With the end of the academic term upon us, we wanted to reach out to let you know what the AAUP is working on, now and through the summer.

We’ll be releasing a report next week on the summary dismissal of a tenured faculty member at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. Our investigating committee found that her dismissal came as the direct result of her criticism of the administration’s handling of an incident in which a student brought a gun to campus and made what could reasonably be interpreted as a threat. A department chair immediately informed faculty about the incident—except for the department’s three faculty members of color, even though the student was scheduled to attend class with one of them the next day and had previously made racially charged statements in class. Be on the lookout for an e-mail with the full report.

We’ll also continue working with graduate employees at the University of Chicago, who filed authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board yesterday to form a union affiliated with the AAUP and the American Federation of Teachers. A union would give graduate employees a seat at the table where decisions are made that affect them, their students, and the broader university community. An election is expected in late June.

Some good news: guidance out from the United States Department of Labor increases the potential for faculty on contingent appointments to receive unemployment compensation over breaks between semesters. The AAUP, along with other organizations, pushed the labor department to address this issue and provided information to the labor department regarding the changed reality of contingent faculty on university campuses. See the guidance here.

Our summer studies will continue in Ohio! The 2017 AAUP/AAUP-CBC Summer Institute is coming to University of Cincinnati. From July 27 to July 30, more than two hundred higher education professionals from around the country will gather for four days of exciting workshops and special programs. We bring in organizers, data analysts, seasoned campaigners, and issue experts to build your skills as an advocate for AAUP principles, collective bargaining, and higher education. Registration is now open; join us.

And here’s what you can do this summer. Be a voice for academic freedom.

1. Donate to the AAUP Foundation. Your donation is crucial to our work fighting for faculty and higher education.
2. Be social. Follow us on Facebook and share stories about our work so that we reach more people.
3. Share your stories. We’re collecting reports from faculty members about experiences of targeted harassment and intimidation. Submit here.

We look forward to an exciting and productive summer!

Best regards,
The AAUP