Idaho State University: Suspension of Faculty Senate
Following a series of disputes over academic freedom and shared governance between the ISU faculty and senior administration, ISU President Arthur C. Vailas and the Idaho State Board of Education ordered the suspension of ISU's Faculty Senate. A provisional senate was elected by the faculty, which returned most of the former senators to the new body, but ISU has refused to recognize its activities. FIRE and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) have raised serious concern over the implications of the unilateral dissolution of ISU's representative faculty body, and the AAUP opened a formal investigation into ISU's suspension of the Faculty Senate. The report from the AAUP investigation heavily criticizes the ISU administration for its actions against the faculty. On June 11, 2011, at the AAUP's annual meeting, its members voted unanimously to sanction ISU.
- "Idaho State Univ. Faculty Assoc. for the Preservation of the First Amendment," April 17, 2012
- "Idaho State University Faculty Association for the Preservation of the First Amendment (ISUFAPFA) federal complaint, February 14, 2012," February 14, 2012
- "AAUP Idaho State University Report," May 1, 2011
- "FIRE Letter to Idaho State University President Arthur C. Vailas, March 2, 2011," March 2, 2011
- "Letter from American Association of University Professors to Idaho State University President Arthur C. Vailas, February 22, 2011," February 22, 2011
- "Idaho State University Faculty Senate Motions, January 24, 2011," January 24, 2011
- "Idaho State Board of Education Governing Policies and Procedures, Section III.C," April 1, 2002
Case Materials
- "Idaho State Faculty Sue University and President Alleging First Amendment Violations," by Azhar Majeed, February 16, 2012
- "AAUP Sanctions Idaho State University for Suspending Faculty Senate," by Adam Kissel, June 13, 2011: In March, FIRE called upon Idaho State University President Arthur C. Vailas to explain the Idaho State Board of Education's February decision to suspend Idaho State's Faculty Senate. The suspension, levied just one week after the Faculty Senate recorded a vote of no confidence in Vailas, raised serious questions about the university's commitment to academic freedom and shared governance. Following an investigation, on Saturday the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) unanimously voted to sanction the university.
- "Following Suspension of Faculty Senate, FIRE Asks for Answers at Idaho State University," by William Creeley, March 3, 2011: In a letter yesterday, FIRE called upon Idaho State University President Arthur C. Vailas to explain the Idaho State Board of Education's recent decision to suspend Idaho State's Faculty Senate. The suspension, levied just one week after the Faculty Senate recorded a vote of no confidence in Vailas, raises serious questions about the university's commitment to academic freedom and shared governance.
- "State Board of Education Suspends Idaho State's Faculty Senate," by Peter Bonilla, February 18, 2011
Blog Entries
- "Court affirms dismissal of Idaho professor's case,"
by Associated Press, Idaho Press-Tribune, December 2, 2011
