7) A faculty member wrote that I was being a cheerleader for
the development office and that I should be focusing more effort on
supporting academic freedom, and perhaps starting a union and lobbying
for a tenure system.  In his words,

"The Senate's first goal, in my opinion, should be to promote academic
freedom.  Given the firing and impending firing of Business faculty for
speaking their minds about the BISK deal, the faculty essentially has no
academic freedom.  The Senate has been notoriously weak in the 25 years
that I've been here on such issues.  Things are getting progressively
worse on campus.  Perhaps the Senate needs to address the issues of tenure
and unionization.

The 50th Anniversary is not the Senate's concern, in my opinion.  We
already pay excessive salaries to Development Office staff to take care of
such things.  We are not hired to be cheerleaders."

Brenner:

My goal regarding the 50th anniversary is not to be
a cheerleader for the development office.  The development
office enlisted my predecessor and now me to help with the
50th Anniversary campaign, however.  Helping a little does
not cost a lot of time or money.  Having a positive
attitude about helping engenders a spirit of teamwork that
is the key to any successful organization.  My goals with
the seminar series are to a) provide a reason for the
faculty to come together as a cohesive unit; b) celebrate
our history; c) provide a common vision for FIT's future;
and d) get some much needed publicity for the positive
things that we do around here.  Beyond the seminar series,
I'll go to a few golf fundraisers when asked by the
President to support the 50th Anniversary Campaign, frankly
because I like to golf.  I'll make a few donations to various
fundraising events as well.