This evening, at a special meeting, the Purdue University-West Lafayette chapter of AAUP unanimously passed the following resolution about Purdue University Global.
Resolution regarding Purdue University Global
WHEREAS, it is the mission of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) to
advance academic freedom and shared governance; to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education; to promote the economic security of faculty, academic professionals, graduate students, post‐doctoral fellows, and all those engaged in teaching and research in higher education; to help the higher education community organize to make our goals a reality; and to ensure higher education’s contribution to the common good;
WHEREAS, it is the purpose of the Purdue University AAUP Chapter to serve as a faculty voice to advocate for and defend the rights of faculty and students associated with Purdue University;
WHEREAS the Purdue faculty was not invited to contribute in advance to the decision for Purdue University to acquire and partner with Kaplan to produce Purdue University Global, and have had little opportunity as a body to substantially discuss or vote on policies and practices already governing the work practices of faculty and students employed by or studying through Purdue Global;
WHEREAS, the Indiana Conference of the AAUP has strongly urged Purdue faculty to reject collaboration with Purdue University Global until it ends the use of forced arbitration as a condition of student enrollment and prior restraints;
WHEREAS, Purdue University Global has rescinded its use of nondisclosure agreements for faculty after increased public scrutiny and a successful public pressure campaign led by the Indiana Conference of the AAUP, but still requires students to consent to forced arbitration agreements as a condition of enrollment;
WHEREAS, new information has emerged showing that Purdue University Global is enforcing a system of prior restraint by requiring faculty to notify administration within sixty minutes of any contact with a media outlet;
BE IT RESOLVED that the AAUP chapter of Purdue University calls on Purdue University Global Board Chair Michael Burghoff, the Board of Trustees, and Chancellor Betty Vandenbosch to end the use forced arbitration agreements as a condition of student enrollment; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the AAUP chapter of Purdue University calls on Purdue University Global Board Chair Michael Burghoff, the Board of Trustees, and Chancellor Betty Vandenbosch to end the use of prior restraint of faculty, including any requirement that infringes upon faculty to freely comment on any matter related to the university, including any matters of governance; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the AAUP chapter of Purdue University ask the Purdue University Senate to join us in calling for the end of forced arbitration and prior restraint, and non-disclosure agreements.
October 4, 2018.