IS AAUP STILL RELEVANT?:

A CALL TO ACTION FOR THE SPRING MEETING
 

What is a college education supposed to mean? Is it a means of obtaining a well-paying job; a sign that a prospective employee can stick with something; a marketing device for Chambers of Commerce to promote “development”? AAUP still invests higher education with a broader purpose, hoping to create an educated citizenry to solve our problems or to engage in a meaningful exploration of the human condition. Regardless of whether we teach in a public or private setting, however, we must all negotiate numerous conflicting visions of higher education through our governing boards; it is here where AAUP is still relevant to our lives.

As the premier institution upholding academic freedom and faculty governance, AAUP can provide a framework for making sure our input is included in the agenda for higher ed. Many of us are deeply concerned about the quality of the programs where we teach. We worry about the value and relevance of our degrees in an atmosphere where the public seems increasingly willing to erode the quality of those degrees in its drive to
create “access” to higher education. We fear that our institutions are
increasingly market-driven rather than guided by our professional expertise. We are not happy with political intrusions into our profession. This year’s AAUP Spring conference will explore ways to make sure our voices are heard in crucial decisions concerning higher education.

Several of you have indicated that you would like for the annual meetings to be more focused on problem solving. Therefore, rather than having a “ceremonial” speaker, this year’s conference will feature breakout sessions in which we gather to address topics of concern. So far, we have three sessions:

1. "Building Strong Chapter Membership From The Ground Up," moderated by Jim Williams, Chair of the Committee on Membership and Dues

2. “The Tennessee Lottery: The First Year” moderated by Kurt Eisen, Chair Committee on Government Relations.

3. Political Intrusions into the Academy,” moderated by Lewis Laska, TN Conference pro bono legal council.

Katherine Osborn, State Chapter Program Chair would like to pose two questions for us to consider in creating other sessions:

1. Is the governing board of your institution mandating changes that conflict with your sense of a coherent degree program?

2. What is the one thing on your campus that is fundamentally wrong and is in our power to fix? (Meaning that it does not require huge sums of
money.)

Please contact me by email kosburn@tntech.edu if there is a particular topic you would like to see addressed or if you would like to lead a session. I will be pulling together sessions and moderators in response to your concerns and we will pool our collective wisdom. I hope to see you there. Bring along a non-member if you can!

Please return the registration form below to Gilbert Fernandez, Secretary, AAUP, Box 5064, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN 38505 OR email Gil at:  gfernandez@tntech.edu and inform him you are coming.

You can pay at the door, but we need a count.

Registration for Spring Meeting:

Directions: Maps and detailed directions to the Austin Peay State University are available at http://www.apsu.edu/map/. The University Center is located on Browning Drive, a circular drive which runs into College Avenue (Route 79). The Austin Peay campus can be reached from I-24 heading West from Nashville. From Nashville take I-24 W to Exit 4 (US79) (SR-13), turn left onto US79 (Wilma Rudolph Blvd). Wilma Rudolph Blvd becomes College Street and APSU will be on the right.

The best close accommodation is the Riverview Inn on 50 College Avenue as one continues beyond the campus (APSU is at 610 College).  The hosting APSU chapter of AAUP is securing professional rates. Hotel Telephone: 931-552-3331; toll free 1 -877-487- 4 8 3 7; and webpage at www.theriverviewinn.com/.

For information on other accommodations along Wilma Rudolph Blvd. and elsewhere in Clarksville, go to the following website: www.clarksville.tn.us/wps-html/VisitorInfo/WheretoStay/.