Public Relations
In September 2009, tenured faculty members represented by the OU chapter of the AAUP went on strike. Issues of contention included the University claiming ownership of professors' copyrights and patents and refusing to allow faculty input into matters of class size and curricula, reduction of health benefits, and a three-year freeze of salaries (particularly since the university president, Gary Russi, had just received a $100,000 raise). The University Board of Trustees maintained that the strike was illegal and filed a lawsuit against the Oakland AAUP. After a week's strike, the faculty and administration came to a tentative agreement on a three-year contract, which was implemented.
In January, 2012, student Joseph Corlett was suspended for a year from Oakland University after the Student Conduct Hearing Committee allowed his "Daybook" assignment in his English 380 Advanced Critical Writing class to be used against him despite written warnings from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) that the assignment was constitutionally protected speech. Professor Pamela Mitzelfeld brought Unlawful Individual Activities charges against Corlett after reading his "Hot for Teacher" essay in his Daybook. In addition, Corlett is "persona non grata" (person not wanted) on campus, must undergo psychological counseling before readmittance, and will remain on probation as long as he is enrolled.
Read more about this topic: Oakland University
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“A state that denies its citizens their basic rights becomes a danger to its neighbors as well: internal arbitrary rule will be reflected in arbitrary external relations. The suppression of public opinion, the abolition of public competition for power and its public exercise opens the way for the state power to arm itself in any way it sees fit.... A state that does not hesitate to lie to its own people will not hesitate to lie to other states.”
—Václav Havel (b. 1936)
“I only desire sincere relations with the worthiest of my acquaintance, that they may give me an opportunity once in a year to speak the truth.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)