We hope you enjoy this issue of The AAUPdate! If you are a member of our chapter, you’ll get these updates regularly in your inbox. If you’re not a member, you are invited to subscribe to receive these updates by email. Please also feel free to forward this along to colleagues! Past issues of the newsletter are online.
Election announcement + request for (self) nominations
The current Executive Committee’s term will end this May, and we are looking for nominations and self-nominations for all elected positions: president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and two at-large members. Roles and responsibilities for individual members of the Executive Committee and for the Committee as a whole are described in our bylaws. The Executive Committee serves for two years.
If you wish to nominate yourself or someone else, or have questions about any of the positions, please email [email protected]. All messages will be kept in strict confidence.
★ AAUP Happy Hour this Friday, February 27, 5–7 pm, at Arts & Crafts Beer Parlor, 1135 Amsterdam Avenue at 116th Street
★ We have another message to share from our colleagues in the Student Workers at Columbia (SWC), included at the bottom of this post
AAUP@CU Chapter Committee Activities:
★ Over the past several weeks, the Organizing Committee has been strengthening the chapter’s capacity, sharpening organizing skills, and expanding outreach in support of our Board of Trustees (BOT) Reform campaign and broader faculty power-building. Please sign up here to help out and learn more about the BOT Reform Campaign.
BOT Reform Flyering on Campus: In collaboration with students, our members have posted flyers across campus to highlight the need for open nominations and direct elections of BOT members. If you would like to help with flyering, meet us at the Sundial Thursday, February 26 at 7:00 PM
Follow CU AAUP on Instagram @cuaaup: Keep the momentum going! Get updates on actions, victories, and ways to plug in. Don’t miss a thing - follow us today!
★ The Communications Committee continues to work to push out articles and opinion pieces bearing on our Reform the Trustees campaign and to coordinate with the Organizing Committee to prepare videos and flyers related to the campaign.
★ The Senate Committee invites you: PLEASE JOIN US! This Friday, February 27, 1:00-2:30 pm is an IN-PERSON Senate plenary at Miller Theater. 2960 Broadway, New York, NY 10027. Register Here.
Come and see your Senators in action! Fill Miller Theater and show support for your University Senate.
At the plenary, we expect:
Continuing discussion on shared governance issues across campus;
Continuing discussion on the proposal for Professors of Instruction;
A statement from the Commission on the Status of Women addressing the still-unreleased Hadden report and concern regarding the fact that CU affiliates are named in the Epstein files.
Relevant News & Links:
Texas professor firings spur AAUP union surge statewide (Houston Chronicle)
Faculty group launches campaign for new academic freedom protections (Yale Daily News)
★ ★ Below, a message from the SWC ★ ★
Hello AAUP! Here is a short update from the Student Workers of Columbia - UAW 2710.
Bargaining update: On Wednesday, Feb. 11, our bargaining team met with the University’s representatives and delivered all of our economic-related articles. This included Working Conditions, Relocation Assistance, Transitional funding, Retirement benefits, and Artificial Intelligence. The University responded with one counteroffer on childcare benefits, which offered an increase to our childcare subsidy of only $250/year and a 3% annual increase. You can find more bargaining updates on our blog here, info about our contract proposals here, and sign up for our mailing list here.
The university’s lack of significant motion on any of the proposals we’ve delivered, except for the legalistic grievance and arbitration article, leads us to believe that they have no intention of meaningfully negotiating with us over our highest-priority demands:
Living wage commensurate with cost of living in NYC according to the MIT living wage calculator and cost of living adjustments (COLA).
Stronger workplace protections for non-citizen workers, including expanded legal and financial support, and equitable employment conditions for workers facing immigration challenges.
Expanded healthcare benefits, including a substantial increase to the health fund and protections for existing insurance coverage.
Improved protections against discrimination and harassment, including transitional funding for affected workers and shorter timelines and procedures.
Protection against discipline without just cause, including protections from discipline for exercising latitude when teaching and researching content within workers’ expertise.
Job security and union rights, including restoration of job appointments, protections against discipline and discharge without just cause, and a union security agreement.
Because of this, as of February 20th, we have opened a Strike Authorization Vote (SAV). If the SAV passes, our bargaining committee will be able to call a strike.
Faculty Strikebreaking Pledge: We ask for your solidarity at this moment: we believe that faculty support for this potential strike could, as just occurred at Penn, make a very meaningful difference at the bargaining table. We would greatly appreciate your signatures on this open letter pledging to support our union!