Universities fight back against AAUP censure
Hurricane Katrina fucked up a lot of things for a lot of people. Its resonance is still being felt and today it was reported that a slew of universities were hit with censure by the American Association of University Professors, the organization that protects the rights of faculty in higher education. (Disclosure: I was a member of the AAUP when I was an administrative faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno.)
Censure is significant. Today’s news is fallout from Katrina, which essentially forced Louisiana universities to make tough decisions about keeping on faculty in light of dire financial situations. The positions of tenured faculty were preciously watched over by the AAUP, especially as firings had to occur, and today’s decision to place six colleges and universities on the organization’s censure list for “a pervasive disregard for faculty governance,” as reported by Inside Higher Ed, is, like Katrina, unprecedented.
Two universities are fighting back. Both Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans posted criticisms of the AAUP report. Both cite inaccuracies, errors and faulty conclusions.
It’s difficult not to appear defensive while being publicly attacked. Loyola comes across better in this regard, particularly by sticking with facts, noting errors while appearing less antagonistic than Tulane, which tersely dismisses the AAUP report as deeply flawed and factually inaccurate.
Kudos to both universities for clarifying the results of difficult decisions—and for taking on the AAUP with regard to errors in the report. Time will tell what the ultimate fallout will be.
This case demonstrates an emerging public relations reality: Transparency is not a one-way street. Organizations are expected to be open and accessible. In times of scrutiny and criticism, though, the organization’s view also deserves to be aired—as well as the flaws of the organization’s attackers.
