State governments

Opposition to Proposed Restructuring at Rutgers–Camden

Students, faculty, and staff at Rutgers University–Camden are protesting a planned move that would sever their campus from the statewide Rutgers system and merge it with Rowan University twenty miles to the south. Proponents of the change, including New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie, say it is meant to help promote higher education opportunities in the southern part of the state. Opponents, including the Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters, say the move may be meant only to enhance the image of Rowan’s medical school when it opens later this year.

Government Relations

The AAUP's government relations program tracks legislation that is relevant to our mission at both the federal and state levels. We also communicate legislative information to members and encourage them to become active in the issues affecting higher education in general and faculty in particular.

From the Editor: Doing More to Make Ourselves Heard

When my colleagues and I in the Virginia conference of the AAUP began holding an annual “Advocacy Day” at the state legislature in 2003, what we heard most often from our elected representatives was their surprise to learn that faculty members have a voice separate from that of university presidents. Accustomed as we are to arguing with our presidents, we were surprised that this fact was surprising to our legislators. The lesson learned was that we needed to do more to make ourselves heard.

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