Passed unanimously at the October 9, 2003 AU Chapter of the AAUP

RESOLUTION

Whereas the American Association of University Professors supports a trustee selection process that provides “serious attention” to obtaining properly qualified persons," (1) and

Whereas the constitutionally-mandated Auburn University Trustee Selection Committee engaged in an open and fair process to select three qualified persons to serve on the Auburn University Board of Trustees and submitted the names of the nominees to Alabama State Senate in a timely manner, and

Whereas President Pro Tem Lowell Barron withheld the nominations from the Senate Confirmations Committee until almost the end of the special legislative session, and

Whereas, the Senate Confirmations Committee failed to achieve a quorum because known political allies of Mr. Barron failed to attend the committee meeting, and

Whereas, knowledgeable observers such as Trustee Selection Committee member Andy Hornsby, State Senator Ted Little and the editorial boards of numerous state newspapers have publicly attributed the lack of a quorum and the subsequent blocking of confirmations of these three new trustees to Mr. Barron,

Whereas, these recent events cast further doubt on the integrity of the nomination process and once again demonstrate the conflict of interest inherent in Mr. Barron serving as both President Pro Tem of the Senate and a member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees,

Therefore be it resolved that the Auburn University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors calls upon Mr. Barron, without delay, to resign his seat on the Auburn University Board of Trustees.

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(1) 2001 AAUP policy statement on governance.