The AAUP "Redbook"
Welcome: AAUP at the University of Akron
"It is, then, a prerequisite to a realization of the proper measure of academic freedom in American institutions of learning, that all boards of trustees should understand...the full implications of the distinction between private proprietorship and a public trust."
From the AAUP's 1915 "Declaration of Principles"
March 7, 2010
--Domestic Partner Benefits Forms are available HERE as well as on the Current Contract page.
--The joint statement by Akron-AAUP and UA on RTP guidelines is available here. A new template for departmental RTP guidelines is available here. We hope the approval process can be completed by semester's end.
--The new collective bargaining agreement is now available for perusal and reference. This page will provide you with a link to the entire document. In that document you may click on the "Bookmarks" icon to open a Table of Contents window with clickable links to each article. The web page itself also has a navigation bar with links to individual articles.
--Here is a link to a new online journal that may be of interest to you: JAF, The AAUP Journal of Academic Freedom
--Collective bargaining for faculty continues to grow across the state and the nation. Bowling Green University has submitted their pledge cards to Ohio-SERB to initiate an election. The process has been stalled by an administrative challenge of the definition of the bargaining unit.
Spring Election: Secretary and Treasurer
The chapter is soliciting nominations for the upcoming April election of the Treasurer and Secretary. The term of office for these positions will be two years. You may nominate yourself or someone else for either position. Only chapter members are allowed to hold office or participate in chapter elections.
Nominations are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24, 2010. If you would like to nominate someone, please send your nomination to Jennifer Holz (Past President, Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee) at jh16@uakron.edu or drjenniferholz@yahoo.com, or phone 330-972-8790.
All active Akron AAUP chapter members will be receiving an electronic ballot for these two important leadership positions after nominations close and before the end of this month.
The Nominations and Elections Committee is Jennifer Holz (Past President, Chair), Dave Witt (Chapter Member), and John Reeves (Chapter Member).
Collective Bargaining Agreement 2.0 is ratified
As of 5:00 P.M. Thursday January 28, 2010 members of the Akron-AAUP ratified the proposed collective bargaining agreement. The ballot was structured to present 2 measures for consideration: a three-year agreement and a subsequent 1 year agreement, an arrangement necessary to conform to state law and achieve a four-year agreement. Both measures passed by wide margins.
In their January meeting the University of Akron's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the proposed agreement.
The approved contract is now in force.
The Akron-AAUP negotiating team is currently in preparation for the next phase of negotiations over changes to health care benefits and compensation for years three and four. All other issues are settled for the entire 4-year life of the agreement. Formal negotiations on these important remaining issues are scheduled to begin again in July of this year.
The new agreement will expire December 15, 2013.
Joint Statement on Contract Negotiations - January 8, 2010
The Administration of The University of Akron and the Akron Chapter of the American Association of University Professors reached tentative agreements on all issues pertaining to contract negotiations. The tentative agreements now must be ratified by the University’s Board of Trustees and by the membership of the Akron-AAUP. The timetable for ratification is being established.
For the Akron-AAUP, the chapter membership will vote shortly after informational meetings held on January 13th and 14th for the chapter membership.
Both parties recommend ratification to their respective constituents.
More information for members HERE.
Text of all tentative agreements and MOU's HERE.
"To investigate truth; critically verify fact; to reach conclusions by means of the best methods at command, untrammeled by external fear or favor, to communicate this truth to the student: this is precisely the aim and object of the university. To aim a blow at any one of these operations is to deal a vital wound to the university itself"
John Dewey, Co-founder AAUP
"...truth is more likely to emerge through the interplay
and conflict of ideas resulting from the exercise of individual reason
than through the imposition of uniform and standardized opinion by
authority."
A.O. Lovejoy, Co-founder AAUP
"It is evident that
any restriction on academic freedom acts in such a way as to hamper the
dissemination of knowledge among the people and thereby impedes national
judgment and action."
- Albert Einstein, Member of AAUP