The American Association of University Professors is the National Professional organization of teachers and research scholars at American Colleges and Universities. Its 44,000 members are located at more than 2,000 institutions, 800 of which have organized AAUP chapters. In 39 states, chapters have joined together to form state-wide conferences. Tennessee is one of these states. AAUP is the only national organization exclusively representing the interests of college and university faculties.

Since its founding in 1915, AAUP has been committed to the defense of academic freedom and the principle of tenure. Over the years, it has established policies and procedures for protecting the role of faculty. AAUP policies have been recognized by college and university administrators and by the courts as the common law of higher education. These policies, covering the rights of faculty in securing and retaining tenure, faculty participation in university governance, racial discrimination and sexual harrassment, the rights of part-time instructors, and professional ethics are contained in a set of Policy Documents and Reports (commonly called the red book) which is available in the UTK Library and from officers of the UTK Chapter. For more on AAUP, visit the National AAUP website.

A subscription to the national AAUP magazine, Academe, which is published six times a year and carries articles of interest to college and university faculties, lists of censured administrations, reports of committee activities, and new policies approved by the organization. The services of the national office staff in cases of academic freedom and tenure that have broad application. A special introductory rate to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Participation in professional liability insurance and other benefit programs. A strengthened voice protecting the role of faculty and academic freedom at UTK and nationally.

Through a separately chartered Foundation, the conference maintains a fund to assist AAUP members who resort to litigation to secure redress for problems of tenure, academic freedom, or discrimination that cannot be settled outside of the courts.

The local chapter holds public meetings each semester addressing issues of concern to faculty. Recent meetings have addressed Administrative Accountability, Sexual Harassment and Tenure. This year meetings will address shared governance and the corporatization of higher education.

The chapter works closely with the Faculty Senate to insure that official administrative procedures are consistent with AAUP principles and show appropriate regard for tenure rights, academic freedom, and participation of faculty in the governance of the university.

In recent years our chapter has helped to create a Policy on Consensual Relations, guidelines for selecting a university president, and has investigated the improper closure of the Pediatrics Department at UT Medical Center--with the result in the latter case of saving the jobs of several tenured faculty members. The chapter's Committee A assists faculty who have grievances involving tenure and promotion when the faculty member seeks such assistance before resorting to official procedures outlined in the Faculty Handbook, or afterwards, if the process does not resolve the problem. These matters are handled confidentially.

The State Conference represents and acts for the 800+ members and 20 chapters of AAUP in the State of Tennessee. The conference meets twice a year in various parts of the state and acts upon matter affecting AAUP. Through its various committees, it assists campuses seeking to organize chapters, investigates threats to academic freedom within the state, investigates and reports on cases involving gender and racial discrimination, and through an active government relations committee maintains watch over legislative actions which affect the academic profession within Tennessee.

In 1991 the local chapter won the Beatrice G. Konheim Award of the national AAUP for Outstanding Chapter Achievement. The award is presented annually to a chapter which excels in advancing AAUP objectives. In 1996-97 we developed VoxProf, a list server to facilitate rapid exchange and information among faculty. To subscribe to VoxProf, go to

http://listserv.utk.edu/archives/voxprof.html

and click on the third item.

The local chapter has been active and effective in seeking changes in the Faculty Handbook which emphasize freedom and which protect the right of all faculty to due process.