Original DOCX document
Monday, September 14, 2020
Dear Dr. Rehm and Dr. Owens,
This brief note serves as an official expression of the judgment of the Misericordia University AAUP chapter regarding the recent proposal to eliminate twenty-five faculty lines at the University in the fall of 2020. Per the AAUP statement on Shared Governance: “The role of the faculty is to have primary responsibility for such fundamental areas as curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, research, faculty status, and those aspects of student life which relate to the educational process. The responsibility for faculty status includes appointments, reappointments, decisions not to reappoint, promotions, the granting of tenure and dismissal. ” (AAUP Shared Governance Statement; www.aaup.org/shared-governance.)
Given the fact that no actual case supporting this proposal has been provided to the faculty of Misericordia University as to date, the chapter can only regard the implementation of these layoffs as a direct violation of shared governance at the institution. We believe terminating the employment of twenty-five members of the faculty will directly result in dramatically undermining the educational mission of the University and imperiling the future of the institution. In addition, we would like to call attention to the inconsistency of this proposal with the Charisms of the Sisters of Mercy, i.e., Mercy, Service, Justice and Hospitality.
Respectfully Yours,
The Executive Committee of the Misericordia University AAUP Chapter
Matthew Swanson
Marnie Hiester
Paula Pate-Schloder