Official Statement to the Faculty Senate

This statement was presented at the Faculty Senate meeting on December 8:

"On behalf of the Foreign Language XIV, I express our sincerest thanks for the efforts of the LSU Chapter and the National Office of the AAUP. It was the right thing to do. I also thank the members of the Faculty Senate for their unanimous vote in favor of Resolution 10-14.1. It was the right thing to do. In fact, this vote has been your finest moment this semester. A special thanks to Dr. Homberger, who worked so hard to draft the resolution and who argued passionately and effectively in favor of the resolution. You are an inspiration to all who take academia seriously. It was the right thing to do. In my book, you receive an A+.

I leave you with the following meditation by Marcus Aurelius….

Very often an unjust act is done by not doing something, 
not only by doing something.

Good luck to all of you."

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.

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.

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.

A glimmer of good news

On Friday October 29, the national office of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) sent a letter to the Chancellor outlining reasons why the decision to fire the Foreign Language Fourteen should be reconsidered and why our contracts should be extended through August like all other faculty members on the LSU campus. Whether the Chancellor will respond to this letter remains to be seen.

If you are a university instructor or professor who is not a member of the AAUP, I urge you to support this organization which has been the only group since we were fired on August 27 to take our concerns seriously. 

We are extremely grateful for the AAUP's show of support.

* Danke * Domo arigato * Grazie * Gracias * Spasibo * 

*Obriagada * Gratiam habemus * Eucharisto * Asanteni sana *