Our Programs

Since its founding, the AAUP has been working to ensure meaningful faculty participation in institutional governance. Our first statement on the subject, emphasizing faculty involvement in personnel decisions, selection of administrators, budgeting, and determination of educational policies, was published in 1920.

The main principle behind successful organizing, and behind the formation of AAUP chapters, is collective action. When faculty speak and act with one voice, we demonstrate a large-scale commitment to the issues around which we organize.

The AAUP’s approach to collective bargaining is unique in its focus on faculty and other academic professionals; its commitment to protecting academic freedom and shared governance; and its emphasis on grassroots organizing and local autonomy.

Our Summer Institute is the premier training program for faculty advocates.

To help our members acquire the resources and skills necessary to lead the fight for faculty rights, the AAUP has developed online training webinars; each includes a presentation with a slideshow and a question-and-answer session with the presenter. Participation in most webinars is open to AAUP members and field staff only.

The AAUP's research program promotes the economic security of the profession through advanced research on higher education.

The AAUP's legal office supports the activities of the Association in a variety of ways. The office responds to inquiries on higher education law from professors, academic administrators, attorneys, and others; monitors legal developments in higher education around the country; leads workshops and presentations on higher education law; and drafts informational outlines on specific areas of the law. 

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.