#aaup — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #aaup, aggregated by home.social.
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"No faculty member, student, or worker should face the stripping of their livelihood for protesting a genocide or speaking out against corporate and political complicity. Academic institutions must serve as sanctuaries for rigorous debate, and free expression, rather than capitulating to the financial leverage of trustees or the political pressures of congressional intimidation campaigns"
https://www.aaup.org/news/northwestern-universitys-campaign-against-free-expression
#AAUP #PolicingTheCampus #uspol #Northwestern #academia #HigherEd
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"we must remember that the administration is pursuing specific goals, namely the resegregation of higher education and greater stratification of institutions"
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The American Association of University Professors (#AAUP) and American Federation of Teachers (#AFT) just released a joint "Blueprint for Strengthening and Transforming Higher Education."
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2026/Higher_Ed_Vision_and_Policy_Platform_326.pdfAlso see the summary by their two presidents.
https://www.highereddive.com/news/higher-education-must-be-rebuilt-to-restore-public-trust-heres-how/821031/The blueprint calls for "transforming" higher ed, and the summary calls for "rebuilding" and "overhauling" it.
My take is that the blueprint conservatively restates ideals for higher ed long and widely held by academics themselves -- like me. Insofar as there's an argument here for transforming, rebuilding, and overhauling, it looks like this: The ideals need no revision. In fact, don't touch them. We've fallen short of living up to them, mostly through defunding and cost-shifting to students and their families.
I deeply wish to see us restore slashed funding, relieve student debt, and create fair pay and job security for professors. That might even deserve to be called transforming, rebuilding, and overhauling.
But is it enough to restore public trust? Is it true that the ideals need no revision? Do we need little or no transformation beyond economic transformation to respond to recent trends and current politics? Some of the harmful economic decisions (about tuition and pay) were forced by external circumstances, and some were not. But beyond those that were not, does the academy itself bear any responsibility for the current loss of trust?
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Update. For a good history of US efforts to classify support for #Palestinians and criticism of #Israel as #antisemitism, see the Nov 2025 report from the Middle East Studies Association (#MESA) and the American Association of University Professors (#AAUP), "Discriminating Against Dissent: The Weaponization of Civil Rights Law to Repress Campus Speech on Palestine."
https://mesana.org/pdf/Discriminating_Against_Dissent_Report.pdfThere's a good (but #paywalled) summary of the report in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education.
https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-civil-rights-law-was-turned-against-civil-rights#Academia #AcademicMastodon #Universities #USLaw #USPol #USPolitics
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Due to freezing temperatures, we are postponing our meditation action originally planned for this Friday - Join us instead on Friday March 20 for a special meditation with the Trustees, who will be in town!
#climatechange #action #meditation #activism #Cornell #Ithaca #Sunrise #AAUP #union
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Really pleased that #MESA and #AAUP are zealously defending academic freedom. Assertiveness gets results--assuming this proposal becomes an order. Awful that it is members-only, though. Sorry that #AHA and other societies did not join the action. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/us/politics/student-protester-deportations-trump-khalil.html
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Update. The Trump admin is demanding a list of Jewish faculty, staff, and students at #UPenn.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/13/upenn-trump-jews-listTrump's #EEOC asked for the list last July. Penn refused, and the EEOC sued the university in November. What's new is that several groups just filed a motion in federal court to intervene in the lawsuit on the side of the university -- the American Association of University Professors (#AAUP, national and UPenn chapters), the American Academy of Jewish Research, the UPenn Jewish Law Students Association, the UPenn Association of Senior and Emeritus Faculty.
From #StevenWeitzman, UPenn prof of religious studies and past member of its antisemitism taskforce: “Part of what sets off alarm bells for people like me is a history of people using Jewish lists against Jews. The Nazi campaign against Jews depended on institutions like universities handing over information about their Jewish members to the authorities.”
#Academia #AcademicMastodon #Antisemitism #Trump #Universities #USPol #USPolitics
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Update. Here's the announcement from the American Association of University Professors (#AAUP), a co-plaintiff in the case.
https://www.aaup.org/news/win-aaup-v-trump-court-blocks-attacks-university-california-system"Friday’s decision orders a stop to the Trump administration’s illegal weaponization of civil rights laws and federal funding to restrict free speech on UC campuses. During the hearing on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction, the court noted the overwhelming evidence plaintiffs provided, which included numerous declarations from UC faculty and staff describing how the administration’s actions have chilled their rights of speech and association."
