Censure List

Investigations by the American Association of University Professors of the administrations of the institutions listed below show that, as evidenced by a past violation, they are not observing the generally recognized principles of academic freedom and tenure approved by this Association, the American Association of Colleges and Universities, and more than two hundred and fifty other professional and educational organizations which have endorsed the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure.

This list is published for the purpose of informing Association members, the profession at large, and the public that unsatisfactory conditions of academic freedom and tenure have been found to prevail at these institutions. Names are now placed on or removed from this censure list by vote of the Association's Council.

Placing the name of an institution on this list does not mean that censure is visited either upon the whole of the institution or upon the faculty, but specifically upon its present administration. The term "administration" includes the administrative officers and the governing board of the institution. This censure does not affect the eligibility of nonmembers for membership in the Association, nor does it affect the individual rights of members at the institution in question.

Some members of the Association have considered it to be their duty, in order to indicate their support of the principles violated, to refrain from accepting appointment to an institution so long as it remains on the censure list. Since circumstances differ widely from case to case, the Association does not assert that such an unqualified obligation exists for its members; it does urge that, before accepting appointments, they seek information on present conditions of academic freedom and tenure from the Association's Washington office and prospective departmental colleagues. The Association leaves it to the discretion of the individual, possessed of the facts, to make the proper decision. 

Learn more about censure

Institutions are listed in chronological order according to when their administrations were placed on the censure list. The list contains only administrations which are still under censure (many others have been removed from the list after improving their practices and procedures). Reports through 2009 were published in the AAUP Bulletin or Academe, and the issue of publication is indicated in the "Report Published" column. Starting in 2010, reports were published first on the AAUP website, in the month and year indicated in the "Report Published" column, with print publication following in the next issue of the Bulletin of the AAUP. In rare cases, a supplemental report has been issued after the initial report. Clicking on the institution title will take you to the investigating committee's report.

(Note: To quickly find a particular institution, use your browser's search-page option.)

Institution Name

Report Published

Year Censured 

Frank Phillips College (TX) Dec. '68, 433-38 1969
Concordia Seminary (MO) April '75, 49-59 1975
Murray State University (KY) Dec. '75, 322-28 1976
State University of New York Aug. '77, 237-60 1978
Nichols College (MA) May '80, 207-12 1980
American International College (MA) May-June '83, 42-46 1983
Talladega College (AL) May-June '86, 6a-14a 1986
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico May-June '87, 33-38 1987
Husson University (ME) May-June '87, 45-50 1987
Hillsdale College (MI) May-June '88, 29-33 1988
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (NC) May-June '89, 35-45 1989
The Catholic University of America (DC) Sept.-Oct. 1989, 27-40 1990
Dean College (MA) May-June '91, 27-32 1992
Baltimore City Community College (MD) May-June '92, 37-41 1992
Loma Linda University (CA) May-June '92, 42-49 1992
North Greenville University (SC) May-June '93, 54-64 1993
Savannah College of Art and Design (GA)
         Supplementary Report
May-June '93, 65-70 1993
University of Bridgeport (CT) Nov.-Dec. '93, 37-45 1994
Benedict College (SC) May-June '94, 37-46 1994
        Supplementary Report Jan.-Feb. '05, 51-54  
Bennington College (VT) Mar.-Apr. '95, 91-103 1995
        Supplementary Report Jan.-Feb. '98, 70-75  
Alaska Pacific University May-June '95, 32-39 1995
National Park College (AR) May-June '96, 41-46 1996
Saint Meinrad School of Theology (IN) July-Aug. '96, 51-60 1997
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN) May-June '97, 53-58 1997
Brigham Young University (UT) Sept.-Oct '97, 52-71 1998
University of the District of Columbia May-June '98, 46-55 1998
Lawrence Technological University (MI) May-June '98, 56-62 1998
Johnson & Wales University (RI) May-June '99, 46-50 1999
Albertus Magnus College (CT) Jan.-Feb. '00, 54-63 2000
Charleston Southern University (SC) Jan.-Feb. '01, 63-77 2001
University of Dubuque (IA) Sept.-Oct. '01, 62-73 2002
Meharry Medical College (TN) Nov.-Dec. '04, 56-78 2005
University of the Cumberlands (KY) Mar.-Apr. '05 99-113 2005
Virginia State University   May-June, '05, 47-62 2005
Cedarville University (OH) May-June '09, 58-84 2009
Nicholls State University (LA) Nov-Dec '08, 60-69 2009
North Idaho College May-June '09, 85-92 2009
Clark Atlanta University (GA) February 2010 2010
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston April 2010 2010
Bethune Cookman University (FL) October 2010 2011
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge July 2011 2012
       Supplementary Report September 2015  
Northwestern State University of Louisiana April 2012 2012
Southeastern Louisiana University April 2012 2012
National Louis University (IL) April 2013 2013
Southern University, Baton Rouge (LA) April 2013 2013
Northeastern Illinois University December 2013 2014
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center April 2015 2015
University of Southern Maine May 2015 2015
Felician University (NJ) May 2015 2015
College of Saint Rose (NY) May 2016 2016
University of Missouri (Columbia) May 2016 2016
Community College of Aurora (CO) March 2017 2017
Spalding University (KY) May 2017 2017
Nunez Community College (LA) February 2019 2019
Pacific Lutheran University (WA) January 2020 2020
University System of Georgia December 2021 2022
Linfield University (OR) April 2022 2022
Indiana University Northwest January 2023 2023
Collin College (TX) April 2023 2023
Emporia State University (KS) May 2023 2023