AAUP Accuses Louisiana State U. Leaders of Stampeding the Faculty in a Reorganization Effort!

Dear Commons Community,

The Chronicle of Higher Education has a piece today (subscription required) in its online edition commenting on the reorganization of public higher education in the state of Louisiana.  Essentially the article commented that

“The American Association of University Professors has cautioned top officials of the Louisiana State University system that they appear to be trampling the rights of faculty members as they move to reorganize the system’s governance and fill a new leadership post.

The warning came in a letter the AAUP issued on Tuesday in response to pleas for its assistance from Louisiana State faculty leaders, who have complained of being shut out of a reorganization process that seeks to combine the multicampus system into a single university led by the chief executive of its flagship campus, in Baton Rouge.

Many suspect that the reorganization represents an attempt by the state’s Republican governor, Bobby Jindal, to assert more control over the system’s leadership and affairs, and they worry that the governor’s political considerations will drive the selection of Louisiana State’s new president.

The AAUP letter says the association was responding to complaints from faculty leaders that Louisiana State’s Board of Supervisors “has bypassed the elected faculty governance bodies at various levels throughout the university system” as part of a “hasty and erratic” reorganization effort.”

This development should be followed closely by anyone interested in shared governance.

Tony

 

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