[Ualeindiv] Take Action: Threat to Academic Freedom of Michigan's Public Universities

[Labarbera-Twarog, Emily]

PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY....

I strongly encourage you to sign onto this letter - If passed, this legislative action in Michigan will have a ripple effect at public institutions of higher ed across the country.

In Solidarity,
Emily E. LB. Twarog
University of Illinois


Dear Colleague,

We write to seek your support in averting an imminent threat against the academic freedom of Michigan’s public universities.

When the Michigan legislature returns from recess next week, it will be voting on appropriations for state colleges and universities. Recently, the following language was added to the higher education appropriations bill:

Sec. 273a. It is the intent of the legislature that a public university that receives funds in section 236 shall not collaborate in any manner with a nonprofit worker center whose documented activities include coercion through protest, demonstration, or organization against a Michigan business.

As described in a recent front-page story in the Lansing State Journal<http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20120406/NEWS06/304060026/Higher-education-funding-tied-social-issues>, this disturbing language seems to have been the result of a field placement by a University of Michigan social work student with the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Michigan<http://www.rocmichigan.org/> (ROC-Michigan). ROC is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving working conditions and opportunities for advancement in the restaurant industry. Among many other projects furthering fair and effective economic development in Michigan, ROC has articulated demands for fair treatment of workers in Michigan restaurants. It has been suggested that the Michigan Restaurant Association suggested the language above as a retaliatory move against ROC, its interns and their faculty advisors.

This language is so broad that it could potentially prevent public universities from forming partnerships or placing students with virtually any civic, religious, or other non-profit organization that engages in public outreach. It represents direct interference by the legislature in the university curriculum, and thereby curtails the academic freedom of the universities, their faculty members, and students. It is essential that the fundamental academic freedom and citizen engagement that are at the heart of our universities’ mission not be held hostage to their budgetary needs.

We are collecting individual and organizational endorsements to include on the letter which has been cut and pasted as well as attached to this document, to Michigan legislators in the appropriations and conference committees.   The legislature is moving quickly, and it is critical that you respond as soon as possible.

Please respond to the Intercollegiate Community Engagement Working Group at intercollegiatecommunity at gmail.com<mailto:intercollegiatecommunity at gmail.com> to indicate your willingness to sign on to this letter as an individual or as an organization, and please include your title and organizational position for identification purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact Ian Robinson (e.ian.robinson at gmail.com<mailto:e.ian.robinson at gmail.com>) or Michelle Kaminski (michellekaminsk at gmail.com<mailto:michellekaminsk at gmail.com>) two members of the committee who are academic professionals.

If you prefer to send the letter directly (text attached as well as cut and pasted below), here are the email addresses of the legislators you should contact:


House Appropriations Emails:
FredDurhal at house.mi.gov<mailto:FredDurhal at house.mi.gov>, shanellejackson at house.mi.gov<mailto:shanellejackson at house.mi.gov>, rashidatlaib at house.mi.gov<mailto:rashidatlaib at house.mi.gov>, richardleblanc at house.mi.gov<mailto:richardleblanc at house.mi.gov>, anthonyforlini at house.mi.gov<mailto:anthonyforlini at house.mi.gov>, ellenlipton at house.mi.gov<mailto:ellenlipton at house.mi.gov>, kengoike at house.mi.gov<mailto:kengoike at house.mi.gov>, chuckmoss at house.mi.gov<mailto:chuckmoss at house.mi.gov>, eileenkowall at house.mi.gov<mailto:eileenkowall at house.mi.gov>, jimananich at house.mi.gov<mailto:jimananich at house.mi.gov>, nancyjenkins at house.mi.gov<mailto:nancyjenkins at house.mi.gov>, mattlori at house.mi.gov<mailto:mattlori at house.mi.gov>, seanmccann at house.mi.gov<mailto:seanmccann at house.mi.gov>, earlpoleski at house.mi.gov<mailto:earlpoleski at house.mi.gov>, billrogers at house.mi.gov<mailto:billrogers at house.mi.gov>, joanbauer at house.mi.gov<mailto:joanbauer at house.mi.gov>, petermacgregor at house.mi.gov<mailto:petermacgregor at house.mi.gov>, daveagema at house.mi.gov<mailto:daveagema at house.mi.gov>, AIPscholka at house.mi.gov<mailto:AIPscholka at house.mi.gov>, BobGenetski at house.mi.gov<mailto:BobGenetski at house.mi.gov>, JosephHaveman at house.mi.gov<mailto:JosephHaveman at house.mi.gov>, KevinCotter at house.mi.gov<mailto:KevinCotter at house.mi.gov>, JonBumstead at house.mi.gov<mailto:JonBumstead at house.mi.gov>, PhilPotvin at house.mi.gov<mailto:PhilPotvin at house.mi.gov>, GregMacMaster at house.mi.gov<mailto:GregMacMaster at house.mi.gov>, stevenlindberg at house.mi.gov<mailto:stevenlindberg at house.mi.gov>

