Dear Commons Community,

Rudy Fichtenbaum, President of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), sent the letter below to its membership asking that it be shared with colleagues.

Tony

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Dear Anthony:

As 2016 draws to a close, we in the AAUP are reflecting on our accomplishments over the past year, as well as on what lies ahead in 2017. Take a look at the work we’ve done and share this video with colleagues on social media.

In 2016, we organized! We added 31 new advocacy and collective bargaining chapters. We vigorously defended academic freedom and shared governance, investigating mass layoffs and program elimination at the College of Saint Rose and due process violations at University of Missouri, Columbia.

Throughout the year, the AAUP opposed attacks on unions and fought to strengthen and expand collective bargaining rights by filing amicus briefs with the courts and the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB’s ruling allowing graduate student employees to organize was a significant victory and a major step forward for the academic freedom and shared governance rights of graduate employees. With the makeup of the court set to change, however, challenges lie ahead.

As we look to 2017, we keep our core values at the center of our work. We will continue to oppose privatization of our public higher education system and fight for education as a common good, accessible and affordable to all. We will stand against discrimination and fight for an equitable and welcoming educational environment, including working with allies to support  sanctuary campuses.

Best wishes in the new year. We’re glad to have you as part of the AAUP, and look forward to a strong, united 2017.

Rudy Fichtenbaum 
AAUP President