FAU Professors Fight What They Say is Attack on Tenure
Florida Atlantic University professors declared a proposed reorganization of the College of Engineering invalid Friday afternoon, saying the administrative plan is an attack on tenure that they cannot let stand.
The reorganization, which groups professors in four academic categories, includes the layoffs of five tenured faculty members.
Professors attending a faculty senate meeting unanimously voted to "oppose and declare null and void" the changes, which they said were made to get around university policies requiring less experienced teachers to be laid off before those with tenure.
"We should say we are not going to tolerate this usurpation of faculty rights," said political science professor Marshall DeRosa. "We need to draw the line here."
The professors said they would not recognize the reorganization until it goes through the required process, which they believes gives the faculty senate a chance for input and a formal vote.
Faculty Senate President Tim Lenz said he's not sure what recourse the group has if the school refuses to acknowledge Friday's vote to invalidate the changes.
And school officials said they don't believe the plan needs to go before the faculty senate, which has some oversight power when dealing with curriculum changes, but not necessarily personnel.
Associate Provost Diane Alperin said the changes in engineering are not directly related to the curriculum. "This is looking at the way the curriculum is being delivered," she said.
A committee of FAU's board of trustees may discuss the issue as part of its June 10 workshop on proposed 2009-2010 budget cuts.
