Vice President University

George E. Holmes, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC., 20059; 202-***-****; Fax 410-***-****; E-mail abqiml@r.postjobfree.com; http://www.aaupdc.org

CANDIDATE

AAUP GENERAL SECRETARY

OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES AND GOALS

I have been a member of AAUP since 1976. I have been and will continue to be a strong supporter of the principles and standards of AAUP. Some of my activities are detailed on the web site of the D.C. Conference, of which I am President (http://www.aaupdc.org). As examples, in the late 1950s, I was secretary, treasurer and one of five leaders, actively involved in the sit-in demonstrations to integrate East Texas. As President of the Howard University Chapter, I organized and chaired the Howard University/ University of the District of Columbia Coalition Committee which lobbied Congress, the local government of Washington DC, and President Bill Clinton, an activity instrumental in saving UDC as a comprehensive, four-year university. Without UDC, many poor folks in the District would not have access to an "in-state" low cost university education. I have demonstrated that I have represented our members and our AAUP organization at the Chapter and Conference levels. As General Secretary I will seek to have AAUP members and administrators around the nation respect the AAUP at the national level.

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EDUCATION

Wiley College, Marshall, Texas, B. S., 1956-60, Biology and Chemistry.

School of Medical Technology, DePaul Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, 1960-61, Registered Medical Technologist, M.T. (ASCP).

Chicago State University, Chicago, Illinois, M. S., 1965-67, Natural Sciences.

University of California, Davis, California, began Ph.D., 1967-68, Molecular Genetics.

University of Arizona Medical Center, The Molecular Biology Program, Tucson, Arizona, Ph.D., 1968-73, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

ACADEMIC CAREER

Faculty member of Howard University, College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Washington, DC., 20059. Assistant Professor, 1974-1982; Associate Professor, 1982-present.

The Rockefeller University, New York, N.Y., Research Associate, 1973-74.

AAUP ACTIVITIES

Member since 1976

Chapter Activities

AAUP ACTIVITIES AT Howard University

Elected President of HU’S Chapter of AAUP May 1995 to present

One of the principal organizers of the re-activation of the Howard University Chapter of AAUP in 1993 (HUC-AAUP).

Executive Editor and Public Relations Director of HU Chapter. Organized and obtained the funds for the first Newsletter publication for the Chapter.

Led the drive for No Confidence votes of AAUP to remove Howard University President Jenifer. Key individual in the removal of President Jenifer from office (see front-page article of Washington Post Article Monday, December 20, 1993).

Increased HU AAUP membership to approximately 100 active members.

Maintained traditional tenure at Howard University through a public media campaign, plus internal communications with the Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees.

One of two facilitators and producers who led the drive to obtain money for radio advertisements rotating on the leading radio news station in Washington area (WTOP, 1500). The 20 spots were heard from February 2 to February 10, 1995, during Black History month. These spots informed the public of the necessity to maintain tenure in the University and not to place it in a College or School.

Fox Television Channel 5 heard the radio spot on February 2, 1995. David Burnett called me and filmed on February 3, 1995. We aired on the 10:00 P.M. news, February 4, 1995.

On March 3, 1995, HU’s Chapter of AAUP sent a flier to the Faculty Handbook Committee, the Council of the Senate and the Board of Trustees regarding our disagreement with the three parties negotiations' decisions (faculty, administration, and board). We reaffirmed our position that tenure remain in the University and not in the College of Program. The proposed actions were postponed, not allowing the administration to move against the faculty.

Developed effective use of public media. Developed relationship with public media outlets. Sent key and pertinent press releases to the Washington Post, at critical periods on different issues that were published by the newspaper. Kept the Washington Post informed about key issues in academia and events at Howard University.

On May 26, 1995 the Chairperson of Academic Affairs Committee, some Board of Trustees members, and the three party negotiators decided to meet on June 2, 1995 on a Program Elimination Plan, the Faculty Grievance Process, and Handbook Negotiations. The Executive Committee of HU’S chapter of AAUP was outraged by the memorandum and as a result on May 31, 1995 the Executive Committee (6 members) of the Chapter sent a letter of detailed facts to the newly chosen President, Board of Trustees, and members of Faculty Senate Council, and AAUP members blocking their proposed actions.

Because of these and other improper activities related to the handbook negotiations, the Executive Committee of HU’S Chapter of AAUP voted No Confidence and demanded the IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee, the three administrative representatives on the Faculty Handbook Committee, the Vice President of Academic Affairs (who has been replaced), and the Vice President of Health Affairs and a dean.

