Facing Immediate Challenges
Our 30-Day Plans
I. Strengthening the Chapter
Together, we can build a strong and representative chapter with wide membership and effective presence:
Membership Committee:
The membership committee will be meeting over June to start crafting events and interventions to expand our membership and ensure that it is representative of the diversity of our community.
A Rep in Every Unit:
Our goal is to have an AAUP representative in each department, division, or unit. The AAUP Rep will help represent their unit, and the concerns of their colleagues and inform their unit about the work that AAUP does.
A Wider and more representative Executive Committee:
The new Executive Committee will expand its membership to include co-chairs of the various committees and divisional liaisons. The new EC structure is in keeping with the structure of the National AAUP Council.
Caucuses and Interest Groups:
Caucuses can be an important space for specific groups within our membership to congregate and organize within and under the umbrella of Hopkins AAUP. We are working to develop new caucuses and inviting suggestions and ideas.
III. Responsive and Accountable Leadership
In these crucial moments, we need to model democratic processes and accountability. We set up tools to ensure constant accountability and membership involvement
Monthly Chapter Meetings
Our first regular chapter meeting will take place on July 2nd. We will hold a monthly chapter meeting in the first week of every month.
AAUP Open Conversations
In the second week of every month, one of the Chapter officers will hold an open space for members to drop by, share ideas, concerns and thoughts, and ask questions.
A Policy on statements and letters:
To ensure that the chapter truly represents its members, the leadership will bring to the members a policy that governs the chapter’s issuing and signing statements and letters.
II. Planning for action
The breakneck pace of current events and the growing challenges demand clear and effective planning:
The Strategy Committee
In the last week of May, the Strategy Committee held its first meeting and started working on plans and scenarios for the different challenges that face us. More meetings will be held over the summer with a general plan submitted to the membership in September.
Offering an alternative:
One of the Committee’s first initiatives is to start working groups that build plans and alternatives to be proposed to the University Administration to respond to funding cuts and threats to academic freedom. Our first working group will focus on creating a plan to respond to funding cuts while maintaining our commitment to academic freedom and the stability of our community.
Planning AAUP Workshops:
Our chapter needs to offer leadership on the various intellectual and academic issues facing our community. Starting in September, we will hold a series of workshops that bring together expertise from Hopkins and beyond to discuss the different questions facing our community. these workshops will address many issues including intellectual pluralism, funding, and diversity among others.
IV. Preparing for Summer Emergencies
Hopkins AAUP will work to ensure the availability of resources and tools to support our members and to create connections that will help achieve our mission
Developing resources for our members
We are building a resources page that will include different tools to support our members.
Connections with University Administration
The Chapter officers are maintianing constart and direct communication with the university leadership to ensure transparency and collaboration.
Connections with local unions, political leaders and other partners
We are working to build the chapter’s connections with local political actors in Baltimore and Maryland, and to build stable connections with local unions within and beyond Hopkins.