gender, compared with 9 peer institutions.

link to the complete nationwide salary report

as it appears in Academe, the AAUP national magazine.

link to letter from AAUP Chapter to the CWRU Faculty

The letter begins as follows:

Does the AAUP have a role to play at CWRU?

CWRU is facing challenging times and we faculty must play a lead role in addressing the problems and possibilities. Working together with administration, board, staff, alums, and students, we can create a brighter future for our university.

CWRU expects YOU to excel in Teaching, Service and Research.

YOU expect CWRU to guarantee Tenure, Academic Freedom and Faculty Governance.

These latter are fundamental principles championed by the AAUP since its founding over ninety years ago. They have been endorsed by the Association of American Colleges, including Case and Western Reserve, and by over 150 educational and professional organizations.

Read the rest here: link to letter

Membership in the AAUP is open to college and university faculty members, administrators, graduate students, and the general public. Founded in 1915, AAUP defends academic freedom and tenure, advocates collegial governance, and develops policies ensuring due process

The 1940 AAUP Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure and the 1970 Interpretive Comments have been endorsed by the Association of American Colleges and over 150 other educational and professional associations.

Ø Statement of the Purpose of the Association

Ø The AAUP at Case Western Reserve University

Other Links

Ø Please read our FAQs page about joining the AAUP Chapter.

Ø To learn about joining the local chapter, please contact Prof. Peter Whitehouse at 216-844-6448 or by e-mail (peter.whitehouse@cwru.edu).

Ø Information about joining or renewing your membership in national AAUP is available at http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/involved/join/

Ø For more information about the national AAUP, visit http://www.aaup.org/

Ø Ohio Conference AAUP: http://www.ocaaup.org/

Ø Link to CWRU Faculty Senate: http://www.cwru.edu/president/facsen

Ø Link to CWRU Faculty Handbook: http://www.cwru.edu/president/facsen/frames/handbook/

Areas of Interest

To give an idea of the many areas of interest to the AAUP, we list here some of the topics discussed in the current AAUP Handbook:  dismissal proceedings; non-renewal of appointment; extramural utterances; political activity; artistic expression; campus speech codes; access to personnel files; tenure quotas; periodic evaluation; part-time faculty; non-tenure-track faculty; mandatory retirement; faculty liability; professional ethics; plagiarism; multiple authorship; workloads; affirmative action; sexual harassment; faculty role in budget and salary; intercollegiate athletics; faculty status of librarians; collective bargaining; student rights; accreditation; retirement and insurance benefits; leaves of absence; child-bearing; family emergencies.

Ø