Employment Opportunities

National Office:

Program Officer - Academic Freedom and Tenure

Paralegal/Program Assistant

Research Assistant (Regular Part-time)

Conference:

Michigan Conference Executive Director

Chapter:

Managing Director-Hofstra Chapter of the AAUP

Program Officer - Academic Freedom and Tenure

The American Association of University Professors seeks applications for an entry-level program officer in the Department of Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Governance.  Responsibilities include implementing AAUP-recommended standards by providing advice and responding to faculty complaints, working with staff and leaders to address pertinent policy issues in higher education, and representing the AAUP in national, regional, and local forums.  Faculty experience and a working familiarity with AAUP principles and standards preferred.  The successful candidate will have the ability to analyze complicated cases, the capacity for handling multiple projects, excellent writing skills, a diplomatic temperament when dealing with diverse viewpoints and personalities, sound judgment, scholarly/legal training, and the capacity for cooperative work with staff colleagues and volunteer leaders.  Salary mid-60s, staff union, excellent benefits.

Review of applications will begin in October and will continue until the position is filled, with the appointment beginning no later than summer 2011.  Applicants should submit a letter indicating their interest, along with a résumé of relevant experience, by email to commasearch@aaup.org or by mail to:  Academic Freedom and Tenure Search Committee, AAUP, 1133 Nineteenth Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036-3655. No telephone inquires please.

Applications from minorities and women are encouraged.  AAUP is an equal-opportunity employer. 

Paralegal/Program Assistant

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is seeking a full-time Paralegal/Program Assistant to join an in-house legal department consisting of two full-time attorneys.  The successful candidate will have at least a bachelor’s degree, excellent writing and software skills, good communication skills, impeccable organization, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.  Recent college graduates with the relevant experience and an interest in higher education, the First Amendment or in serving the progressive nonprofit community are particularly invited to apply.  A paralegal certificate is encouraged but not required; however, some experience providing support to a legal office is highly preferred. 

The AAUP is a national membership organization founded in 1915 that is active in areas including intellectual freedom, due process, professional ethics, and university governance.  The AAUP’s legal department provides in-house legal and other support work for the Association.  The work of the department includes appellate brief writing and drafting of articles and other publications on issues including academic freedom and the First Amendment, as well as consultation with faculty members, attorneys, and administrators on higher education issues, collective bargaining, and litigation.  Additionally, the counsel’s office handles a significant amount of in-house legal work for the Association including a variety of election, tax, labor, personnel, financial, and contract issues, as well as legal support for various committees and departments.

Responsibilities include:

1. Performing legal research using Lexis and other resources; 
2. Drafting memoranda for in-house attorneys;
3. Drafting articles, emails, or other materials for members or other constituencies;
4. Providing initial responses to, and performing triage on, member inquiries and requests for attorney referrals;
5. Copy editing and cite checking articles and other public documents;
6. Managing and/or acting as the point of contact for a network of volunteer attorneys and several Association committees;
7. Working closely on projects with other Association departments;
8. Organizing and maintaining the legal department’s paper and electronic files, including chron files, subject matter files, and various internal files;
9. Overseeing bills and reimbursements for travel, outside counsel costs, publications, and other matters; and
10. Assisting with other administrative tasks as needed.

The above describes general job duties and responsibilities.  It is not a complete listing of job duties.  Candidates may be required to perform additional tasks related to these duties. The AAUP uses a Microsoft Office platform, including Word, Outlook, and Excel; candidates must be proficient with these, and proficiency with Lexis and PACER is strongly preferred.

Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Send resume and cover letter to: Paralegal Search, AAUP, 1133 Nineteenth Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036, or legal.dept@aaup.org.  Screening will begin immediately and continue until filled.  No phone calls please.

Research Assistant (Regular Part-time)

Available late September 2010

The American Association of University Professors is seeking a part-time research assistant to work on its annual Faculty Compensation Survey and other projects. The Survey is widely recognized as the premier national resource on faculty compensation, and forms the basis for the Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession, published each April. The position involves data entry and editing using a custom Web database system and other software, and providing assistance to survey respondents by phone and e-mail. The position is located in downtown Washington, DC.

The successful candidate will be extremely detail-oriented and accustomed to working with numeric data; basic computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Excel are required. Experience with programming and/or statistical data analysis (such as SPSS or SAS) will be an advantage. Applicants should have a completed degree in a social science, business, education, or another relevant discipline; applicants with graduate credentials will be given preference.

Applicants must be legally eligible to work at a non-university location; the AAUP cannot process visa paperwork for foreign students for this position. Good communication skills in both spoken and written English are a requirement.
This is a regular part-time position at 0.7 FTE, approximately 26.25 hours per week. The work schedule is somewhat flexible, spread over 3-5 days each week. The position will pay $18.00 per hour (approximately $24,500 annually), with prorated benefits including health insurance, leave, and participation in the AAUP retirement plan. This position is part of the staff union bargaining unit.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter and c.v. describing their qualifications (no writing samples or reference letters at this time) to Dr. John Curtis, Director of Research and Public Policy. Review of applications will begin immediately. No phone calls, please.

