In a recent faculty meeting I presumed literacy. I apologize for that presumption.
On 25 March 2014 I proposed an amendment: “Implementation The
‘Knowledge, Identity, and Power’ requirement for graduation shall not be
implemented until a majority of the faculty shall consent by means of a mail
ballot corresponding to the electronic process used to elect members of the
Faculty Senate.” The faculty promptly passed this amendment. A bit later a member of the faculty asked whether "a majority of the faculty" meant more than half of all faculty rather than more than half of all faculty who voted. I confirmed that such was my reading of the language. After some folderol, the faculty reconsidered and relaxed that amendment so that a majority of all faculty who voted could implement the diversity overlay.
Since that meeting some colleagues have faulted me for failing to tell faculty what they were voting on. I read my amendment aloud. I distributed printed copies of the text of the amendment. That was apparently not enough to indicate to colleagues what they were voting on.
I presumed the faculty literate. I apologize.
I promise that, the next time I move any language in a faculty meeting, I shall use finger puppets.
On behalf of "Rump Parliament," I thank my colleagues for parodying themselves. That eases my workload.
2 comments:
Did you notice that the dean immediately began to distort the language to get results more to her liking? I thought the presiding officer was supposed to stay neutral.
Yes, I noticed. Multiple colleagues stated after the meeting their agreement with the Dean's subterfuge, so the presiding officer was not too far in front of her faculty in subverting the vote.
The Dean's spin was not what you should have noticed. Rather, the celerity with which the Dean produced a spin to negate the literal should have impressed you. That is a "Full UPS:" Invert meaning and assert that the inverted meaning was intended by the faculty. The amendment did not mean what it said; the amendment means what persons in authority want it to mean.
Why does the Dean do this? Because she can. She enjoys the cynical but accurate confidence that the faculty flock will go along.
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