I Beg To Quibble!

I received e-mail (below) from Dr. Steven Jones in response to the recent (fair & balanced) rant & rave (and scoop with the news of the removal of Amarillo College's censure). Jones took issue with my slap at his dismissal of the rewording of AC's policy statements to be mere semantics. I fear the new president of Amarillo College doesn't understand the meaning of semantics as he used the word. What Jones said is that he and the executive secretary of the AAUP viewed the rewrite of AC policy to be a matter of saying: We're (the AAUP and AC) basically agreed; let's not quibble over semantics. However, I don't think that the executive secretary of the AAUP would be so dismissive about the wording of policy statements about academic freedom, tenure, and due process. Again, I have the sinking feeling that Jones—like the ilk preceeding him—doesn't get it. The policy statements about academic freedom, tenure, and due process ought not be dismissed as quibbles over semantics. Otherwise, Amarillo College is no better off in 2004 than it was in 1968. And if Amarillo College is no better off in 2004 than it was in 1968 (after 36 years of well-deserved censure), I am rotten glad I am out of that place because academic freedom, tenure, and due process ought be more than mere words. If this is (fair & balanced) relief, so be it.]

Dr. Sapper -

Thanks for copying me. I had not seen the press on the AAUP decision yet.

I am fully committed to students first - and AC faculty and staff second. I defend and support academic freedom as it was intended and is defined by the AAUP. And yes, the issue with AC and the AAUP was partly neglect . . . and partly semantics.

It was neglect in that, as you suggested, previous administration's had perhaps not seen removal from the censure list as a priority. I believed it was important and, if possible, should be accomplished.

It was semantics in that the AAUP was still referencing some old policies from AC that did not accurately reflect "current practice" at the college. Replacing old policies with newer ones resolved much of the confusion. It was the faculty senate that proposed the few new wording changes that were approved by the Board of Regents, and subsequently the AAUP. In meeting with Dr. Jordan Kurland at AAUP, he too realized it was largely semantics. He and I agreed to produce "wording - that if read by 100 faculty members - would most likely lead to an agreement as to the meaning". Existing policy was indeed confusing in a few places. The wording changes satisfactorily clarified current practice without altering that practice . . . or the policies that prescribed it.

Best wishes with your future endeavors. Thank you for your continued interest in Amarillo College.

Dr. Steven W. Jones
President, Amarillo College