Today, DFA Chair Scott Shershow sent the following letter objecting to proposed changes to APM-016 to the Academic Council and to UCOP. There is still time for faculty to make their own individual concerns about these proposed changes known — the deadline for comments is June 20. For more information, see:
http://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/rfc/view.cfm?or&id=128
June 5, 2012
Vice Provost Susan Carlson
1111 Franklin St., 11th Fl.
University of California
Oakland, CA 94607
Re: Proposed changes to APM-016
Dear Vice Provost Carlson,
I am writing as Chair of the Davis Faculty Association to convey our concerns about the language of the current proposed changes to APM 016. These concerns emerge from email discussions with other UC faculty association leaders and the Council of the UC Faculty Associations. We are particularly concerned about the terms “policy” and “rules and regulations,” which potentially provide administrators with legal cover to interfere with the academic freedom of faculty as it relates to our research, teaching, and extra-curricular social and/or political activity.
We therefore urge that the proposed changes to the language of the APM-016 not be approved. We believe this is the most prudent course of action, especially since there is no immediate or significant problem that the proposed change would seem to be intended to address.
Sincerely yours,
Scott Shershow, Chair of the Davis Faculty Association
cc: Bob Anderson, Chair of Systemwide Academic Council
Mark Yudof, President of the University of California
Linda Bisson, Chair, Davis Division of the Academic Senate