We're told it lies in the Faculty Handbook. But as the administration now openly violates and bypasses the Handbook at will, that authority is gone.
What's the Provost Matter to You?
Redefining the position of Executive Vice-President and Provost from a chiefly academic to an administrative role has dire implications for our university and the role of the faculty. The president immediately used this new definition to negate the Faculty Handbook, which stipulates a search committee of 6-14 members chaired by a faculty member for academic appointments. Whether this is a ploy to undercut faculty authority or a real subordination of the academic mission, it bodes ill for the university and for our position in it.
Doing More with Less
The days when faculty could vote an incompetent or presumptuous dean or provost out of office are long gone, done away with by the last president who truly could claim to have served both the academic and administrative needs of O.U. Now we lack even the means of meaningfully evaluating our top administrators, and can't hold accountable the many lesser administrators whose decisions affect how much money is available for libraries and professional travel, what resources are available to students, and how many faculty hours are devoted to clerical and administrative tasks rather than preparing for classes, meeting with students, and conducting research or engaging in creative activity.
Professionals or Employees?
As affirmed by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in its original Declaration of Principles, college and university faculties are not mere employees of boards of trustees or administrators. Rather, they are professionals who possess authority and expertise in their areas of academic competence. They exercise this authority first and foremost on behalf of the broader public and their profession. Many faculties have organized behind collective representation to protect the unique identity of their profession.
Authority is Freedom
The capacity of a university to fulfill its core mission depends on whether faculty are free to determine the shape and direction of teaching and research within their institutions. This freedom--known as "Academic freedom"--extends well beyond individual First Amendment rights. Crucially, it entails the right and responsibility to shape the direction of the institution itself--what is known as "shared governance." This right and responsibility is different from managerial priorities and political interests, which often focus on achieving short-term results and immediate accountability. College and university faculty have a responsibility to ensure the core academic mission not only for today's students but also for the generations to come.
Mission Denied
But the faculty at O.U. is increasingly marginalized in decisions that directly affect the core mission of the university. The reasons are multiple and contested. What has become indisputably clear, however, is that an informal agreement to honor and respect faculty competence and authority--which is what the Faculty Handbook currently amounts to--no longer suffices to guarantee an authoritative role for faculty in university decision-making. Should the administration and board of trustees choose to ignore its requirements, they are free to do so. They have openly admitted to doing so twice in this academic term alone. This is no trivial matter. The integrity of academic freedom at O.U. and O.U.'s academic mission are at stake.
Collective Bargaining Can Restore Our Authority
A collective bargaining agreement can make shared governance procedures and the Faculty Handbook legally binding on the administration and establish Faculty Senate and its committees as partners with administrators in university decision-making. For examples, have a look at actual contracts negotiated by AAUP chapters, such as at the University of Cincinnati (http://www.aaupuc.org/contract.html).
Contact OU-AAUP President Kevin Uhalde (uhalde@ohio.edu / kevin.uhalde@gmail.com) for more details about collective bargaining and the OU-AAUP card drive.
