President's Report

Dear colleagues:
Despite pleas from students and faculty, and the 14-11 vote by the DePaul Faculty Council in favor of keeping Barat College of DePaul University open, the Board of Trustees decided to close it down in 2005. It was an emotional experience as I listened to dozens of student, some in tears, making a strong plea for keeping Barat open. I talked to them, as well as to alumni and faculty of Barat College.
Representing AAUP-IL, I made a brief presentation to the DePaul Faculty Council on the 4th of February. My first of two points was that in such deliberations the Faculty Council should consider the educational, human and historical elements associated with Barat College and not only the cost of repairing its buildings. My second and strongest point was that, should DePaul decide to shut down Barat, then every effort must be made to accommodate the students and to honor not only the tenure but the tenure track rights and privileges of its faculty as much as possible. Defending and preserving tenure, even in extreme cases such as closing down a campus branch, is the litmus test of our organization and the principles for which it stands. Many other AAUP members were present at the meeting; the strong AAUP presence was noticeable and well received by the Faculty Council and the administrators.

I feel proud that our organization was called upon to be part of this difficult moment in the history of DePaul University, and that we responded well through a clear and effective communication of vital and relevant AAUP principles. I wish to commend the AAUP chapter of DePaul, whose members, under the leadership of Mike McIntyre, stood up to the occasion. Their voice was energized by their strong convictions. This was an educational experience for many of us and a good test of our organization and for what it stands for.

In spite of it all, we are reassured that in tough times faculty do rise up and deal with challenges in academia with tremendous energy and courage. They make maximum use of the different types of resources available to them at the state and national AAUP office, reminding administrators and other faculty of the standard academic practices that AAUP has managed to fashion over the years.

Vigilance to Protect Tenure in Illinois
Please study the story (page 2) about the latest efforts in the Illinois legislature to adjust the process of tenure in public institutions by proposing a numbering system in faculty performance as well as a politically appointed committee to oversee tenure decisions. We need to be more vigilant on academic issues that unfold daily in Springfield and be willing to voice our position, promote and propose AAUP principles and standards. We need to be prepared to help our elected representatives to fully comprehend that fundamental differences do and should exist between academic and corporate institutions. With all due respect to the corporate world, academia will lose its soul if it becomes a carbon copy of a corporation in its functions, practices and philosophy. The impact of academic institutions on society is priceless, yet their “production” can never be measured in dollars.

Illinois AAUP Nominations Sought
Please participate in the nomination process. Our organization belongs to all its members and serves the academic common good. We need to have on our Council members who believe passionately in AAUP principles and are also willing to spend a few hours per month on AAUP matters (mostly providing their input on decision making policies). The members of the Council also are expected to attend 2-3 meetings per year. Council members are reimbursed for all traveling expenses connected with their AAUP –IL duties. We are seeking nominations in the following positions:

President (2004- 06)
Vice President (2004 –06)
Treasurer (2004 –05)
Two Council members (2004 –07)
Please send your nominations to any one member of the Nominating Committee below:
Chair: Walter Kendall (The John Marshal Law School)
(312) 987 – 2377 [email protected]
Perer Kristein (St. Xavier University)
(773) 298 –3283 [email protected]
Lisa Townsley (Benedictine University)
(630) 829 – 6557 [email protected]
Ken Kantor (National Louis University)
(847) 905 – 2378 [email protected]
Ken Andersen (University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign)
(217) 333-9105 [email protected]

Annual Meeting April 17
Try to attend our annual meeting, which this year will be at Columbia College Chicago on Saturday the 17th of April. The theme is Contingent Faculty – their rights as well as their impact on academic freedom and tenure. Dr. Sylvia Manning, the Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Joe Berry, a Roosevelt University instructor and Contingent faculty leader will be our main speakers. The meeting is free and open to all faculty. For more information contact Pan Papacosta, President of AAUP-IL, at (312) 344-7443 or visit our web site at www.ilaaup.org. If you plan to attend, please let us know, as it will help us in ordering the right number of lunches. Call our main office at (773) 510-5923 to RSVP. See you at the meeting!

Pan Papacosta
President, AAUP-IL