Three days later, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees resigned.

The Board again tried to meet and to carry out their destructive policies on June 16, 1995. Again, the AAUP took a stand against them. The new president of the University was informed. He took action and put the negotiations on hold until September 1995.

Obtained facilities in the College of Medicine to set-up a central office of HU-AAUP where we inform and educate present and future faculty members and administrators with respect to issues of academic freedom, due process, rights, privileges, rules and procedures.

Received an Academic Leadership Award from the University of District of Columbia Faculty, April 29, 1995. This was an acknowledgement for efforts made to save the University of the District of Columbia.

Received a distinguished service award from HU’s Chapter of AAUP for service to the Chapter in 1995.

I was nominated and ran for Council seat of District X against Dr. Jane Buck, 1995-96. Dr. Jane Buck won the election.

AAUP ACTIVITIES AT THE STATE/DISTRICT CONFERENCE

One of the founders of the Conference of the District of Columbia in 1998

Elected 1st President of the District of Columbia Conference of the AAUP

Served as President of the District of Columbia Conference from 1998 to present

A founding member of Committee A on Academic Freedom and tenure from 1999 to present

A founding member of Committee T on governance from 1999 to present

In 2001, helped negotiate a settlement between faculty at Mount Vernon College and George Washington University

In 2001, helped resolved a grievance of Gallaudet’s Chapter of AAUP against University President

I invited Major Anthony A. Williams of the District of Columbia to speak at the District of Columbia Conference AAUP first annual meeting June 11, 1999, in conjunction with the National AAUP meeting at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, D.C., where I was master of ceremonies.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES

FACULTY SENATE

(The Faculty Senate at Howard University was made independent of the administration in 1993.)

Elected each year to the College of Medicine/Hospital Faculty Grievance Committee (3 members and 3 alternates) from 1982 to 1993.

In 1993-present, set-up and established rules and procedures for the faculty members and administrators to hear and resolve grievances.

On March 17, 1994, was elected to the first University-wide Faculty Grievance Commission of Seven members. Previously there were 17 Schools/Colleges with grievance committees. Now we have only one commission.

I was elected chairman of the Faculty Grievance Commission from, 1994 to present.

Chairman of Faculty Grievance Commission Hearing Panel 1994 to present.

Established and formulated rules and procedures for the Commission.

Obtained, through the administration, funds for an outside independent legal officer to assist the Commission in its operation.

Have resolved many faculty member's tenure and grievance issues through the Faculty Grievance Commission, which is an independent conflict resolution mechanism between the faculty and administration.

(Hearings are held where the grievant brings their lawyer, the administration brings their lawyer, and the Commission has an outside independent lawyer paid by the University.)

Member of the Faculty Senate Task Force on Presidential Transition. This committee informed the president on the status of all 17 schools/colleges and other administrative issues.

Involved in the Faculty Handbook Negotiations on Faculty Grievances Commission.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES RESEARCH

Obtained an RO1 Research grant from the National Institute on Aging (RO1 AG 03557) on September-29-1982 entitled Aging in Paramecium by Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Lesions. As a consequence, I have published research at the molecular level as to why all living organisms age (Molecular & General Genetics, 204: 108-114, 1986: Gerontology, 32: 252-260, 1986). Invited review article, Mutation Research vol. 275: 305-315, 1992. (I was one of 28 scientists from around the world chosen to publish in the special edition on the molecular basis on aging.) I was the first to map the T4 ligase gene (Molecular & General Genetics, 148: 213-220, 1976) which is used in all recombinant DNA research today. I helped unravel the relationship between translation and transcription in molecular biology (Nature, 250: 73-75, 1974). I demonstrated that a fragment of a protein could give partial gene activity (Virology, 16: 1085-1089, 1975). I was the first to demonstrate at the molecular level how DNA damage caused by the cancer drug mitomycin C was repaired in bacteriophage T4 (Virology, 103: 299-310, 1980).

Invited to attend the Gordon Conference on Biology of Aging July 21-25, 1986.

Obtained a travel grant from the American Society of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology to present my research on aging at the 15th International Congress of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Jerusalem, Israel on August 1990.

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

American Society of Biological Chemists and Molecular Biology, February 1976-present

Charter member of the American Society for Virology, March 1982-present.

Medical Technologist (ASCP) Registered

LISTED IN

Who’s Who in the World

Who’s Who in America

Who’s Who in the East

Who’s Who in Science and Engineering

Who’s Who in Medicine and Health care

American Men and Women in Science and Medicine, 13th edition, 1976-present.

