The vision
Many faculty members often bemoan the university's lackluster support for their
endeavors.
This is not without basis: The most recent contract is abysmal, and the university badly needs to recalibrate its financial priorities.
But when provided a chance to speak their minds to administrators and to provide input on the university's long-term direction, only four faculty members attended, three of whom were department chairpersons.
This is outrage?
Faculty may have lost respect for the administration after the rotten fruits of months of contract negotiations. They may not want to give administrators the time of day; they may not want to entertain administrators' grandiose talk and lip-service.
But the forums provide a chance to say just that. Perhaps the vision meetings will not drastically shift the university's priorities, but they provide the chance to take a stand. If faculty feel the vision plan is a charade, then they should attend and say that. Attending and denouncing the meetings is better than doing nothing and letting administrators continue to set the agenda.
The meetings, like them or not, provide a meaningful opportunity to speak with administrators. This alone warrants attendance. Boycotting the meetings is foolishly passive aggressive; it will not change anything.
Attending a university work session does not mean faculty agree with, or even respect, administrators. Overwhelming faculty turnout would be a considerable show of faculty disgust toward the administration. And it would let faculty state clearly - to administrators' faces - where they feel the university has gone astray.
Though major contract negotiations have ended, faculty must not become apathetic about the university or its priorities. Apathy should be outrage.
Long-term changes require a long-term commitment, and if faculty feel they have been brushed aside, they must not simply accept it and move on. They have to keep making it an issue. This requires attending forums; this requires speaking up; this requires constant badgering.
We hope the next batch of contract negotiations is not as poor as the last, but prospects will not improve unless faculty do not let the university's priorities fall off the radar.
The four who attended the meeting Monday offered reasonable criticisms against the university.
But 40 would have been more forceful than four.
The next batch of meetings is at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday in the Bovee University Lake St. Clair Room.
Attend.
