Administrative/Biographical History
academic freedom and shared governance while maintaining a system of quality higher education. The national organization has both individual members and chapters on a number of college campuses and in a number of states. In 1969, Saint Michael’s faculty members who were individual members of the national organization proposed starting a chapter on campus. A local chapter was formed in January, 1972. Many faculty members joined the chapter, and they worked on issues related to faculty salaries and advocating for more shared governance in the running of the institution. The role of the chapter in campus governance was never clearly outlined however, and it struggled to achieve its goals. The chapter also met a great deal of resistance when it took a strong stance in the circumstances leading up to the resignation of Political Science professor Frank Bryan in 1972. At the same time, the Faculty regulations and the role of the Faculty Council and Faculty Welfare committee were undergoing changes, and in the end, the chapter folded entirely. In 2000 a group of faculty again started a chapter. From the outset, the chapter had a clear relationship with the Faculty Assembly and the Faculty Welfare Committee, acting as a support to them and not as negotiators. This limited role has proven successful, and the chapter continues to exist, although not to thrive on campus.
