AAUP Executive Council Minutes, Thursday, October 6, 2005

Present: Linda Bucher (presiding), Leon Campbell, Gerald Turkel, Sheldon Pollack, Danilo Yanich, Steve Dentel, David Smith, Kevin Kerrane (secretary)

The minutes of the previous meeting (August 30) were approved with one deletion (the total dollar amount in the chapter’s account). The next hour was spent in executive session.

At the end of that session, the committee approved a motion regarding the writing of our chapter history. If internal negotiations cannot be satisfactorily resolved with the researcher previously commissioned to write the history, David Smith is now authorized to issue a modified contract to Steve Finner of the National AAUP (and formerly of the University of Delaware) to complete the project.

The regular meeting began with news notes about our website. Rita Girardi’s course in Dream Weaver software will enable her to update the site. Marc Drumm has arranged for a new photo on the home page that features our president, Linda Bucher, in a classroom setting. And the home page will have a news box about the fall AAUP elections.

The Treasurer’s Report by Sheldon Pollack concluded by emphasizing our favorable financial situation, and noted that variations from totals in the previous report were due to “anomalies of outflow”—specifically, the forwarding of our chapter dues to the National AAUP.

Gerald Turkel provided information about “The AAUP Voice,” noting that the October issue would direct readers to our website. The November issue will report election results, as well as a statement for discussion (written by Gerry) of a proposal that our chapter make a contribution to the National AAUP endowment.

In our discussion of “Old Business,” Sheldon Pollack observed that Peter Schuck’s lunchtime lecture on September 29 was attended by only ten members of the faculty. Regarding the elections for the Executive Council, Linda reminded us that our slate of candidates would be presented in the October issue of “The AAUP Voice.” Nominations from the membership will be received up to October 24. The election will be held from November 7 to 15.

Under “New Business,” we discussed two “Memoranda of Understanding”—one on Health Care, and one on Parking—that came out of last spring’s contract negotiations. Neither memorandum is in the version of the contract that is linked to our website, but both can be added.

(a) The Health Care memorandum is an agreement that the AAUP and
Administration will meet to discuss steeply rising costs of coverage. Maxine Colm has suggested that the committee include Bobby Gempesaw (as chair), Ken Lewis, Eric Jacobson, Larry Seidman, Saul Hoffman, and staff (Nancy Wallace and Carol Rylee).. Our discussion generated other names (such as Leon Campbell and David Colton), as well as the suggestion that the committee include someone from the AAUP Executive Council and/or the Steering Committee. (Linda Bucher will solicit volunteers from the Steering Committee and invite David Colton to consider membership on this Health Care committee,) Gerry Turkel proposed that the committee issue ongoing progress reports.

(b) The Parking memorandum is an agreement that faculty parking
Issues will continue to be discussed by Maxine Colm, Linda Bucher, and James Grimes of Parking Services. Access to the Hollingsworth lot has improved dramatically this semester (now that students are not “storing” cars there), but the Pearson lot remains a problem. “The AAUP Voice” will solicit comments from our members about parking concerns.

Gerald Turkel discussed a proposal to co-sponsor (with the Provost’s Office) a spring lecture by Roger Bowen of the AAUP national office. Mr. Bowen’s visit might include a separate meeting with our AAUP chapter as well as a lunchtime talk open to the public.

Discussion of “New Business” ended with two items of information. First, David Colton is pursuing the question of library privileges (and access to electronic databases) for guest faculty who come to our campus on short visits. Second, Linda Bucher represented the AAUP at New Faculty Orientation on September 23—and Sheldon Pollack will sit in on deliberations of the Finance Committee at the November 1 meeting of the University Board of Trustees. .

Our Executive Council meeting concluded with a reminder that news reports from the National AAUP are posted on the organization’s electronic bulletin board, and can be received regularly through an e-mail list server.

Respectfully submitted,

Kevin Kerrane