Original DOCX document
Monday, October 19, 2020
To:
Dr. David Rehm, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Katheleen Owens, University President
Re: Faculty Reductions
Dear Dr. Rehm and Dr. Owens,
This letter is a follow-up to our September 14 letter regarding the administration’s proposal to eliminate faculty lines. While we acknowledge the financial realities of declining enrollment, we do not believe that a compelling case has been made for faculty terminations at this time.
We concur with the Faculty Senate’s recommendation to postpone faculty terminations until we can together, and with the new President, engage in a stronger and more inclusive strategic planning process in order to make sound financial and academic decisions about the long-term future of the university. This is the only way to insure shared governance in decision making. The AAUP’s shared governance statement, which the Senate has endorsed, states that “the responsibility for faculty status includes appointments, reappointments, decisions not to reappoint, promotions, the granting of tenure, and dismissal.” We do not believe that the current process of decision-making about faculty terminations is consistent with AAUP principles of shared governance. Notification is not the same as shared authority, which should involve real faculty and departmental participation in decisions that affect academic programs.
We urge the administration to implement the Faculty Senate’s recommendations to institute a faculty hiring freeze, extend and improve retirement incentives, and make temporary budget reductions in operational expenses (across all areas of the university) in order to balance next year’s budget. Unlike faculty reductions, these measures would minimally affect the quality of the educational experience for students. As you know, the extensive cuts proposed would not only jeopardize the ability of many programs to deliver quality educational content, it would most certainly require departments to increase their reliance on adjunct labor. Contingent instructors typically do not commit the same investment in students, nor do they often have time to engage in research mentorship, advise student groups, and organize extracurricular programs to supplement students’ experiences on campus. Our immediate response to declining enrollment amidst the COVID-19 pandemic must not jeopardize the integrity of our academic mission and commitment to our students and colleagues.
This letter was endorsed by the chapter membership of MU AAUP.
Sincerely,
The Executive Committee of the AAUP
Matthew Swanson, Marnie Hiester, Paula Pate-Schloder