Senate Appropriations Emails:
ofcganderson at senate.mi.gov<mailto:ofcganderson at senate.mi.gov>, sendbooher at senate.mi.gov<mailto:sendbooher at senate.mi.gov>, senbcaswell at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senbcaswell at senate.mi.gov>, senpcolbeck at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senpcolbeck at senate.mi.gov>, senmgreen at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senmgreen at senate.mi.gov>, sengvincent at sentate.mi.gov<mailto:sengvincent at sentate.mi.gov>, senmhood at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senmhood at senate.mi.gov>, senhhopgood at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senhhopgood at senate.mi.gov>, senmjenson at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senmjenson at senate.mi.gov>, senbjohnson at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senbjohnson at senate.mi.gov>, senrkahn at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senrkahn at senate.mi.gov>, senjmoolenaar at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senjmoolenaar at senate.mi.gov>, senjpappageorge at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senjpappageorge at senate.mi.gov>, senjpoos at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senjpoos at senate.mi.gov>, sentshuitmaker at senate.mi.gov<mailto:sentshuitmaker at senate.mi.gov>, senhwalker at senate.mi.gov<mailto:senhwalker at senate.mi.gov>



Thank you for supporting the academic freedom of Michigan’s public universities to engage with their communities.

Sincerely,
The Intercollegiate Community Engagement Working Group



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Dear Legislator,
The undersigned individuals and organizations write to draw your attention to proposed language in Michigan House Bill 5370 that would curtail academic freedom at any publicly funded university.

Language proposed by the House appropriations committee would prevent universities that receive public funds from collaborating with any non-profit organization that publicly criticizes any Michigan business. The language is a ham-fisted response to the concerns of one business in Southeastern Michigan whose practices were criticized by a non-profit organization while a student was serving as an intern at that non-profit.

Sec. 273a. It is the intent of the legislature that a public university that receives funds in section 236 shall not collaborate in any manner with a nonprofit worker center whose documented activities include coercion through protest, demonstration, or organization against a Michigan business.

The proposed language is so broad that it could potentially prevent public universities from forming partnerships or placing students with virtually any civic, religious, or other non-profit organization that engages in public outreach. It represents direct interference by the legislature in the university curriculum, and thereby curtails the academic freedom of the universities, their faculty members, and students.

Academic freedom is essential to the mission of the academy, and at times this can lead to ideas that can be uncomfortable for interest groups with differing viewpoints. The mission of the academy must remain independent of any particular interest group.
We are concerned that the current proposal would have a broad impact and may lead to further efforts to undermine academic freedom. We hope you will join us in seeking to preserve the independence of Michigan’s public university system.
We ask that you strike Sec. 273a from House Bill 5370 when it comes to the Senate.

Sincerely,


Individual Organizational Title & Affiliations are provided for identification purposes only



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