#Academia #AcademicMastodon #Censorship #DefendResearch #FirstAmendment #Trump #TrumpVResearch #USLaw #USPol #USPolitics #UCalifornia #Universities
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"Federal judge sides with #UCalifornia employees in free speech lawsuit against Trump administration."
https://www.dailycal.org/news/uc/federal-judge-sides-with-uc-employees-in-free-speech-lawsuit-against-trump-administration/article_e3b28762-0801-49c7-ae1e-4f50c56d76a6.html"In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin ordered the federal government to cease threats of withholding federal funding, as well as to 'address Plaintiffs’ irreparable harm and to restore the status quo.' "
#Academia #AcademicMastodon #AAUP #Censorship #DefendResearch #FirstAmendment #Trump #TrumpVResearch #USLaw #USPol #USPolitics #Universities
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Vanderbilt Student Government and the Vanderbilt chapter of American Association of University Professors host campus Teach-In in response to Trump administration’s higher education compact – The Vanderbilt Hustler
Associate professor in social movements, indigenous rights and political anthropology Carwil Bjork-James speaks at the Teach-In against the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” as photographed on Oct. 17. 2025. (Courtesy of Ethan Thorpe)Vanderbilt Student Government and the Vanderbilt chapter of American Association of University Professors host campus Teach-In in response to Trump administration’s higher education compact
Professors and graduate students gathered at the Teach-In to speak out against the compact.
By Ella Crocco, Staffer-in-Training, Oct 24, 2025
Vanderbilt Student Government and members of Vanderbilt’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors hosted a Teach-In on Oct. 17 regarding the higher education compact Vanderbilt was sent from the Trump administration. Students and faculty at the event discussed how they believe the compact could endanger academic freedom, education policy and the university’s core values, among other topics.
Jessie Hock, associate English department chair and associate professor of English, opened the Teach-In with contextual remarks. Carwil Bjork-James, associate professor in social movements, indigenous rights and political anthropology, then spoke to the crowd about how he believes that if Vanderbilt agrees to the compact, it could have negative financial impacts for the university.
“I think that our administrators are being misled by the promise of more research funding by an administration that is clearly cutting off research funding and restricting it at every level,” Bjork-James said.
In an interview with The Hustler, Bjork-James said that the compact will not help ensure Vanderbilt is a space where students and faculty can freely express their thoughts.
“I would say faculty are really committed to maintaining this campus as a place where [students] can speak freely, where [students] can come here with any political opinion, with any perspective, get an open education and where there are viable places to do scholarship and research and this compact is not the right way to do that,” Bjork-James said.
Jada Benn Torres, associate professor in genetics, race and genetic ancestry, followed by speaking about how she believed Vanderbilt signing the compact would limit scientific research and free speech. In a message to The Hustler, Benn Torres said that the compact could contribute to the marginalization of communities and hopes Vanderbilt will continue to be a place where freedom of discussion is practiced.
“I am very concerned that the compact will upend academic freedom and freedom of expression. Additionally, there are elements of the compact that further marginalize communities that are already marginalized,” Torres said. “Overall, I think that the university needs to be a place where we are free to ask difficult questions and grapple with uncomfortable answers.”
Rebecca Epstein-Levy, assistant professor of Jewish studies and gender & sexuality studies, spoke about how she believes the compact has anti-trans provisions which would limit her ability to teach and research certain topics about Judaism and sex, sexuality, gender and disability.
“I’m a Jewish ethicist, and I research and teach courses at the intersection of Jewish text, Jewish thought, and sex, sexuality, gender and disability,” Epstein-Levy said. “The compact’s claim that there are only two genders — a claim which is bigoted, venal and spectacularly wrong — would make it impossible for me to teach these subjects accurately and responsibly.”
Jonathan Gilligan, earth and environmental studies and civil and environmental engineering professor, spoke about how he believes the compact could limit research and what is taught in science classes because topics may offend conservative policies.
