AAUP

Lobby Your Legislators

Tools to find your representative and senators, learn about the legislative process and key federal committees that work on higher education issues, or get in touch with others in your state.

Mission & Description

The mission of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is to advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good. Founded in 1915, the AAUP has helped to shape American higher education by developing the standards and procedures that maintain quality in education and academic freedom in this country's colleges and universities.

Meet Some Members

AAUP members from all types of institutions talk about budgets and other challenges in higher ed, the explosion in contingent appointments, the importance of new organizing, and why the AAUP's role is key.

From the President: Dues Reform

Those of you who were at the AAUP’s annual meeting this year had the opportunity to attend our immensely successful international conference on academic freedom. From an experience that has often mixed moments of inspiration with the rhythms of an annual death march, the annual meeting overnight was transformed into a major intellectual event. The Chronicle of Higher Education alone carried nine separate stories about the conference. People enjoyed themselves. We will expand the conference next year.

From the General Secretary: Academia Without the AAUP

From leaders around the country I hear that many faculty members, particularly newcomers, do not understand the AAUP’s value. “What do we get for our dues?” they sometimes ask. I’d like to consider a related question: What would academe be like without the American Association of University Professors? I title my column with a bow to the 2004 mockumentary A Day Without a Mexican, which highlights how our society could not function without the contributions made by Mexican immigrants.

Introducing the New, Restructured AAUP

As of January 1, 2013, the AAUP has reorganized into three interlocked entities under one umbrella. This change will better align our legal status with our evolving activities, our changing membership, and our ambitious aims for future programs and services. We expect that it will allow the more vigorous pursuit of fundraising, legislative lobbying at federal and state levels, program development, and union related activities.

The three entities are the AAUP Foundation, the AAUP Collective Bargaining Congress, and the AAUP.

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