What is the AAUP?
The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) was founded in 1915, with a mission “to advance academic freedom and shared governance; to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education; to promote the economic security of faculty, academic professionals, graduate students, post‐doctoral fellows, and all those engaged in teaching and research in higher education; to help the higher education community organize to make our goals a reality; and to ensure higher education’s contribution to the common good.” This mission is actively supported by AAUP national, along with state conferences and over 300 advocacy chapters and collective bargaining chapters at campuses across the country. The AAUP is the only national organization dedicated to safeguarding the rights of higher education professionals. The AAUP is already working for you
What is the history of the AAUP Bucknell chapter?
AAUP Bucknell is an independent organization not affiliated with the University but that works to improve it. Bucknell had an active AAUP chapter in the 1990s that fell into disuse by the 2010s. The current chapter is the result of conversations among faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic about the need for an independent voice for Bucknell employees—faculty, staff, and student workers alike—to counteract the administration’s and board’s growing disregard for shared governance, increasing workloads particularly among staff, and annual decreases in real wages for all workers relative to inflation. AAUP National officially recognized the rechartering of AAUP Bucknell in June 2023.
Is AAUP Bucknell a union?
No, we are an advocacy chapter, not a union. AAUP has two kinds of chapters: collective bargaining chapters and advocacy chapters. At Bucknell, AAUP fights for academic freedom, workplace democracy, and fair compensation for all Bucknell employees. Staff, contingent faculty, and student workers have the unambiguous right to unionize, which AAUP Bucknell fully supports. Tenure-stream faculty at private institutions have been considered co-managers and therefore barred from unionizing since the Yeshiva decision (1984) by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal regulatory body that adjudicates labor relations that fall under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). More recently, in the Pacific Lutheran decision (2014), the NLRB opened the door to unionization of tenure-stream faculty at private institutions in light of the corporatization of the university since the 1980s. The NLRB ruled that the party asserting that faculty are managerial employees—and therefore barred from unionizing under Yeshiva—“must prove actual—rather than mere paper—authority” demonstrated by “the faculty’s participation in the following areas of decision making: academic programs, enrollment management, finances, academic policy, and personnel policies and decision.”
Can you tell me about the AAUP/AFT merger?
At the June 2022 Biennial Association Meeting, the AAUP formally affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. Since August 1, 2022 all AAUP members are also members of the AFT/AFL-CIO, with all the rights and privileges that go with membership in the AFT.
Who can join the Bucknell AAUP chapter and attend its meetings?
There are several categories of involvement in AAUP Bucknell and AAUP National:
Will my supervisor know if I am in AAUP?
The roster of active members and associates is only visible to the three members of the Executive Committee. The list of participants is visible to the members of the Executive and Membership committees. Both are stored off of Bucknell servers. Moreover, The National Labor Relations Act protects all workers rights to organize a union at their workplace.
I’m a faculty member, why should I join AAUP Bucknell?
At Bucknell, we have seen an erosion of shared governance in favor of unilateral administrative decision-making. We have also experienced real wage decreases up to 10%. Across the country, academic freedom and its legal protection, tenure, are under attack. While some at Bucknell may feel protected by our private non-profit status or our location in the Northeast, we are just one change in the upper administration, just one state-wide election away from becoming the next Penn or the next New College.
These local and national issues can only be addressed by joining our voices together to advocate for workplace democracy, academic freedom, and fair pay and just compensation. With shared governance weakened, AAUP Bucknell offers us a platform to advocate for the economic security and academic freedom that make it possible for us to do our jobs: providing our students with the highest quality education, following research wherever the truth leads, and serving our university, our fields, and our local, regional, national and international communities. AAUP Bucknell also allows faculty to wield tenure (or the expectation thereof considering Bucknell’s 90% tenure rate) to advocate for fellow workers on campus who do not enjoy the same job protections, most of whom are compensated less than faculty.
I’m a staff member, why should I join AAUP Bucknell?
AAUP has traditionally represented the rights and interests of faculty. But since its founding in 1915, the nature of academic work and the contours of the faculty have changed. Where tenure was once the norm, today 75% of teaching hours at higher education institutions across the US are performed by contingent workers who comprise about 50% of all faculty. Their average compensation is $3,900 per course and only 40% of them enjoy employee benefits. AAUP Bucknell believes that changes like these to higher education require faculty to band together with staff and student workers to maximize the power of our advocacy and broadly share the benefits we achieve. Faculty-Staff solidarity also allows faculty to wield tenure (or the expectation thereof considering Bucknell’s 90% tenure rate) to advocate for staff who do not enjoy the same job protections and most of whom are compensated less than faculty.
While advocacy alone can increase wages and benefits, unionization may be more effective. Bucknell staff members have the unambiguous right to form a labor union under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) which governs private-sector labor relations. Under the NLRA, you cannot be punished for discussing your compensation and working conditions with colleagues. Under the NLRA, whether you are unionized or not, you enjoy protections from a host of Unfair Labor Practices (In fact, a former Bucknell VAP filed and won an Unfair Labor Practice case against Bucknell). AAUP Bucknell encourages staff to exercise their right to unionize, which countless studies have shown is the best way to raise wages and benefits not only for those in the bargaining unit but across the workplace and even the region.
I’m a student worker, why should I join AAUP Bucknell?
Student workers have the unambiguous right to form a labor union. In fact, Bucknell student workers organized the first union on our campus in March 2024—the Bucknell Residential Adviser Union (OPEIU 153)—which AAUP Bucknell endorses and supports. Student workers are a particularly powerful constituency as retaliation against student organizers—which is illegal under the NLRA—will negatively impact the university’s reputation among students and their families who are its primary source of revenue. AAUP Bucknell advocates for the right of student workers to unionize, which countless studies have shown is the best way to raise wages and benefits not only for those in the bargaining unit but across the institution and even in the region.
How can I get involved?
To become a participant in Bucknell AAUP, just fill out this form.
To become an active member in AAUP Bucknell, join AAUP National. You do not need to be a dues-paying active member of AAUP National to participate in AAUP Bucknell. However, only active members of AAUP National may vote in AAUP Bucknell chapter meetings for the election of officers (other decisions are made by consensus, acclamation, and straw polls rather than formal votes in order to include participants in most chapter decision-making).
Once you’ve become a participant or an active member:
How often does AAUP Bucknell meet and what do meetings entail?
The Chapter meets four time per year, at the beginning and the end of each semester. Chapter meetings are open fora for addressing workplace issues and determining ways to address them. If you would like to bring agenda item to an AAUP Bucknell chapter meeting, reach out to the members of the Executive Committee.
Standing committees determine their own schedules and tasks. The standing committees are tasked with determining tactics and implementing strategy to achieve the goals determined by the chapter. Much of our work happens at the committee level.
The Executive Committee meets biweekly throughout the year.
Are there membership dues?
AAUP Bucknell does not levy dues. However, to be an active member of AAUP Bucknell you must be an dues-paying member of AAUP National. Only active members of the AAUP National are eligible to vote on chapter business or seek election to the executive committee. AAUP National dues are offered on a sliding scale relative to wages, and, in addition to voting rights, comes with a range of other benefits including access to AAUP reports and webinars and a subscription to the quarterly magazine Academe. Paying dues to AAUP National also helps to defend and advance the mission of higher education by supporting thousands of academic workers across the country who benefit from the expertise and support offered by the AAUP National. Join now!