Seamless admission idea draws fire from AU faculty

A number of Auburn University faculty members expressed concern, and even displeasure, Tuesday with a new program that would allow Auburn Montgomery students to attend classes on the main campus.

Rik Blumenthal, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, told his colleagues at the University Senate meeting that he was “disturbed” by several parts of the Auburn/AUM Seamless Admission program, presented by AUM Chancellor Dr. John Veres.

“To me, this is kind of a crazy concept,” Blumenthal said. “It’s Auburn University at Montgomery at Auburn University.”

Veres said the program would allow AUM to admit the students who are not admitted to AU. They would be admitted to AUM, “but those students would live and take classes in Auburn, Alabama,” he said. Classes would be taught primarily by Auburn Montgomery faculty in buildings on the main campus that are not used after 3 p.m.

After a year and 30 semester hours, each student could apply to transfer to AU, if they met the requirements of all transfer students.

Blumenthal said the concept seemed like a way for the Montgomery campus to use the Auburn “brand name” to acquire students for itself. Admitting them to Auburn after a year didn’t seem like a good idea to him because it would seemingly undercut AU’s initiative to attract more high-achieving students, as well as its attempts at a diverse student population. The typical third-generation Auburn student is white, he said.

AUM faculty may have the classroom space to teach, but a few Auburn faculty members said office space would be hard to come by. Blumenthal went as far to say that AUM faculty wouldn’t be treated fairly here.

Provost John Heilman disagreed, and said he would do everything in his power to accommodate the visiting faculty. After all comments were made, Heilman publicly apologized to Veres for any disparaging comments that were aimed toward his campus and faculty.

Veres, on the other hand, wasn’t bothered. He touted the positives for both campuses. He said Montgomery gets to boost its enrollment, which has been flat for the past six years, and generate more tuition dollars at a time when state dollars are dwindling. And, after a year, AU gets a field of sophomores who should be more prepared to be successful at Auburn than a transfer student from a two-year college, he said.

“I personally would have much more faith in the Auburn Montgomery faculty,” said Tom Smith, an associate professor in human development.

AUM doesn’t attract many out-of-states students now, but with the program, Veres said they can capture them, as well as out-of-state tuition. AU presently attracts far more out-of-states students than AUM, but Smith said it wouldn’t hurt Auburn in the slightest to get more of them and their money as well.

A pilot version of the program will admit 100 students this fall.

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