2017 AAUP Updates

We note with sadness the death of Mary Burgan, who served as the general secretary of the Association from 1994 until her retirement in 2004. Burgan died in Washington, DC, on January 12 at the age of 81. A memorial event in her honor will take place on March 11.

The AAUP urges the Senate to block the nomination of Andrew Puzder as secretary of labor. Puzder has opposed paid sick leave, overtime pay, and raising the minimum wage, and he is an opponent of the right of workers to organize unions.

The AAUP issued a statement, "Targeted Online Harassment of Faculty," to address increasing concerns about efforts to intimidate and harass faculty. The statement includes recommendations for administrations, governing boards, faculty bodies, and individual faculty members.

We urge the United States Senate to reject Betsy DeVos’s nomination as education secretary. In both ideology and practice she has violated the principles of quality education that the AAUP has defended for over a century.

The AAUP urges the Senate not to confirm Jeff Sessions as US Attorney General. His voting record in the US Senate demonstrates his disregard for many of the laws and programs he would be responsible for enforcing as attorney general.

The AAUP and the American Federation of Teachers prepared and distributed resources addressing frequently asked questions about discussing the 2016 election in the classroom, responding to intimidation and threats, and other issues. 

Legislators in Missouri and Iowa have introduced legislation that would eliminate tenure for faculty at public institutions in these states. The AAUP opposes both pieces of proposed legislation.

The AAUP delivered an open letter to Turning Point USA, criticizing its watch list and requesting that the names of more than 11,000 faculty and supporter signatories be added in a show of solidarity with those listed.