Thoughts from a professorial vagabond on academic freedom and such

I passed my piece of yesterday -- the academic freedom situation at University of Kansas (KU) and my comments -- on to my cousin, John, an attorney whose offices are in Lawrence, Kansas, site of KU.  He's a liberal Democrat, has been a state representative in the legislature from time to time, often represents labor unions.  He's also a hunter and a gun person.  His response to the KU part of my larger letter: "Good comments, dead on".

Hatchet jobs on college and university faculty, and on academic freedom, are certainly nothing new.  The various "issues" involved come and go with the times and often return in other eras.  Sometimes the public issues aren't the whole story which can involve personality conflicts, a non-intimidated faculty member who frightens "authority", all sorts of things -- some almost unbelievably petty.

These are not good times for college and university faculty.  It's tough to get good jobs -- especially with the growing flow of temporary adjuncts (part-timers) who, themselves are often treated only a little better than day labor from a storefront "employment center."  And too many temporary adjuncts in a school can certainly weaken the quality of education and the "learning process" in general.

If it's often difficult to find a good teaching job, it's increasingly tough to secure (protective) tenure.  And the concept of tenure itself is under fire in some academic settings -- and in a number of state legislatures.

The MSNBC article contained this statement: "Members of Kansas' faculty also distanced themselves from Guth's viewpoint."  My interpretation of that is that most KU faculty are frightened of any association with the "controversial" prof.  And that's a general situation across the country.  Most faculty, frankly, are not bold.  But some are and it's  safe to say that Guth does have some faculty friends.

There are always some.

Academic institutional grievance procedures are frequently stacked decks. Faculty unionism is, among other factors, only as good as its members want to make it.  It is uneven in effectiveness.  I have belonged at various points (and several times) to AAUP and NEA and AFT, sometimes as an officer.  I certainly see faculty (and staff) unionism as extremely important but, in recent times, vitality -- aside from some sparkplug people -- is often disappointing.   And these days, many faculty are reluctant to join unions -- often afraid.

A major force in protecting embattled profs and academic freedom are students.  No matter the "highs and lows" of the times, students remain students -- a great many of them potentially activist.  Aroused, they sometimes generate community support and, in any case, they can scare the hell out of administrators -- and even regents and legislators -- often with very positive results.  I can cite some personal examples of very effective student support involving myself, and other profs -- and always good causes.

Solidarity -

Hunter Bear (formally retired as a university full professor -- but not, of course, really retired)
 
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq / 
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk 
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO

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Racism in the Northern Plains (with links)
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