Illinois AAUP News
by John K. Wilson,
collegefreedom.blogspot.com

Missouri Stem Cells
A new Health Sciences Research and Education Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia will not be funded by the state legislature because of the fear that stem cell research might be conducted. The legislature actually included a ban on stem cell research at the facility, but because Missouri voters passed their support for stem cell research last fall, Missouri Right to Life fears that the provision would be overturned in the courts and opposes allowing any new science buildings to be constructed.

Free Press, Free Students
In Washington, students are campaigning to support a bill that would protect freedom of the press in both public colleges and high schools. California’s new law protecting freedom of the campus press went into effect January 1. In the wake of the Hosty v. Carter case in Illinois, this state is the one where this kind of legislation is most needed, but no legislation has been introduced yet.

What Would Jesus Ban?
AAUP president Cary Nelson wrote on InsideHigherEd.com in December about his experience of being banned from teaching about religious poetry at a religious group’s secular program. The program, sponsored by the Illinois Humanities Council, is supposed to protect free expression, but the Reverend in charge decided to protect the men in the class from hearing critical ideas.

Arizona’s Professors Under Fire
What’s the price of free speech. In Arizona, it might be $500. A proposal bill in Arizona would impose a $500 fine on any college instructor who commits the following thoughtcrimes: “Endorse, support or oppose any pending, proposed or enacted local, state or federal legislation, regulation or rule” or “Advocate one side of a social, political or cultural issue that is a matter of partisan controversy.”

Chapter Reports

Saint Xavier University
The Saint Xavier University chapter of the American Association of University Professors is pleased to announce the election results for its Executive Committee. These terms will run until January 2009:
Jacqueline Battalora, President (Criminal Justice)
Ann Filipski, Secretary (Nursing)
Norman Boyer, Treasurer (English)
Members at Large: Peter Hilton (Education); Aisha Karim (English); Peter N. Kirstein (History).

Loyola University Successes
• Intervened in a wrongful termination case for a tenured professor and assisted in a tenure appeal on procedural grounds
• Challenged the new annual “contract letter” sent to all LUC full-time faculty and helped in the decision to refer related issues to the Faculty Affairs UPC
• Participated in the challenge of an administrative decision to stop making retirement contributions on summer pay
• Appealed to the President to establish a task force to review the now-expired governance charter
(www.aaup.luc.edu)