| President Miller responds to AAUP through an attorney.
President Schulze responds to attorney’s letter. The University of Akron has been added to the AAUP’s ongoing investigation of the crisis in academic governance that has occurred in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Association’s concerns regard actions taken by the University of Akron administration to terminate the appointments of ninety-six full-time faculty members in a manner that appears to have departed from normative standards of academic governance. As previously announced, the investigation will also focus on seven other institutions: Canisius College (NY), Illinois Wesleyan University, Keuka College (NY), Marian University (WI), Medaille College (NY), National University (CA), and Wittenberg University (OH). |
| Read the AAUP’s letter to the president of the University of Akron
Read more here. |
| The American Association of University Professors has opened an investigation into the University of Akron’s administrative practices. In the letter, Gregory F. Scholtz, Director of AAUP’s Department of Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Governance states, |
| …the facts…suggest that the action to terminate the appointments of ninety-six full-time faculty members at the University of Akron was effected in disregard of AAUP-supported principles and standards of academic governance and of academic freedom, tenure, and due process. We would therefore urge immediate rescission of the notices of separation from service issued to the affected faculty members and future adherence to the above-described standards in any additional efforts to address the institution’s financial problems. |
| The full letter and attachments are posted below.
University of Akron – Letter to President Miller – 7 Oct 2020 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure On Institutional Problems Resulting from Financial Exigency Recommended Institutional Regulations on Academic Freedom and Tenure 2018 |
| On October 2, 2020, President Pam Schulze sent a letter to President Irene Mulvaney of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) requesting an investigation of the University of Akron’s actions following campus closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this letter, President Schulze affirmed:
The UA administration’s decisions have violated AAUP principles related to shared governance. De facto program closures by purposefully eliminating all or the majority of faculty in academic programs have created a situation that violates the university’s curriculum procedures, University Rules, and the basic tenets of shared governance. Pending the results of an investigation, it is possible that the University of Akron could be added to AAUP’s Censure List. |