A representative from the American Association of University Professors said the group is in a ‘wait-and-see’ mode as university officials work to internally resolve a faculty dispute that drew national attention last month.
After a case involving Jill Adams, a professor in the School of Law, and her boss, Dean Peter Alexander, escalated to the point where the university was in danger of AAUP censure, SIU President Glenn Poshard formed a committee that would attempt to resolve the matter internally.
Robert Kreiser, an associate secretary of the AAUP, said the association was asked to seat two representatives on the committee, which was enough of an olive branch to merit additional time before action would be taken.
“I know the willingness on the part of the administration is encouraging,” Kreiser said. “With a committee being established, it is probably going to take some time (to be resolved). We are simply waiting to see what happens.”
According to a letter sent to Chancellor Sam Goldman dated March 18, Alexander placed Adams on disciplinary probation and sought to revoke her tenure for two academic years for “not meet(ing) the expectations of the School of Law.”
Adams appealed the decision to the Faculty Senate’s Judicial Review Board, a 12-person committee that reviews faculty complaints against other faculty and administrators. The board unanimously sided with Adams.
Goldman ignored the board’s decision, which prompted Adams to seek the support of the AAUP.
Adams said she preferred not to comment while the case is still under consideration.
Poshard gave the committee 30 days — beginning March 29 — to find a resolution.
John Jackson, chairman of the committee, said the group has started meeting but couldn’t go into specifics because of the sensitive matter.
“The president asked us to be done in a month and we are shooting for that,” he said.
Kreiser said it is uncommon for an administration to disregard a strong recommendation similar to the JRB’s.
Mary Lamb, a professor of English and chairwoman of the JRB panel that reviewed the case, said the board contacted Goldman March 3 to clarify how much weight he should give their recommendations.
Goldman’s response, which came more than a month later via e-mail, said he could essentially make his own decision regardless of what the JRB recommends.
The Faculty Senate passed a resolution during its March 17 meeting that requests the SIU Board of Trustees consider an appeal that would reverse Goldman’s decision made against the JRB’s unanimous recommendation in Adams’ case.
Lamb said the matter would probably not be discussed at the Faculty Senate’s meeting today.
She said the JRB hopes the committee will reverse Adams’ case.
“The committee is legitimate,” she said. “We think she should be taken off probation and her tenure should be restored.”
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