From the Chapter President:

Dear IUB AAUP Members,         

At universities throughout the US, the business model is being put forward as the management strategy of choice.  The central role of the faculty in the educational mission of the university is being questioned and academic freedom and tenure are threatened. Thanks to your membership in the IU Bloomington chapter of the AAUP, the organization is strong and in a position to pay attention to problems as they arise, to represent you the faculty, and to act in your behalf on these and related issues.

During the past year IUB AAUP has been particularly effective in its primary role of advising and supporting faculty and librarians whose rights have been infringed.  In addition, the organization has held public discussions on such topics as “The Debate Over IU-Bloomington Quality & Community: Why Are We Worried and What Should We Do?”  It has also spoken out on the issues of the Community College Initiative in Indiana, and the Revised Policy Governing Academic Appointments.

Several important issues are already on the table for this year.  These include: appropriate work loads, work conditions and review procedures for the newly defined non-tenure-track faculty appointments of “Clinical” and “Lecturer”, and the question of need for changes in our non-reappointment procedures for tenure-track faculty in their 4^th and 5^th years.  As the Executive Committee thinks about potential topics for the AAUP Public Forum this winter, let me take this opportunity to invite you, as a member of the IUB AAUP, to remind us of issues you’d like us to address this year.

I am delighted to be given the opportunity to serve as the IUB AAUP president this year and take pleasure in working with the thoughtful and clever members of this year’s Executive Committee and with all the Chapter’s members.

Best from Physics,

Ben Brabson

IUB-AAUP President, Professor of Physics

Fall Meeting: Special Welcome to New Members

October 30, Tuesday, 4:00-5:30

University Club Faculty Room (upstairs)

Moya Andrews, Dean of the Faculties and chapter member, will speak with us about issues of non-tenure-track faculty appointments and the implementation of the new BFC/UFC classification of faculty appointments.

Check our website:

 http://www.indiana.edu/~aaup/

It has current information (including the text of letters from National and our Chapter concerning September 11), as well as background and links to other IU Chapters and the National Office.