Members of Murray State’s Faculty Senate gathered after their special meeting Tuesday to begin the process of forming a local chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
Led by Faculty Senate President Kevin Binfield, the gathered faculty voted quickly on who would be president, vice president, treasurer and secretary of the new organization as well as assigning individuals to begin drafting by-laws.
Binfield decided to help form a local chapter of the AAUP in order to help give the faculty more of a voice at Murray State. The catalyst for forming this union now in part being due to the faculty’s recent lack of representation on the Board of Regent’s after the resignation of Faculty Regent Jack Rose.
The primary reason for the special meeting of the Faculty Senate being called was not primarily to form this chapter but to address the Faculty Senate now vacant position on the Board of Regents and to discuss the events leading up the board’s decision not to renew President Randy Dunn’s contract.
Because of the allegedly unjustified firing of a multitude of Murray State faculty by the then University President Constantine Curris, now president of the Board of Regents, The University has been on the AAUP censure list since 1975. This list compiled by the AAUP records administrations and institutions who violate what the AAUP consider to be generally recognized principles of academic freedom and tenure.
Whether or not being on the AAUP censure list will affect the development of Murray State’s chapter remains to be seen.
