From: "Lyons, Beauvais" Date: Friday, September 17, 2021 at 8:55 PM To: "Gross, Louis J" , "Spirko, Robert L" , "Killion, Brooke" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" Subject: Please send the email thread below and the attached memo from Provost Zomchick to the Faculty Senate before meet on Monday Dear John, Thanks for writing. I think the committee expected a more complete response that specifically addressed our questions, which would make the most efficient use of our meeting. Many on the committee had hoped your response might have expressed some empathy for the unfair treatment of Dr. Hu. We will communicate your response to the Faculty Senate in preparation for our meeting on Monday. The questions the committee asked you to consider in our memo of September 13 fall into two main categories: 1. Justice for Dr. Hu: Many are concerned about the need to provide a fair and just reinstatement of Dr. Hu to his position on the faculty, including back pay. Doing so will be a step in the right direction, not only for those in the Asian Community, but among our academic colleagues nationally about the reputation of our university. In your letter you note the importance of protecting the interests of the university as a guiding principle in your decision process. I think there is broad consensus on our campus that the reinstatement of Dr. Hu with back pay is in the best interests of the university’s reputation. 2. Review of our Faculty Handbook: We also want to work your office to make changes to our handbook that will help better protect faculty rights. This include the meaning and process of consultation with the faculty senate, ensuring a subpoena or FOIA request is filed before the release of personnel data by the university, and the need for faculty to be informed when such requests are made. It is hard for many to understand how the spirit of the handbook, one that protects faculty rights was fulfilled in this case. Thanks, Beauvais Lyons Beauvais Lyons Chancellor’s Professor School of Art 1715 Volunteer Blvd. 241 Art & Architecture Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996-2410 Office: 01-865-974-3202 Mobile: 01-865-387-0542 Email: blyons@utk.edu Hokes Archives: http://volweb.utk.edu/~blyons UTK Printmaking: http://art.utk.edu/printmaking Video Profile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kz5_ZEOC1A From: Zomchick, John P Date: Friday, September 17, 2021 at 4:51 PM To: Lyons, Beauvais Cc: dplowman , Gross, Louis J , Berg, Tom , Dodds, George P , Greenacre, Cheryl Benham , Jia, Justin , Laughter, Jud (Jud Laughter) , McAlpin, Mary K , Sun, Kai , Westerhold, Jessica Anne , Kelly, Diane , Driskill, Owen Subject: Re: Questions Regarding the Case of Dr. Amning Hu Dear Beauvais, Attached is my response to your memo of September 13. I look forward to the opportunity to answer questions at Monday's Faculty Senate meeting. Best regards, John John P. Zomchick Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Professor of English University of Tennessee 527 Andy Holt Tower Knoxville, TN 37996-0152 865-974-2445 865-974-4811 fax provost@utk.edu From: Lyons, Beauvais Sent: Monday, September 13, 2021 8:19 AM To: Zomchick, John P Cc: dplowman ; Gross, Louis J ; Berg, Tom ; Dodds, George P ; Greenacre, Cheryl Benham ; Jia, Justin ; Laughter, Jud (Jud Laughter) ; McAlpin, Mary K ; Sun, Kai ; Westerhold, Jessica Anne ; Kelly, Diane ; Lyons, Beauvais Subject: Questions Regarding the Case of Dr. Amning Hu Dear John: In your letter to the faculty from August 4th you indicated your willingness to respond to questions at the first meeting of the Faculty Senate on September 20. The attached memorandum includes a set of questions drafted by the Faculty Senate Faculty Affairs Committee that seek clarification regarding your letter and the broader implications for university policies and procedures that stem from this case. This memo will be an information item at today’s meeting of the Faculty Senate Executive Council and we request a response in writing in preparation for the September 20 Faculty Senate Meeting. Cordially, Beauvais Lyons Beauvais Lyons Chancellor’s Professor School of Art 1715 Volunteer Blvd. 241 Art & Architecture Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996-2410 Office: 01-865-974-3202 Mobile: 01-865-387-0542 Email: blyons@utk.edu Hokes Archives: http://volweb.utk.edu/~blyons UTK Printmaking: http://art.utk.edu/printmaking Video Profile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kz5_ZEOC1A