I appreciate the observations of Kitt Rushing on faculty governance, but I
don't think that rejecting some ideas is anarchy.  After all, we do have a
recognized process of voting on important issues, and last year 183 of us
anarchists voted to ask more time to consider the full implications of the
Trustee Mandate. The fact that the PRC needed nearly the entire academic
year to present to us a plan suggests that Kit is correct to note that they
worked hard in committee and perhaps did indeed need more time to explain
their work.

However, we give students grades for achievement, not effort, and apparently
I was joined by 111 other archarists in the majority vote to turn down the
original implementation plan on March 1st. I do not flatter myself to think
that the eloquence of my comments did much persuasion at that meeting. Nor
do I think all the faculty were ill-informed. I was surprized that only two
(both administrators) spoke in favor of the implementation.

Working with others, perhaps too few in number (we are all busy), I have
sought through the device of a resolution of principle that states that we
think we had a binding contract before June 18, 1998, that rewards ought to
be made, and due process followed.  We did this to move the process forward,
and to suggest constructive changes in the actual implementation plan.

I hope a majority of faculty will support the resolution should we be
allowed to consider it. Since it is not binding, there is really no reason
not to support the resolution, except for hurting the feelings of the
Trustees.  Apparently that did not disuade the UTK faculty, who actually
made a second and final resolution recognizing "conflict" with the board, a
board that ignored all their hard work too.

While I cannot predict the vote, I think there are some faculty who will
continue to vote "no" on the implementation without a resolution, but only a
vote will tell. Democracy and self-government are messy, and I sympathize
with those who have spent long and hard hours debating the issues, because I
now have an entire filing case with old reports that ended up gathering
dust...most recently, a department plan to implement oral communication, as
well as a SACs plan or two for our department that didn't fly. This
certainly does lead to frustration.

By the way, I commend the Banner Committee for their progress reports.

Richard Rice
History