Whereas: University administration is considering the closing of the University Museums building, relocating its collections, and operating its programming without a sitting director.
Whereas: The UNI Museums, through their educational programming, exhibitions, and student internships, strongly support campus academic programs as well as the campus strategic plan.
Whereas: The UNI Museums support of academic programs is heavily reliant on national museum accreditation and that accreditation depends upon a dedicated space for exhibitions and collection storage as well as a hierarchy of staff headed by a director.
Recognizing: UNI faculty, staff, and students as well as extra-campus entities (such as the Friends of the UNI Museums, donors, alumni, regional educators, and the general public) have shown their support and continued need for the aforementioned.
Be it therefore resolved: The University of Northern Iowa will retain a UNI Museums Director with faculty standing; locate, establish, and maintain a dedicated museum exhibition space on campus for rotating exhibits; abide by national museum standards and ethics for the holding of collections and the honoring of donor wishes; sustain the long-term academic value of the museums and collection for UNI students and faculty.
Submitted by the UNI Museums Faculty Advisory Committee
Darrell Taylor, Chair
Carol Colburn
David Christensen
Wallace Hettle
Annette Lynch
Daryl Smith
Deb Tidwell
James Walters
Barb Weeg
Tyler O’Brien