The American Association of University Professors is a nonprofit charitable and educational organization that promotes academic freedom and shared governance in American higher education. The AAUP has about 47,000 members at colleges and universities throughout the United States. The AAUP recruits, appoints, trains, and promotes personnel in all positions on a basis demonstrably related to the job function and not limited by such factors as sex, disability, race, religion, age, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Managing Director-Hofstra Chapter of the AAUP

The Hofstra Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) seeks a dynamic and resourceful Managing Director. The successful candidate must demonstrate that s/he can successfully manage our union office and be responsive to the interests of our 500+ members that include both full-­?time and part-­?time professors. This person must possess excellent oral and written communication skills, computer facility, relationship-­?building finesse, leadership and management expertise as well as organizing experience. S/he will report to our Chapter President and work with the Executive Committee to develop a strategic plan to enforce our contract, communicate with our members, respond to member inquiries, and design educational outreach efforts.

Description of Duties:

• Guide and assist membership in contract negotiations, contract disputes, grievances or other situations requiring tact, diplomacy, and skillful argument. 
• Prepare and submit regular reports to the Executive Committee on progress in meeting goals. 
• Serve as liaison to elected and staff officials in the New York State AAUP conference, AAUP national office, other AAUP chapters and higher education unions, other campus labor unions, and community groups in the area.
• Participate in the development and delivery of education and training programs for members.
• Manage Chapter databases and accounts, exchange necessary data with university officials, the chapter attorney, and accountants.

Desirable Qualifications:

• The ideal candidate is a dedicated, intelligent, energetic, and experienced organizational leader with a strong interest in unions, labor issues, politics, and/or higher education.
• Law degree or Master’s degree, preferred but not required. Bachelor’s degree is essential.
• Effective time management skills, including prioritizing and managing multiple tasks. Must be able to work well with others in a team environment.
• Excellent English writing skills including professional letters, reports, and analysis.
• Excellent computer skills.
• Experience with newsletter publishing and web-­design.
• Experience in a union setting (e.g. staff representative, business agent, etc.). 
• Experience in grievance administration, contract negotiations and office management.
• Ability to reason logically and creatively to resolve complex problems, develop and evaluate alternatives, analyze statistical data and present ideas and information effectively.
• Familiarity with Department of Labor and IRS laws and regulations applicable to unions.
• Develop and implement organizing program to increase membership size and strength.
• Ability to resolve conflicts while maintaining important and effective relationships.

Salary: $55K+, plus a generous benefitsallowance. The successful candidate willbe reviewed after 6 months, and then on an annual basis.

How to Apply:

Please send resume AND detailed cover letter addressing the fit between your background and the search profile by email only. Fill in "AAUP Search" in the Subject Line and send to: avfdwm@hofstra.edu.  Sorry, NO PHONE CALLS please. No employment agencies or brokers. We apologize that we may not be able to respond individually to all applications.

Candidates will be subject to a thorough background check.  EOE.

Michigan Conference Executive Director

Job Description:

In consultation with the MI-AAUP Executive Committee, oversee the operation of the organization including selection of any staff, budgetary controls, and the overall thrust and direction of the programs and services offered by the MI-AAUP.

Specific Organizational Responsibilities

•  Assure that the organization has a long-range strategy which achieves its mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress. 
• Provide leadership in developing programs, organizational and financial plans with the Executive Committee, and carry out plans and policies authorized by the Committee.
•  Promote active and broad participation by MI-AAUP members in all areas of the organization’s work. 
• Maintain official records and documents, and ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the area of higher education.
• Advance the MI-AAUP conference’s collective bargaining programs by conducting organizing drives, and by advising and assisting local union leaders on such activities as contract negotiations, grievance processes, and arbitration.
• Advance the MI-AAUP conference’s advocacy programs by visiting advocacy chapters and developing a strategy to increase advocacy membership in the organization.
• Act as a liaison with the National AAUP and other State Conference leaders.

Specific Communication Responsibilities

• See that the Executive Committee is kept fully informed on the condition of the organization, and all important factors influencing it.
• Publicize the activities of the organization, its programs and its goals. For example through the use of an updated website, the press, and/or a membership newsletter.
• Establish sound working relationships and cooperative arrangements with community groups and organizations.
• Represent the programs and point of view of the organization to agencies, organizations, and the general public – attend national and regional conferences, and Michigan AAUP chapter meetings as much as possible.

Specific Budget And Financial Responsibilities

• Prepare a budget for the organization. • Develop and maintaining sound financial practices.
• Work with the Treasurer to ensure that adequate funds are available to permit the organization to carry out its work.
• Jointly, with the President and the Secretary of the Executive Committee, conduct the official correspondence of the organization.

Qualifications

• Experience working with a union or closely related organization.
• Knowledge of labor relations and professional issues relating to higher education.
• Experience and demonstrated skill in organizing membership development, and/or experience with higher education collective bargaining or faculty governance.
• Advanced degree
• Superior written and oral communication skills and computer proficiency.
• Experience and demonstrated ability to work with professional groups and individuals.

Compensation

• Salary range $45,000 - $60,000 per year. Commensurate with experience.
• Generous benefit package including travel allowance.

How to Apply

• Candidates should submit their resumes w/cover letter electronically to MI AAUP President Susan Moeller at smoeller2003@yahoo.com
• Ensure that all documents are in the PDF or .doc file formats