Resolution to Create a Disciplinary Case Reporting and Attestation Tool
Whereas: the Cornell faculty welcome students with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education opportunities without obstruction on the basis of legally protected status;
Whereas: the Cornell Faculty Senate affirms that freedoms to engage in research and scholarship, to teach and to learn, to express oneself and to be heard, and to assemble and to protest, peacefully and lawfully, are essential to the function of the university, even for ideas some may consider wrong or offensive;
Whereas: faculty, students, and staff of Cornell University are entitled to due process, according to Cornell policies, with clear and fair procedures to draw conclusions and inform decisions at times when allegations of misconduct, harassment, and/or discrimination places them in potential violation of Cornell policies;
Whereas: a functioning university depends on the transparency, trust, clarity, consistency, and cooperation that derives from shared governance, where faculty have access to information, involvement in matters of concern to them, the authority to examine these issues and make recommendations, and to question all sanctions (dismissals, warnings, reprimands, course cancellations, etc.), as “guardian[s] of academic values against unjustified assaults from its own members,” per the the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) recommendations;
Be it therefore resolved that the Faculty Senate create a procedural reporting and attestation tool that can be used to inform Faculty Senate deliberations and resolutions as a part of shared governance. This attestation tool will inform the Senate about whether core elements, processes, and outcomes of disciplinary cases were followed, in a way that does not violate complainant and respondent confidentiality, for members of the Committee on Academic Freedom and Professional Status of the Faculty (AFPSF). This tool will require committee members to attest that processes and procedures were followed and it will allow for the reporting of any irregularities.
Draft resolution proposed by:
Bryan L. Sykes, Senator, Brooks School of Public Policy
J. Nathan Matias, Senator, Department of Communication
Faculty Senators Supporting this Resolution (in alphabetical order)
Ken Birman, Computer Science
Michelle Crow, Arts and Sciences College RTE
Chris B. Schaffer, Biomedical Engineering
Faculty Supporting this Resolution
David Bateman, Government and Public Policy
Shannon Gleeson, Global Labor & Work
Dan Hirschman, Sociology Drew Margolin, Communication
One thought on "Resolution to Create a Disciplinary Case Reporting and Attestation Tool"
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Again, get rid of the AAUP statement! By including it, you show disdain toward faculty who are not represented by this outside organization. There MUST be some way to state what you believe without making those faculty feel unincluded! You could simply delete that portion of the statement – the meaning of the entire statement remains unchanged, yet the inclusiveness is greatly increased, addressing the purpose of these resolutions.
As a practical matter, two members of the AFPSF expressed concern regarding the be-it-resolved here. Even if they had not, this places an extra burden on faculty who are simply doing their jobs. Changing the word ‘attestation’, as suggested during the recent meeting, will not change that. A much better approach might be a sort of whistleblower portal. Rather than a form that must be filled out, offer a tool which CAN be used, in cases where there is something important to report. An option, rather than a requirement, will provide all the same data, without creating undue burden which, simply by existing, expresses a lack of trust in those involved in the process.