Gilligan shared in an interview with The Hustler that he and many of his colleagues are worried about government overreach. They believe that if the government enforces politicized versions of science upon universities, they will not stop with the biology of sex and gender.
Editor’s Note: I am proud of hopeful of American higher education. Stand up for your rights, and protect us all with your views and passion for Democracy. –DrWeb
Continue/Read Original Article Here: Vanderbilt Student Government and the Vanderbilt chapter of American Association of University Professors host campus Teach-In in response to Trump administration’s higher education compact – The Vanderbilt Hustler
#2025 #AAUP #AcademicFreedom #America #DEI #DonaldTrump #Education #Health #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Opinion #Politics #Resistance #Science #StudentGovernment #TeachIn #TheVanderbiltHustler #Trump #TrumpAdministration #TrumpSCompact #UnitedStates #VanderbiltUniversity
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MAGA chud Asra Nomani and the "Pearl Project" have assembled a detailed spreadsheet of information about the roughly 300 "financial backers" of the "Hate America Protests" today. Includes but not limited to:
- #ACLU
- #Indivisible
- #AFL / #CIO
- Teachers unions (#AAUP, #AFT, etc.)
- Engineers unions (#IFPTE, etc.)
- Healthcare unions (nurses etc)
- #DNC / #Democrats
- Atheist groups (#FFRF etc)
- #WomensMarch
- #Greenpeacethese groups will all be targeted soon. you should expect all these groups to be attacked and many of them to be destroyed via tax audits or similar in the next few years
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UX8-2uRhIIquOgRPPoV_Gp2Rv3jBmMiWbuvA_VsHpqE/edit
#unions #AFLCIO #uspol #uspolitics #nokings #maga #DataRepublican
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Always proud to be a member of #AAUP , but especially today, as AAUP is the lead plaintiff in lawsuit finding that the #firstamendment applies to all lawful residents of the United States and finding ideological #deportations illegal. The ruling is quite readable and contains the amazing preface shown below. #union #solidarity https://knightcolumbia.org/documents/ahmr9jfap2
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This is fine. 🔥 🐶
Union Warns Professors About Posting In the ‘Current Climate’ https://www.404media.co/union-warns-professors-about-posting-in-the-current-climate/
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Trump Administration Seeks Strict Time Limits on Visas for Physicians, Academics
This week, the Trump administration proposed a new rule to cap the amount of time that foreign-born reporters, academics, students, physicians, and others can stay in the United States. Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before September 29, 2025. The proposed rule caps international students and exchange visitors’ visas at four years. Currently…
This post has been syndicated from Truthout, where it was published under this address.
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Today, we gathered to Take Back Our University from those who would sacrifice our core values to appease a fascist regime.
Our reasonable and actionable demands: 🔥
No complicity with Genocide
No Appeasement of Autocrats
No Anticipatory Obedience
Protect Academic Freedom
Protect Trans Rights
Defend our Student Protestors
Stop the DeportationsThanks to participants and the organizers (#AAUP chapter, Cornell on Fire, and allies).
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Resources on Immigration and Travel Safety from the AAUP
AAUP letter to college and university legal offices: Institutions Should Support Students Under Visa Threats with Legal Aid and Housing https://www.aaup.org/news/institutions-should-support-students-under-visa-threats-legal-aid-and-housing
Fact sheet on dealing with ICE on your campus (AAUP general counsel) https://www.aaup.org/sites/default/files/ICE-Flyer.pdf
Fact sheet on rights and risks for workers who are in the United States on visas (AFT) https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2025/aftmembersonvisas.pdf
Issue brief on immigration-related campus concerns (American Council on Education) https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Issue-Brief-Immigration-Related-Campus-Concerns-2025.pdf
Know Your Rights flyers (AFL-CIO)
https://aflcio.org/about/programs/adelante-we-rise/immigration-resources/know-your-rights-materials-immigrant-workersFamily Preparedness Plan template (Immigrant Legal Resource Center) https://www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/resources/family_preparedness_plan.pdf
Immigration legal and digital security resources (AAUP Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom)
https://www.aaup.org/sites/default/files/CDAF_legal_personal_security_resources_1-pagers.pdf
