IL-AAUP Meeting
Minutes for April 23rd, 2005
At Loyola University

American Association of University Professors
Illinois Conference Council
Minutes from the April 23rd, 2005
At Loyola University

In attendance:

Pan Papacosta (President), Lisa Townsley (Treasurer), Leo Welch (Vice President), Lynne Meyer (Director) Leslie Kordecki, Joan Berman, Jerry Kendall, John Wilson (Editor) Michael McIntyre, Lee Maltby, Peter Kirstein, Ken Andersen.

Pan called the meeting to order at 9.55 am. He gave a brief report that included the following.

• Minutes of the November 13 Council Meeting were amended and approved.

President’s Report

• All paper work is done and AAUP-IL is now officially a 501 (c) 4 organization.
• Our Speaker’s Bureau has been active.
• Chapter grants program is also working. Numerous chapters have applied and
received such grants following the procedure as posted on our web site.

• Our Illinois Academe has improved in quality and enlarged its circulation. We had few cases of people requesting extra copies. Feedback from members has been very good. (Reminder we won the national award last year and we are applying for similar award this year)

• Very proud of the Council’s work and position statement in response to the Ethics Law for
public employees (including academics) issued by the Governor.

• AAUP-IL received again this year – after an application was submitted – a $1,600 Per Capita grant from the Assembly of State Conferences (ASC). Also a small Flex grant of $400 was sent to us by ASC to spend as best as we see fit.

• We handled numerous cases of faculty inquiring about their rights and how to proceed in complaints. We also assisted attorneys and administrators on a variety of cases that involved academic matters of governance and due process. Lisa mentioned the case of a dean in an Illinois college who was fired for violating procedures. Peter noted that when he visited McKentree
(Where he was an invited speaker) he was told that there is a mandatory retirement age at 70. Pan added that he sent a number of Red Books of the official AAUP procedures to attorneys and administrators.

Pan issued the following challenges for the Council. There is an urgent need to:
• Activate more chapters and serve better the existing ones.
• Expand and better promote our Speaker’s Bureau.
• Encourage more chapters to apply for grants. (Up to $300 per year per chapter)
• Pursue the idea of an award to Administrators who go above and beyond their call of duty in upholding and protecting AAUP principles. Such an award to be given only on occasions of clear and exceptional service. Pan proposed that such a committee to set up the criteria of selection. He also recommended Sylvia Manning Chancellor of University of Illinois at Chicago and past keynote speaker to AAUP-IL for such an award. He has documented evidence of her actively promoting Tenure and Academic Freedom on her campus. Pan also suggested that we should invite faculty to nominate such administrators. Our call for nomination should also list he criteria. Pan proposed Ken Andersen, past President to head such a committee.

• Pan commented Lisa for doing a fantastic job in the few months since she took over as Treasurer of our organization

Treasurer’s Report:

Lisa presented a Treasurer’s report sheet pointing out income and various expenses in relative detail. She will be using April 1 as the financial calendar starting date.

She filed 1096 form and later will file 1099 and after that she can pursue Insurance.
She bought QuickBooks to do the books electronically.

Lisa proposed and it was agreed that our Citibank Account should be moved to our current Account that pays a higher interest rate.

Other financial items that were discussed:
We no longer need to have a paid Director and this will save us about $8,000 per year. The President is however entitled to some secretarial assistance and some money for that purpose should be available. We need to continue to aggressively fund the Grants and the Speaker’s Bureau services to our chapters. Increase the stipend for our Editor for such a marvelous job he has been doing with Illinois Academe. Thanks to Pan’s restructuring of the annual meeting (i.e. Council meets in morning, we pay for lunch for only those who attend, annual meeting only in the afternoon) our Conference will be saving a substantial amount for its annual meeting expenses.
The idea of offering an Internship to a student who wants to work with AAUP-IL in some secretarial capacity and working close to the President. Lisa asked if such an internship would demand that we cover the insurance of such a student. Pan suggested that this idea of an Internship be discussed again in the fall.

Peter stressed the importance of our Chapter Development efforts

Treasurer’s report was approved.

Pan introduced John Wilson with thanks for the great work that his has been doing for our state newsletter the Illinois Academe.

Editor’s Report.

