Wednesday, August 20, 2008

All your book are belong to us 

In the newsletter of our union, regarding the MnSCU Code of Conduct:
Faculty should be aware of one important policy change in the Employee Ethics portion of the Code. State law allows faculty to accept free samples of textbooks and related materials. Even though free samples become the property of the faculty to whom they are given, the new Code includes a policy restricting how faculty may dispose of such items. Part 3, Subpart B (1) prohibits faculty from selling free sample books and materials �for the personal benefit of the faculty member.� Under the Code, faculty are still permitted to donate such items to charity. Alternatively, you may sell such items as long as the sale does not profit the faculty member personally. For example, the policy would permit faculty in a department to pool their unused textbooks to be sold to fund student travel or to benefit the educational needs of the department.
In A.D. 2008, semester was beginning.
Professor: What happen ?
Office manager: Somebody set up us the administration.
Provost's office: We get email as official university communication.
Professor: What !
Provost Office: Main screen turn on.
Professor: It's you !!
MnSCU: How are you colleagues !!
MnSCU: All your book are belong to us.
MnSCU: You are on the way to principles of economics.
Professor: What you say !!
MnSCU: You have no chance to survive make your time.
MnSCU: Ha ha ha ha ....
Provost Office: Professor !! *
Professor: Take off every 'duty day'!!
Professor: You know what you doing.
Professor: Move 'duty day'.
Professor: For great justice.
AYBABTU.

The above attempt at humor will resonate more with workers here at SCSU. The links may help explain. My textbook sample sales fund a thank-you pizza party for the department student workers and have for several years. But what's the ethic involved here? Do we think selling textbooks makes their price higher? What about the revenue the university gets from renting the on-campus bookstore?

The next step may be the administration choosing our books.

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