At an open faculty forum held Nov. 19, 2009, Oakland University President Gary Russi promised to hold more open discussions and facilitate direct communication with faculty.

The winter semester faculty open forum is 4 p.m. Thursday, March 11 in the Gold Rooms of the Oakland Center.

It will be in the same format as the November forum.

OU’s new communications website, The POINT, keeps track of the promises that Russi made last November and has fulfilled since.

The new site, which was launched at his state of the campus address, can be visited at www.oakland.edu/thepoint.

Not fully satisfied with the progress Russi has made to date, the Oakland chapter of the American Association of University Professors is holding a vote of no confidence regarding Russi’s leadership.

The vote, which is to be online and confidential, will be held March 24-31.

Promises Made

• Ensuring that the process of shared governance is followed

• Scheduling regular meetings with the deans, department chairs and association

(AAUP) leadership

• Opening access to Wilson Hall

• Annual campus-wide leadership meeting will be open

• Making the application to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and all

medical school documents available in Kresge Library

• Arrange for the Vice President for Finance and Administration to begin meeting and

gathering input from the Senate Budget Review Committee

• Working with the Provost and the Deans to improve the budget process

• Asking the Senate to assemble a committee to review the process of purchasing

software and equipment

• Instructed the Director of University Diversity and Compliance to work with the LBGTA

ERG to develop a policy that shows the university supports them

• Donating $100,000 to OU

Progress Made

• Access to the executive office corridor has been opened

• Gave a one-time $100,000 donation to the university

• At a March 3 board of trustees meeting, Russi stated his support for an inclusive policy for LBGTA ERG

• Vice president for finance and administration John Beaghan has met with Academic Council, provost, deans and University Senate Budget Review Committee

• Russi met with BOT members, provost and four faculty members March 2 and will meet again April 7 and is holding an open forum with faculty Thursday, March 11