John Wilson gave a report of his work on editing, publishing and distributing the Illinois Academe. The circulation has increased (sent out not only to all our members but also to academic, administrative and legislative units and he is thinking of adding Trustees to his list. Pan suggested to work with Leo and add all the members of IBHE to our list. John reminded the Council of the need to include reports from the activities of more chapters. Leslie suggested that each edition might focus and highlight one particular chapter. Pan thanked Lee Maltby for his report in the Illinois Academe of developments at his own institution St. Augustine College in Chicago. Pan expressed his appreciation for the splendid work that John has done and continues to do.

Legislative report.

Leo reported that after consultation with the Council and the national office AAUP-IL is now a part of a coalition of various groups in Springfield who share common interests and concerns on matters of state education. (Ex. Funding for education by the general assembly.) This is known as The Higher Education Legislative Coalition. Collectively this group of organizations represents more than 40,000 members and hence it has a strong voice. This also provides more visibility to with lobbyists from public universities.

He pointed out some success stories of such a coalition.

On April 13 in Springfield 300 people showed up for a rally in support on such an issue. This coalition supports IBHE recommendations and oppose acts to the state university retirement system. The chancellor of the university of Illinois system came and supported their efforts. He will continue to monitor major initiatives.

Details of the Pension Plan cuts were not finalized in the bill.

Leo distributed packets that show Higher Education Recommendations from the State.

Pan suggested that the President of AAUP-IL be able to respond quickly to these issues when they come up. At any time therefore the President must have the names and addresses of all members of the legislature who sit on education related committees. Leo promised to prepare such a list.
Ken Andersen pointed out the concerns expressed by many faculty at various institutions on the issue of pension and what is going on in Springfield at the moment with so much uncertainty looming.

Report from the Nominating Committee

Chair of Nominating Committee Jerry Walter gave a report and the list of nominations.
Mike McIntyre nominated for President of AAUP-IL
Brian Frederking from MacKendree University to serve on the Council
Kurt Field from Bradley University to serve on the Council
Jerry Walter to serve on the Council
Pan Papacosta will continue to serve on the Council and also the Executive Committee as Past President.

Pan Thanked Jerry and the Nominating Committee for their work.

Other matters.

Pan reminded members of the Council of the crucial role that the Speakers’ Bureau in the energizing and activating many chapters. AAUP-IL is prepared to reimburse all travel and lodging expenses to that end and chapters have to be notified that such service is available to them and costs them nothing. Various members of the Council who are also on the Speakers’ Bureau mentioned their recent visits at such chapters. Amongst them Leo Welch, John Wilson, Peter Kirstein, Pan Papacosta and Lisa Townsley. Pan noted that the Speakers’ Bureau also serves another purpose. Through our many contacts with chapters we can identify active members who can potentially be nominated to serve on the Council.

On the Awards Committee, Ken Andersen suggested that we should think whether this award should be given only to administrators or also to faculty who have risen above the call of duty to defend and promote AAUP values of Academic Freedom, Tenure, Due Process and Shared Governance. Ken added that the form of the award might be a plaque with financial award given to the recipient or to a faculty development fund or charity on the recipient’s behalf.

Discussion pursued on the delegates that we need to send to represent Illinois at the AAUP national meeting in Washington DC in June. The Council agreed on the following.
John Wilson (a non voting member), Leo Welch, Ken Andersen, Cary Nelson (his expenses are covered by the national office) and Mike McIntyre. The two delegates who will speak on behalf of Illinois at the National Meeting will be Leo and Mike. Ken suggested that we should also try to participate on the lobbying day and meet with our two senators and take pictures with them for the Illinois Academe. Pan added that we should think of our senators as potential speakers at one of our state events.
Pan announced the upcoming AAUP Summer Institute and we offer two scholarships for that. All who are interested to contact him.

Leo mentioned a case that was forwarded to the national office on what appears to be a violation of Academic Freedom issue at a private, religiously affiliated institution. The faculty contacted Leo. The faculty was informed by the President that he was being terminated for CAUSE for non-meeting contractual expectations. This seems to be in punishment for a letter the faculty wrote in support of a student who published a piece about why she dropped her faith. Leo pointed out that due process was not followed and the matter now is in the hands of the national office that are launching an investigation.

Pan thanked the Council for all their services and hard work.

The Council meeting was concluded at 11.54 and joined other AAUP-IL members at Loyola Cafeteria for lunch, paid by the conference.

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