Purdue AAUP Spring meeting

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

PMU, room 263AB

4:30pm

"... is the freedom to teach, both in and outside the classroom, to conduct research and to publish the results of those investigations, and to address any matter of institutional policy or action whether or not as a member of an agency of institutional governance. Professors should also have the freedom to address the larger community with regard to any matter of social, political, economic, or other interest, without institutional discipline or restraint, save in response to fundamental violations of professional ethics or statements that suggest disciplinary incompetence.” 

 To view the entire presentation use the read more link to the right

Dear Fellow AAI Members:

Recent political events in the United States have caused distress to many of our members and have led some of our international members and colleagues to question the values of our great nation. This is deeply troubling to me as well: as your president, as a scientist, and as a U.S. citizen.

As you know, The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) is the nation’s largest professional society of research scientists and physicians who are dedicated to advancing our understanding of the complexities of the immune system and applying these discoveries to the development of urgently needed treatments and cures. We welcome members of every race, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, gender, and sexual preference and orientation. We take great pride in our diversity and in our international members, with whom we collaborate and from whom we learn. We believe that every member is important and contributes to the accomplishment of our shared goals.

Author: Sin Eun-jung, Verita$: Harvard’s Hidden History, PM Press, Oakland California, 2015.

A Review by Harry Targ, Purdue University in Socialism and Democracy, November, 2016.

About 25 years ago I was listening to one of the premier conservative radio pundits claim that the only institution “we” do not yet control is the university. That statement was prophetic in that the profusion of books and articles today document the multiple ways in which colleges and universities are being transformed by the neoliberal economic agenda, the pursuit of so-called STEM-based education, and the seizure of power in higher education by the Koch Brothers. 

The 2016 election has exacerbated a political climate that was already inimical to academic freedom. We have recently seen legislative and gubernatorial attacks on individual faculty members, course offerings, governing boards, the institution of tenure, and, generally, the institutional autonomy of colleges and universities. Websites such as Professor Watchlist are monitoring activities of faculty members and denouncing departures from what they view as acceptable. These activities have led to targeted harassment of faculty members. This presentation provides an overview of the concept of academic freedom, recent attacks on academic freedom, and how you can defend academic freedom.

Hans-Joerg Tiede is a senior program officer with the national AAUP in the department of academic freedom, tenure, and governance. He previously served as a professor of computer science at Illinois Wesleyan University.

21ST CENTURY HIGHER EDUCATION HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
Harry Targ

The Modern University At my home university, only Coca-Cola products can be distributed on campus as a result of contractual agreements. Agriculture specialists train military personnel to teach agribusiness to farmers in Afghanistan. Students struggle against university contractors who have purchase agreements with companies such as Nike, which produce t-shirts and hats with university logos made with sweatshop labor. Research and teaching programs are established to highlight the significance of unregulated markets, electoral democracy, religions, and other ideas celebrated in the United States.