MINUTES OF THE AU AAUP GENERAL MEETING, 4-19-01

Room 206 Tichenor

20 members attending

Pres. George Crandell called the meeting to order at 3:35 pm.

Announcements:

Judy Sheppard reported on the progress made by the Coalition of University Stakeholders (CUS), saying that it had made public a press release to notify the media of its existence and its immediate goals of bringing together the various organizations that had voted No Confidence in the AU Board of Trustees and in insisting that the Presidential search not go forward at this time. The Executive Board has authorized AAUP to participate in CUS and has sent Judy and Marty Olliff as representatives. Though called together by Don Logan (alumnus and CEO of Time-Warner), CUS is not a formal organization, binds no participant to any course of action, and is not merely a vehicle for anyone's ambitions.

George announced that the Executive Committee had authorized a formal complaint to SACS and that Judy and Ruth Crocker were nearing release of the complaint letter. Judy noted that the Joint Assessment Committee, formed by resolution of the University Faculty at its March meeting and chaired by Faculty Chair Jim Bradley, was nearing completion of its own letter to SACS. All speakers in the discussion agreed that SACS had a long enough attention span to read two letters.

Treasurer's Report: (See attached)

Marty Olliff gave the income-and-expenditures report, indicating that the treasury will have $1020.01 to begin the upcoming year. Upon request, Olliff noted that membership had reached 126, up from 99 on Jan. 1, 2001.

Nominations Committee Report and Elections:

Slate adopted by acclamation as there were no nominees from the floor.

Pres-Elect: Marty Olliff (Archives)

Sect-Treas.: Christa Slaton (MPA / Political Science)

Executive Committee: Conner Bailey (Ag Econ & Rural Soc)

Ruth Crocker (History)

Emmett Winn (Communication).

George Crandell then passed the gavel to incoming President Judy Sheppard who chaired the remainder of the meeting.

Resolutions:

m / s / c Calling for the resignation of the Board of Trustees. To be circulated to all available media, copies sent to each Board member and Interim President Walker, and copy sent to Gov. Don Siegelman.

m / s / c to refer the Proposed By-Law re: E-mail voting to the committee for new language.

M / s / c to accept the Proposed By-Law re: E-mail voting pending the drafting of technical language by the committee and its acceptance by the Executive Committee. This allows the chapter to adopt the By-Law at the Fall 2001 meeting (rather then the Spring 2002 meeting) if is so chooses.

M / s / c to accept a resolution reducing chapter dues for Graduate Students from $10 to $2 as an incentive to join AAUP pending Executive Committee approval of technical language. This allows the chapter to adopt the By-Law at the Fall 2001 meeting (rather then the Spring 2002 meeting) if is so chooses.

AAUP State Meeting:

Bill Trimble, Ala. Conf. President, announced that the AAUP State meeting scheduled for Saturday, April 21, has been cancelled. He asked for input about moving the State meeting to February and if there should be a joint meeting between AAUP and the Alabama Council of College and University Faculty Presidents (ACCUFP) with the topic being shared governance. Gulf Shores was suggested as a possible meeting place.

5-K Run

m / s / c to create a committee of Ralph Mirarchi, Christa Slaton, and Marty Olliff to pull together a 5K run. To be called the “Resignation Run,” motto = “Nine Times NO Means The Board Must Go.” Race to occur on Dead Day, May 3, 2001. AFPAC to be the recipient of any profits going to AAUP. Distance will be a “Prorated” 5K.

Other Business:

Gary Mullen asked about dissemination of resolution asking for BoT resignations. See resolution above for disposition.

Judy Sheppard opened discussion of positive steps AAUP could take to resolve BoT impasse. AAUP Listserv has had many suggestions about writing an Alabama constitutional amendment specifying qualifications for BoT membership and duties, etc. based on SACS, AAUP, AGB, and other guidelines.

M / s / c that David Sutton chair a committee to write such a proposed amendment, and coordinate with Judy and Barry Burkhart who will write a similar statement that can be used in choosing a reconstituted board. Such statement to be based on Barry’s recent essay on the matter.

Malcolm Crocker asked where we go from here w/ the board. Long discussion off the record about various initiatives that might be forthcoming.

Consensus was that AAUP stay aware of and exploit any reasonable opportunity to promote resignation of the board or a breaking of the impasse that maintains the integrity of shared governance.

Judy will schedule a meeting between the Executive Committee and the Provost.

Respecfully submitted,

Marty Olliff