The District of Columbia Conference AAUP Web page: http://www.aaupdc.org will further describe my activities and services to academic freedom, due process, rules, faculty rights, governance, and commitment to AAUP’s standards and principles. As an example, see article reproduced below: Meet the President -- (DCC Advocate April, 1998):

MEET THE PRESIDENT

The District Conference elected George E. Holmes, Ph.D., as its first president who will serve in the interim until regular elections are held next fall. George was elected as president, in part, in recognition of the leadership he provided in forming the District Conference. George Holmes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology of the College of Medicine at Howard University. He received his Ph.D., from the University of Arizona in 1973. Before coming to Howard University in 1974, he spent a year at Rockefeller University as a Research Associate. He has had an active and productive research career at Howard University in molecular genetics.

George is a leader of integrity who seeks justice and equality for mankind. In the late 1950s, he was secretary, treasurer, and one of five leaders actively involved in the sit-in demonstrations to integrate East Texas. As he pursued his professional career, he was the first black student at both the School of Medical Technology at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis and in the Department of Microbiology of the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson. While working for his doctoral degree, he facilitated the admission of the first black student into the medical class at the University of Arizona. Recently, George organized and chaired the Howard University-University of the District of Columbia coalition committee that wrote a report instrumental in saving UDC as a comprehensive, four-year College. With UDC, poor folks and minorities in the District have access to the opportunities provided by higher education and the fruits of our society.

George has been the energetic president of Howard's Chapter of the AAUP since 1995. As described in Chapter News (Howard University, page 6), he has been a central mover in preserving the soul and integrity of Howard University for present and future generations. The goal to build a world-class university at Howard will be achieved on the foundation provided by the principles and standards of the AAUP promoted by its local chapter and leaders such as George.

George reputation is one who will not transgress for a piece of bread." As such, he has been the main force in empowering the Faculty Grievance Commission at Howard, first at the medical school and later at the university as a whole. The commission provides an internal conflict resolution mechanism by which grievances can be resolved equitably and fairly. After years of long and painful struggles, it appears that the administration, as well as the faculty, is beginning to solicit the commission to settle disputes. By following established rules and procedures, the university is saving millions of dollars in unnecessary legal costs for dealing with incidents of arbitrary and capricious conduct by administrators. With this newly added secure layer of protection, the faculty are facilitated in advancing their professional careers at Howard University.

Descriptions of my activities were also given in the petition nominating me for Second Vice President during the past election for AAUP national officers, reproduced below.

Nomination from the District of Columbia Conference AAUP Executive Committee for George E. Holmes, Ph.D., for the Second Vice President of the National AAUP election, 2002.

I hereby officially request that the name of Dr. George Holmes, President of the District of Columbia AAUP Conference, be put in for nomination for Second Vice President of the National AAUP at this time. Dr. Holmes has served two terms as DC Conference President, and has distinguished himself throughout by his concern for others, his sense of fair play, his advocacy of academic freedom, due process, and democratic procedures in all he has done. Under his leadership, the DC Conference has succeeded in resolving a major academic freedom case involving George Washington University and a total of twenty faculty members who had been removed from tenure protection and dismissed for administrative considerations. Dr. Holmes was one of the key people involved in the final settlement of this matter, and presided over the final arbitration that led to a settlement satisfactory to all. The DC Conference under Dr. Holmes has also assisted the faculty of Gallaudet University in largely resolving governance issues with their President, and achieving a level of dialogue where the Gallaudet President has agreed to meet regularly with the university AAUP Chapter and negotiate mutually satisfactory solutions with them. Dr. Holmes has also made considerable contributions to the improvement of the situation of faculty at the University of the District of Columbia, and has assisted a number of them in regaining or being reassured of their positions when arbitrary cuts were being attempted for no justifiable academic purpose. I would like to add that at our last meeting the DC Conference Executive Committee unanimously voted to support this nomination of Dr. Holmes, and accordingly I am also sending this nomination request to them, as well as to the AAUP officers concerned in the process and the ASC President and Vice President as well. I think Dr. Holmes would be an excellent person for the position of Second Vice President, and I am sure all colleagues in the DC AAUP Conference, as well as many other AAUP members around the country who know him, will strongly agree.

Sincerely,

Michael McCaskey

GU AAUP Chapter Secretary.

DC AAUP Conference Secretary.

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