Why Campus Chapters Are Important

AAUP chapters advocate for faculty rights and interests at an institutional level. The campus chapter provides the first line of defense of academic freedom and shared governance. A well-organized, functioning chapter is better able to respond to problems when they develop on a campus.

The NC Conference is prepared to assist any chapter or faculty members who seek for form a chapter. The service is also available to individual faculty members who are in need AAUP advice or services.

Start a Campus Chapter

All AAUP chapters promote basic academic freedom, quality education, and other core AAUP principles, but additional chapter activities are determined by campus activities and needs. For instance, many AAUP chapters take an active role in campus politics, in conjunction with faculty senates or separately. Some work with other local AAUP chapters on state-level issues or serve as collective bargaining agents for faculty and other academic professionals on campus. Chapters often hold forums on topics such as salary equity or the tenure process, host social events, and bring in invited speakers. National AAUP offers specific information about how to start an AAUP chapter on your campus here: AAUP Handbook for New and Developing Chapters.

Chapter Service Program

The Chapter Service Program of the North Carolina Conference strives to develop AAUP advocacy chapters at public and private colleges and universities in the state. The Chapter service program is designed to:

• Offer support in the establishment of functioning chapters;
• Assist in the organization of effective faculty governance bodies;
• Provide assistance to individual faculty members experiencing problems with academic freedom, tenure and/or grievance problems;
• Serve as a state-wide advocate for the principles of the Association,
• including standards of the academic profession.

Services of the Chapter Service Program

The North Carolina Conference, in collaboration with the Association of State Conferences and the national AAUP organization, provides the following services:

Academic Governance

• Review and provide advice for the revision of faculty handbooks and other governance documents;
• Advise chapter and other faculty leaders on academic policy;
• Help develop strategies to strengthen the faculty's role in university governance;
• Assist in the development of instruments for the evaluation of administrators.

Academic Freedom and Tenure

• Assist chapters in the promotion of academic freedom on NC campuses and the development of acceptable personnel and tenure policies;
• Assist and advise individual faculty members in their academic freedom,tenure and grievance cases;
• Refer academic freedom and tenure cases to national Committee A when appropriate;
• Provide external observers at faculty hearings;
• Referral to North Carolina attorneys with experience in higher education legal issues.

Financial Analysis Services

• Assist chapters in conducting a comprehensive financial analysis of their institutions;
• Consultation and assistance in the effective use of budget and financial data including the publication of faculty and administrator's salaries;
• Comprehensive analysis of college and university finances;
• Comparison of faculty salaries with peer institutions.
• Analysis and assistance in the design and evaluation of employee benefit plans.
• Assistance in the evaluation of equity in salary distribution.

Public Relations

• Provide advice and assistance in the development of chapter newsletters;
• Advise chapters on how to deal with the press.

Other Services

• Assist in chapter leadership training;
• Provide speakers and other assistance for chapter meetings and workshop.

Contacts for the North Carolina Chapter Services Program

Cat Warren
1414 Norton St.
Durham, NC 27701
cat_warren@ncsu.edu
919-682-9408