Michigan Conference American Association of University Professors

Michigan Conference Chapter Services Program

What is AAUP?

The American Association of University Professors is the only organization exclusively representing college and university faculty members. Active membership is open to all faculty, research scholars, professional librarians, or counselors with faculty status. Besides full membership, the following categories are also available: Active Entrant (reduced-fee membership offered to untenured faculty for up to four years), Retired Faculty, Graduate Student, and Public Member.

The AAUP enhances the value of its membership by sponsoring a variety of additional services. Its mass purchasing power enables the AAUP to make these programs available at prices below those which an individual could obtain. These benefits are listed below. Certain coverage may not he available in all states.

• Catastrophic Medical Expense Plan
• Group Hospital Income Plan
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Professional Liability Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• AAUP Gold Master Card
• Medicare Supplemental Plans
• Group Disability Income Plan

Write or Call:
AAUP Benefits Administrator
1012 14th Street, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20005
(800)424-2973

What is the Michigan Conference?

The Michigan Conference is a federation of all AAUP Chapters in Michigan. These include chapters in the public and private colleges and universities and in the community colleges. Started in 1951, the Michigan Conference has grown to encompass 17 chapters with nearly 5000 members at 31 Michigan colleges and universities. The dues collected go directly towards protecting the rights of our members and their colleagues across the state.

Each year conference leaders appear before House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Higher Education to urge the passage of appropriations high enough to meet adequately the needs and challenges that lie ahead of us in the 21st century. Conference leaders and our lobbyists track legislation and appear at committee hearings to support favorable legislation and oppose legislation which would be harmful to the professoriate and our students. For example, in 1995 we successfully opposed H.B. 4993 which would have placed severe and unjustified restrictions on rights and privileges of faculty members. Some conference leaders work specifically with budget analyses to find out where all the Appropriations are being spent and for what purpose.

CONFERENCE GOALS

• To coordinate activities, pool resources and share information among chapters
• To provide legal and related advice to university and college faculty members in employment related activities that implicate academic freedom and tenure
• To plan and offer meetings, conferences, and seminars on issues of academic freedom and tenure, shared governance, pedagogy, curricular and professional development, and the role and organization of colleges and universities
• To prepare and distribute studies of issues affecting higher education, including matters of legislative and governmental action
• To communicate with faculty, administrators, board of trustees, legislative and governmental representatives, and the general public, about issues of interest and concern to higher education
• To promote higher education in the State of Michigan

When a crisis strikes your campus, officers from your chapter, the state conference and the national office are there to protect your rights. The rest of the time, it is easy to forget the active role of the AAUP. The national and state offices provide support which allows your chapter to protect academic freedom, argue for adequate financial compensation, increase the effectiveness of shared governance and improve the faculty oversight of university administration.

When you build or develop an active AAUP chapter, you’re joining thousands of AAUP members across Michigan and tens of thousands across America. The AAUP family is large and there are many benefits to membership. The AAUP and the Michigan Conference offer a wide range of support services and benefits to make your chapter an effective advocate for the faculty at your institution.

Examples of Michigan Conference Chapter Support Services

ACADEMIC GOVERNANCE SERVICES

• Assistance in the analysis of faculty handbooks to determine if they are in compliance with national standards
• Consultation with chapter and faculty governance leaders regarding issues of academic policy
• Consultation and assistance in developing strategies to strengthen the faculty’s role in academic governance

ACADEMIC FREEDOM SERVICES

• Mediation and adjudication of campus problems and advice to chapters
• Protection and support for individuals faced with violations of statutes and customs in personnel matters and lack of due process and fairness in decisions affecting professional rights and prerogatives
• Investigation and possible referral for censure

ECONOMIC STATUS SERVICES

• Assistance in analyzing contracts and comparisons with similar institutions
• Assistance with benefits packages and possible benefit changes
• Annual Report summarizing salaries and benefits at state universities

OTHER SERVICES

• Investigation of questions of bias, discrimination or inequity
• Assistance with lobbying at the state and local level
• Public relations assistance for chapters

CONFERENCE COMMITTEES

Committee A, Academic Freedom and Tenure
Chair – Charles B. Smith, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Function – investigate and advice issues involving academic freedom and tenure

Committee on Economic Status of the Faculty
Chair – Howard Bunsis, Eastern Michigan University
Function – research, compare and publish economic issues regarding the faculty

Committee on College and University Governance
Chair – Joel Russell, Oakland University
Function – protect and develop effectiveness of faculty governance bodies

Committee on Government and Public Relations
Chair – Charles Parrish, Wayne State University
Function – coordinate conference lobbying and public relations activities

Committee on Membership
Chair – Tom Dietz, Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Function – support membership development

Committee on Diversity
Chair – Sally McCracken, Eastern Michigan University
Function – review and support the efforts to increase diversity in higher education

If you are interested in becoming more active in AAUP, serving on our committees is a great first step. To volunteer or for more information about a specific committee contact Director Jeffrey Lee at jlee@miaaup.org. There is always room on any of these committees for active, interested members.