University of Oregon Chapter

American Association of University Professors

 

May 10, 2005

 

To: Andrew Marcus, President of the University of Oregon Senate

Fr: University of Oregon Chapter of the American Associations of University Professors

Re: Five Year Diversity Plan Draft (May 2005)

 

We are writing on behalf of the University of Oregon Chapter of the American Association of University Professors. We have reviewed, in part, the Five Year Diversity Plan Draft for the University of Oregon that is dated May, 2005. The AAUP has historically been a leader in promoting equity and fairness on university campuses for faculty and students. We have very serious reservations about the content of the draft diversity plan and the process that has been proposed for its adoption.

 

Several elements of the draft appear to be in potential conflict with long-time principles of academic freedom; for example, on page 8 the requirement that 3^rd year, tenure, and post-tenure evaluations “assess ongoing skill building and demonstrable commitment to cultural competency” and that “the evaluation of cultural competency” be linked to raises and promotions. No definition of cultural competency is included within the document, making it impossible to understand what this criterion involves. We assume that a “demonstrable commitment to cultural competency” would not be aimed at dictating to faculty what must teach. But it is unclear from the Draft what such a phrase means. Similar comments could apply to the recommendations involving pay raises, and promotions.

 

We are concerned that the development of the draft has bypassed the usual set of faculty committees, but we assume that its components will now go before the relevant faculty committees. The charter of the University of Oregon places university governance in the hands of the faculty, and AAUP principles emphasize the key role of the faculty in the development and execution of university policies and procedures. Such participation has long been the rule at the University of Oregon, and we can see no rationale for bypassing the involvement of the usual faculty committees in reviewing, modifying, and approving or not approving the relevant components of this proposal.

 

We would like to emphasize our belief that the University of Oregon faculty are very supportive of diversity and would like very much to participate in creating a workable plan to improve diversity on our campus.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jean Stockard, Vice President _____________________________

Suzanne Clark, Vice President _____________________________

Bob O’Brien, Secretary _____________________________

cc: Dave Frohnmayer, Peter Keyes, John Moseley, Gregory Vincent