A new AAUP letter for LSU

The newest letter from the AAUP (American Association of University Professors) to the administrators of LSU states, in part:

"In considering what we had to say particularly about the notices becoming effective in the middle of the academic year, you should find it instructive to know about the conclusions of the Colorado Court of Appeals in a 1984 opinion in Vibrat Subryan v. Regents of the University of Colorado that has subsequently been accepted in other jurisdictions.  An issue in that case was the effective date for the notice under the AAUP's Standards for Notice of Nonreappointment, which had been adopted by the institution.  The court stated in dictum that "the regents must give twelve months notice prior to the end of the appointed term, rather than merely twelve months notice at any time during the appointed term."  As the AAUP observed at the time, the decision provided "assurance that the expiration of appointments of University of Colorado faculty will remain in step with the academic hiring cycle."

Once again, we thank the American Association of University Professors for giving this case the attention it deserves.  Please support the AAUP so they can continue the work they do on behalf of all higher education faculty who find themselves in similar situations.

Recommended reading for lovers of language

Learning Latin leads to success - Cedar Rapids Gazette (12/17)

The college board and foreign languages - Education Next (11/14)

The world beyond reach:  Why languages are indispensible - Chronicle of Higher Education (11/7)

Crisis of the humanities II - New York Times (10/18)

The crisis of the humanities officially arrives - New York Times (10/11)

Lost in Translation:  Does Language Influence Culture? - Wall Street Journal (6/23)

Rally for Higher Education reports

NOVEMBER 10

Protestors feel impact of cuts already - WVLA Channel 33

Higher Ed students send message to Governor Jindal - WAFB Channel 9

Students storm Capitol to protest cuts - WBRZ Channel 2

Anger obvious during education rally - Fox 8

Hundreds rally against higher education cuts - The Advocate Political Blog

Hundreds attend rally for higher education at the State Capitol - LSU Media

Rally Day - FLXIV Interactive

The Rally for Higher Education should be a great way to exchange ideas. Here are some of the ideas we've heard for stopping faculty cuts at LSU.

Add your own in the comments!

1. Administrators could take a voluntary 11 month salary spread out over 12 months. This would generate enough money for to keep foreign language instructors employed through the spring semester (the chancellor said that he would double whatever cut his colleagues agreed to).

2. Each one of the colleges at LSU-BR could adopt a foreign language faculty member for one semester so that the instructors could finish out a full year of service.

3. Other colleges with extra money from vacant faculty lines and other sources could voluntarily contribute to Humanities and Social Sciences (or be directed by the administration to do so) to keep faculty cuts from becoming a reality.

4. Increase out-of-state tuition. LSU could double the amount of out-of-state tuition and it would still be cheaper than in-state tuition in Texas.

5. The Athletic Department which is financially separate from the University could play the hero off the football field and contribute $270,000 to keep faculty from absorbing the budget cuts this year.

6.  The Chancellor could voluntarily act on the recommendations of the AAUP and the Faculty Senate to reinstate the Foreign Language Fourteen until alternatives to faculty cuts can be explored with full faculty representation.

A Shout-Out from UC Berkeley

This thoughtful blog entry from UC Berkeley indicates that people in higher education all over the country realize the enormity of foreign language cuts on the LSU campus and more recently at SUNY-Albany.

That's a fact!

The average salary of the FLXIV is $35653. By dismissing fourteen instructors in the middle of an academic year, the University saves approximately $270,000 in salaries and benefits.* The total budget shortfall for the LSU BR campus in 2010-2011 is $48 million. No other faculty or programs have been sacrificed to meet the budget reduction.

*By January, the FLXIV will have received 5/9 of their salary and benefits.

That's a fact!

The LSU System Office confirmed on Friday, November 5, that the Board of Supervisors has never voted on the proposal to eliminate the German and Latin BA degrees and reduce foreign language options at LSU.  The languages taught by the Foreign Language Fourteen by the numbers:

Six classics (Latin & Greek) instructors
Two German instructors
Two Italian instructors
One Japanese instructor
One Portuguese instructor
One Russian instructor
One Swahili instructor

Languages untouched:
Arabic
Chinese
French
Spanish

The Advocate article on the Foreign Language Fourteen

"The administration did not [want] to unfairly rob other academic colleges at LSU just to aid foreign languages, [Chancellor Martin] said." Click the link below to read more!

LSU's "Foreign Language 14" speak out

WVLA-33 reports from the LSU Coffin Sit

Kelsey Scram of WVLA, Channel 33 reports on the Foreign Language Fourteen, the AAUP letter, the Faculty Senate Resolution, the "Don't Sink LSU" banner and what's next.  Interviewed are Proud Students and our own Angelika Roy!

Click here to watch!

Link to the Proud Students' Budget Cuts Video

I wasn't able to embed this, but you should watch it. It's AWESOME!

http://www.facebook.com/v/1560889101230

One way to save foreign languages at LSU

AAUP letter sparks local and national media

News story, WVLA Channel 33 - National advocacy group gets behind LSU instructors; Says LSU should extend contracts through end of school year (11/5)

Article in the Chronicle of Higher Education - AAUP Protests Louisiana State U.'s Plan to Lay Off 14 Language Instructors (11/2)

Article in the Advocate (picked up by the Associated Press) - National faculty group criticizes LSU layoffs (11/2)

Article in the Daily Reveille - AAUP wants University to reinstate instructors (11/4)

Faculty Senate Resolution 10-14.1 passes unanimously!

Our sincere thanks to the LSU Chapter of the AAUP for drafting the Resolution, Dominique Homberger who sponsored it, and all the faculty senators who attended the meeting and voted.  See related article here.

150 Years of Classics at LSU - Lecture 11/11/10

150 YEARS OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT LSU

Thursday, 11 November, 5:30 in Hodges 324

What do the late LSU Classics professor Robert Edgeworth and Union army
general William Tecumseh Sherman have in common?

Find out at Nathalie Roy's talk on the history of teaching Classical
Studies at LSU. 

 Nathalie Roy, an LSU graduate, teaches Classics at Episcopal High School
in Baton Rouge and is currently the vice president of the Louisiana
Classical Association.  Ms Roy describes her talk as part history
lesson, part trip down memory lane.  

This event is sponsored by Students for the Promotion of Antiquity, Eta
Sigma Phi, and the LSU Classics Colloquium.