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January 8, 2014

VIA ELECTRONIC AND USPS MAIL

Dr. Michael Martin

Chancellor

Colorado State University System

410 17th Street, Suite 2440

Denver, Colorado 80202

Dr. Lesley Di Mare

President

Colorado State University – Pueblo

2200 Bonforte Boulevard

Pueblo, Colorado 81001

Dear Chancellor Martin and President Di Mare:

This letter is prompted by reports that Chancellor Martin has informally proposed the

elimination of numerous Colorado State University - Pueblo faculty positions in order to

meet a planned 2014-15 budget reduction. The university is not reported as having

declared financial exigency.

You are doubtless aware that the interest of our Association in a current situation such as

that reported at Colorado State University – Pueblo stems from its longstanding

commitment to academic freedom, tenure, and due process. The basic standards are

articulated in the enclosed 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and

Tenure, jointly formulated by the AAUP and the Association of American Colleges and

Universities and endorsed by more than 210 scholarly and higher-education

organizations. Derivative procedural standards are set forth in the AAUP’s enclosed

Recommended Institutional Regulations on Academic Freedom and Tenure, and The Role

of the Faculty in Conditions of Financial Exigency.

As these documents specify, the AAUP recognizes only three bases for the termination of

faculty appointments as being consistent with principles of academic freedom and tenure:

(1) dismissal for cause, (2) bona fide financial exigency, and (3) program discontinuance

for educational reasons, as determined by the faculty. See particularly Regulations 4 and

5 of the Recommended Institutional Regulations. Because the stated grounds for the

threatened terminations are financial, the most applicable AAUP-recommended

Chancellor Martin and President Di Mare

January 8, 2014

Page 2

procedural standards would appear to be those related to financial exigency, as

incorporated in Regulation 4c of the Recommended Institutional Regulations.

We shall be watching developments at Pueblo closely. We certainly hope that the

terminations of faculty appointments can be avoided. If not, we shall be available to

advise and assist professors who are adversely affected and other faculty and

administrative officers who may be involved.

Sincerely,

Anita Levy, Ph.D.

Associate Secretary

Enclosures (by electronic mail only)