American Association of University Professors

The AAUP's purpose is to advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good. Our local chapter strives to articulate and support these principles at JCU. We support faculty both individually and collectively, and can call on the support of the national and state organizations if needed. We act to support and strengthen academic freedom and faculty contractual and governance rights as embodied through tenure, the Faculty Handbook and Faculty Council. We stand as an independent voice in matters of academic integrity and professional responsibility. While we work on behalf of all JCU faculty, regardless of membership status, we ask that you consider formal membership in order to strengthen our presence.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Statement urging a vote against the “Proposal for the new Academic Program Protocol (as amended at the April 27, 2011 faculty meeting)”

The Executive Committee of the JCU chapter of the AAUP urges you to vote against approval of one of the proposals on the ballot for a Faculty-wide vote this week, “the new Academic Program Protocol.” Though amended at today’s Faculty Meeting, the proposed procedure that CAP is to use for evaluation and recommendation of academic programs remains ambiguous and vague on the need for “endorsement” or “approval” from non-academic sectors of the university. The Faculty Handbook, Part One, Section V, clearly grants primary responsibility on matters of curriculum to the Faculty. The promulgation of a list of regulations that seems to require review and endorsement of new curricula outside of the Faculty endangers this responsibility.

Monday, April 11, 2011

AAUP Member Newsletter: Recession Over? Not for Higher Ed

While the Great Recession may be technically over in the broader US economy, the same cannot be said in the higher education sector. The results of the American Association of University Professors’ annual survey of full-time faculty compensation are only marginally better than last year’s and represent the continuation of a historic low period for faculty salaries. For the second consecutive year, the overall average salary level increased at a rate less than inflation. And this is the fifth of the last seven years in which overall faculty salaries declined in purchasing power.