It has come to our attention that some candidates may be unaware of the prohibition against using resources of AAUP chapters, state conferences, or the national office (“Association resources”) to advance their candidacies. These restrictions are imposed by the AAUP’s election bylaws, which are modeled on a federal statute, the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), also known as the Landrum-Griffin Act. Under the AAUP’s policies and the LMRDA, candidates for AAUP office, including officer positions in the Assembly of State Conferences and the Collective Bargaining Congress, are prohibited from, among other things:
- Expending Association funds or resources in any amount in support of their candidacy, including such “minimal” uses as using a copier, computer, or e-mail account
- Using college or university resources, including e-mail accounts or computer resources, to advance their campaigns
- Receiving or soliciting endorsements over AAUP electronic listservs, or conducting other electioneering activities over AAUP listservs.
In addition, as the AAUP election bylaws note:
AAUP members who hold office in the Association at any level—national, state or local—who wish to list their AAUP positions in an endorsement of candidates for AAUP office are permitted to do so (except members of the Election Committee), but only if an asterisk is placed next to their name with the following statement: “The organizational affiliation is listed for identification purposes only and does not imply any endorsement by the organization.”
No member of the Election Appeals Committee may endorse a candidate for AAUP office.
For more information, please consult the AAUP’s guide titled “Newsletters, Listserv Electioneering, and AAUP Elections. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter or permissible activities, please contact Gregory Scholtz, staff to the AAUP Election Committee.
Thank you –
AAUP Election Committee