Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, 9am-11am CT, on Zoom

Officers:  Karma Chavez, Jen Ebbeler, Brian Evans, Bill Fagelson, Andrea Gore, and Polly Strong 
Communications Director: Lauren Gutterman

About AAUP

We champion academic freedom, advance shared governance, and organize all faculty to promote economic security and quality education.  If you’re not already a member, please join AAUP – here are several reasons. Please follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @aaup_utAustin and @TexasAaup.

Tenatitive Agenda

9:00-9:05am  Welcome AAUP members and enthusiasts, Brian Evans.
9:05-9:15am  AAUP Principles on Academic Freedom, Andrea Gore. Slides.
9:15-9:25am  Texas Senate Bill 18 on Tenure, Lauren Gutterman. Slides.
9:25-9:50am Academic Freedom and Tenure Q&A, Karma Chavez and Polly Strong.
9:50-10:00am  Texas AAUP Survey of Texas Faculty, Brian Evans. Slides.

• Press Releases: Regional – Florida – Georgia – North Carolina – Texas
• News articles: Chronicle of Higher Ed – Texas Tribune – Houston Chronicle – Dallas Morning News – Reform Austin – Kera News

10:00-10:05am  Break
10:05-10:15am Process for Chapter Elections, Brian Evans. Blog Post.
10:15-10:25am  Lessons from AAUP Advocacy in Texas, Karma Chavez. Article.
10:25-10:35am  Texas Senate Bill 17 on DEI, Brian Evans. Slides.
10:35-11:00am Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Panel

• Panel Moderator: Polly Strong
• Panelists: Karma Chavez (UT Austin AAUP), Bella de la Garza (Texas Students for DEI), and Crystal Tran (Texas Students for DEI)

Announcements

• The Texas AAUP Conference Fall Meeting will be Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, 9am to 1pm on Zoom.

We’re inviting AAUP members and AAUP enthusiasts at UT Austin as well as other AAUP members from the Austin area (Austin Community College, Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, Southwestern University, and St. Edward’s University).   We’re also inviting AAUP members from Texas State University and Sam Houston State University who are in the process of forming AAUP chapters on their campuses.

Takeaways

Suggestions for the next faculty survey

• Add political affiliation or affinity (left, middle, right)
• Academic discipline

Self-censorship is voluntarily giving up power to our opponents

Intersection of SB 17 and SB 18

• Are connected
• Particularly harsh on non-tenure-track faculty

Organizing for next political attack 

• Alumni groups
• Business associations
• Stronger connections between faculty and students
• Importance of being “on the ground” for the next Legislative session
• Provide training in advocacy
• Emphasize these are nonpartisan issues (e.g. conservatives want tenure too)

Faculty outreach

• Shape rhetorical strategies to faculty
  • Talk about control/authority over the curriculum. 
  • Mention it is in UT Regents Rules (see Andrea Gore’s slides above)
  • Faculty should control the curriculum. 
  • Faculty can connect well with this topic instead of the more abstract phrase “academic freedom”
• Work with Faculty Council
• Invite UT Austin Government Relations to meet with the UT Austin AAUP Chapter

Campus DEI policy formulation

• Concerns over interpreting “State funding” as any funding touched by the institution
• Rep. Kuempel (co-author of SB 17) floor clarified on the House floor that State funds are only those allocated by the State Legislature

SB 17

• SB 17 is vague and confusing
• Add in the recent Supreme Court rulings banning the use of race in college admissions
• NAACP LDF flier for SB 17 didn’t mention the exception for procedures and practices to enhance academic achievement and success without regard to race, ethnicity, or ….