A section is a mechanism to ensure that small chapters’ voices are heard and to allow chapters to pool resources to make attendance at the biennial delegate meeting more affordable.
Chapters with fewer than 250 members have the option of joining with other chapters in their state to create a section to elect a delegate or delegates to represent the combined membership of participating chapters at the AAUP Biennial Association Meeting. This will allow chapters to pool resources and make attendance at the biennial delegate meeting more affordable.
The section may send to the biennial meeting not more than one common delegate for each 250 aggregate members of the participating chapters (for example, 251 aggregate members would entitle a section to two delegates), up to a maximum of ten delegates, plus any alternate delegates. The section delegate(s) will cast the votes of the aggregate membership of the participating chapters.
Once a chapter joins a section, the chapter members will be eligible to be nominated to serve as the delegate for the section; however, the chapter itself will no longer be able to send a delegate for the chapter to the biennial meeting. If there is more than one nominee for a single section delegate position—or, if a section is entitled to multiple delegates, more nominees than the number of delegate positions—there will be an election in which all members of chapters participating in the section will vote for the section delegate(s).
Timeline and Important Dates for the 2026 Election
February 16, 2026—Deadline for Expressing Interest in Forming a Section
By February 16, 2026, the AAUP needs to receive notification that at least two chapters in a state desire to form a section, and the name and contact information for the proposed section coordinator. If AAUP receives more than one request from the same state, the AAUP will put the proposed coordinators in touch with each other.
Early February to March 16, 2026—Posting of Section Information and Outreach to Chapters by Section Coordinator and the AAUP
As the AAUP receives notices of interest in a section and the names of section coordinators, this information will be posted on the section page. Section coordinators will be given contact information for the leaders of eligible chapters in the state, and the coordinators should reach out to those leaders to determine if they are interested in participating in the section. The AAUP will also send out emails to all eligible chapters.
March 16, 2026—Deadline for Chapters in a State to Join a Section
Chapters will have until this date to decide whether to join a section in their state. The decision to join or not join a section as of March 16, 2026, is binding. If a chapter is participating in the section, the chapter will not be eligible to send a chapter delegate to the biennial meeting, and instead will be represented by the section delegate. After the deadline expires, the section coordinator will send to the AAUP a list of chapters participating in the section, and AAUP will contact the chapters to confirm their participation and notify the chapters that they will not be able to send a chapter delegate to the AAUP biennial meeting.
Late March 2026—The Section Will Begin the Process for Nominating and Electing Delegates
Once the participating chapters are confirmed, the section will begin the process of nominating and electing delegates. Delegates must be members in good standing of a participating chapter in order to be eligible for nomination and election as a section delegate. If only one delegate is nominated for each open position in a section, there will be no ballot election of delegates, and the section delegate will be considered elected by acclamation. Additional information regarding the nomination and election process is available on the section web page.
May 15, 2026—Deadline for Sections to Register Section Delegates and Alternates
Sections will need to have concluded the nomination and election of delegates, and they must submit by this date a delegate registration form identifying all delegates and alternates. For sections not holding a ballot election, the registration form is due no later than May 15, 2026. For sections holding ballot elections, there may be a short extension. Once elected, section delegates are treated the same as other chapter delegates.
June 12 and 13, 2026—AAUP Biennial Meeting
The AAUP Biennial Meeting held on June 12 and 13, 2026, in Chicago. (The higher education summit immediately precedes the meeting.) To participate in the meeting and vote for Council and officer positions, section delegates must receive their delegate credentials in person (there is no remote option and delegates cannot assign their check in or delegate duties) at the biennial meeting delegate credentialing table no later than 5 p.m. on the first day of the biennial meeting, which is June 12, 2026