Faculty colleagues,
>>
>> The Twin Cities Chapter of AAUP asked the national office to make an
analysis
>>of the Regents' document.
>>
>>*** The national AAUP finds that several sections in the Regents' document
>>diverge - and in some cases significantly - from AAUP supported standards of
>>academic freedom and tenure. They state that the proposed revisions, if
adopted
>>" will harm the university"
>>
>>*** The analysis finds that the Regents'document is not in the main stream of
>>practices at other major public research universities as claimed by the
>Regents'
>>lawyer and consultant.
>>
>>*** Our only recourse now is to obtain a "cease and desist" order.The
sooner we
>>have the order the better off we will be. We can decide later as to who the
>>"bargaining agent" will be.
>>
>>*** Under "cease and desist", any one who wishes to be the bargaining agent
>>needs 30% of the faculty signatures, not 10% as we were given to understand
>from
>>prior legal opinions.
>>
>>*** Faculty must stay united in this effort and act together. I urge you to
>send
>>in the cards as quickly as you can, whether or not you are a member of any
>>organization (e.g., AAUP, UFA etc).
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>
>>V. Rama Murthy
>>President, TC-AAUP.
>>
>>P.S: If you are interested in seeing th complete AAUP analysis, send me
message
>>with you fax number.
>>
>>-------
>>
>>September 10, 1996
>>
>>Dear Faculty Colleagues of the University of Minnesota:
>>
>> The Board of Regents' proposed revisions to our faculty Tenure
>>Code, drafted by the Washington, D.C., law firm of Hogan & Hartson, will
>>do great harm to our University if enacted. The proposed revisions
>>would permit the Board of Regents to fire individual professors for
>>reasons such as failure to "maintain ... a proper attitude of industry
>>and cooperation within and without the University community," thus
>>destroying academic freedom at the University.
>>
>> The Board of Regents appears to be responding to problems that have
>>not yet been satisfactorily defined to the faculty and to the public.
>>The undersigned Regents' Professors would welcome a full, open, and
>>public discussion of all aspects of these problems, especially their
>>economic dimensions and possible remedies. We believe that any revision
>>of the current Tenure Code could, at best, provide only a partial
>>solution to the University's problems. Moreover, we believe that the
>>Regents' proposed revisions would produce fiscal effects opposite to
>>those intended, reducing the University's revenues as a result of its
>>strongest professors leaving (as some already have).
>>
>> The Regents' Professors below conclude that it is time for a united
>>faculty to consider collective action. We urge faculty to sign
>>collective bargaining cards immediately to try to prevent the Regents
>>from acting on their proposed revisions at their October 10 meeting.
>>This will allow us time to engage in a dialogue about how we can best
>>protect and enhance the future of the University and the interests of
>>the people of Minnesota.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>Ellen Berscheid, Regents' Professor of Psychology
>>John Borchert Regents' Professor Emeritus of Geography
>>John S. Chipman, Regents' Professor of Economics
>>Margaret Davis, Regents' Professor of Ecology and Behavioral Biology
>>Joanne Eicher, Regents' Professor of Design, Housing, and Apparel
>>Richard Goldstein, Regents' Professor of Mechanical Engineering
>>Eville Gorham, Regents' Professor of Ecology and Botany
>>Robert J. Gorlin, Regents' Professor Emeritus of Oral Sciences
>>Willard W. Hartup, Regents' Professor of Child Development
>>Leonid Hurwicz, Regents' Professor Emeritus of Economics
>>Daniel D. Joseph, Regents' Professor of Aerospace Engineering and
>> Mechanics
>>B. J. Kennedy, Regents' Professor of Medicine Emeritus
>>Benjamin Y. Liu, Regents' Professor of Mechanical Engineering
>>Warren D. Mackenzie, Regents' Professor Emeritus of Studio Arts
>>Paul L. Murphy, Regents' Professor of American History and American
>> Studies
>>Ronald L. Phillips, Regents' Professor of Agronomy and Plant Genetics
>>Edward C. Prescott, Regents' Professor of Economics
>>George R. Rapp, Jr., Regents' Professor of Geoarchaeology
>>Vernon W. Ruttan, Regents' Professor of Agricultural and Applied
>Economics
>>L. E. Scriven, Regents' Professor of Chemical Engineering and
>Materials
>> Science
>>James Serrin Regents' Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
>>
>>Frank J. Sorauf, Regents' Professor Emeritus of Political Science
>>John E. Turner, Regents' Professor Emeritus of Political Science
>>James G. White, Regents' Professor of Pediatrics, Laboratory Medicine,
>> and Pathology
>>Herbert E. Wright, Jr., Regents' Professor Emeritus of Geology, Ecology,
>>and Botany
>>
>>
>>cc. University of Minnesota Board of Regents
>> President Nils Hasselmo.
NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!!!!
Peter Smagorinsky
University of Oklahoma
Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum
College of Education
820 Van Vleet Oval
Norman, OK 73019-0260
(w) 405-325-3533
fax: 405-325-4061
Research in the Teaching of English: ou-rte who-is-at ou.edu
psmagorinsky who-is-at ou.edu