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 AAUP 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 placed on or removed from this censure list by vote of the AAUP 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 AAUP, nor does it affect the individual rights of members at the institution in question.
Some members of the AAUP 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 AAUP 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 AAUP and prospective departmental colleagues. It is up 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Muhlenberg College (PA) | April 2025 | 2025 |
