In 2008 the AAUP issued a statement regarding faculty involvement with internationalizing initiatives:
“In accordance with the principles of collegial governance, U.S. and Canadian college and university administrations should provide their faculty and staff associations and the institution’s senior academic body with information about any international initiative being contemplated. If the initiative proceeds, administrations should provide detailed updates on all aspects of the project, with special emphasis on provisions to ensure academic freedom and tenure and collegial governance, including policies on approval and regular assessment of programs and curriculum, appointment and evaluation of academic staff, workload, appropriate compensation and working conditions, anti-harrassment and -discrimination provisions, intellectual property, occupational health and safety, equity, and rights to appeal procedures characterized by substantive and procedural fairness.”
We are disappointed that these recommendations have been ignored by the administration. The administration’s failure to include faculty in this process, which began more than 18 months ago, represents a significant breach of trust and a failed commitment to shared governance.
The Faculty Senate will continue to pursue information about the contract that Western has signed with the corporation Study Group (http://www.studygroup.com) and the Global Pathways Program. To that end, the Faculty Senate has invited Provost Carbajal and Vicki Hamblin, Executive Director of International Studies, to answer our questions at the next Senate meeting, November 13, 4:00-5:45, OM 340.
Faculty Senate meetings comply with open meeting laws, and interested faculty are free to attend this meeting.
Clearly we benefit from having a diversity of students, faculty, and staff at Western. We also have existing links through these constituents and their networks, as well as through programs that are already in place, or might be developed, around the world. It’s hard enough already to provide opportunities and support for faculty-led programs, or for access to international education for students with modest financial resources; that could be even tougher when a big, for-profit and “non-local” institution comes on board. At the least, those most knowledgeable about, and responsible for, curriculum and for those it serves are faculty members. Full participation in these kinds of decisions seems to be of obvious value.