Ask me
about the AAUP
● What is Hopkins AAUP?
o An independent chapter of the non-profit, national American Association of University Professors, founded in 1915
o Faculty and other academic professionals are members
o AAUP works as a federation of independent chapters
● What value does AAUP add to Hopkins?
o A strong voice for faculty
o A defender of fundamental principles like academic freedom, fairness and shared governance
o A member-driven and member-led organization
o A force for good in uncertain times
● What does it mean to be part of an AAUP chapter?
o advocate for the rights and interests of faculty members
o promote academic freedom
o work towards improving working conditions and policies at the university
● What are the benefits of being an AAUP member?
o Local support/help: HR and Office of Institutional Equity investigations, Promotion disputes, Visas and Travel
o AAUP resources: Legal services, Vendor discounts, Racial justice work, Campus police, Political interference in HE
● What kinds of events and initiatives is the Hopkins AAUP working on?
o Open letter on academic freedom to upper administration (March 2025)
o Teach-in on what Trump’s policies mean for Hopkins (May 2025)
o Successful intervention on weaponization of Title VI (July 2025)
o Regular meetings with upper administration (ongoing)
o Town Hall on University Budget Thursday, September 25, 6:30-7:45 PM
● What else can I do to help fight for the future of Higher Education?
o Talk to your department about the AAUP!
o Ask AAUP reps to present at a departmental faculty meeting or retreat
o Contact us to join our Fall membership campaign
The National AAUP
The AAUP is a nonprofit membership association of faculty and other academic professionals. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the AAUP has members and chapters based at colleges and universities across the country, including at Johns Hopkins.
Since its founding in 1915, the AAUP has helped to shape American higher education by developing the standards and procedures that maintain quality in education and academic freedom in this country's colleges and universities. The AAUP defines fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, advances the rights of academics, particularly as those rights pertain to academic freedom and shared governance, and promotes the interests of higher education teaching and research.
AAUP chapters at campuses across the country work to advance the mission of the AAUP through advocacy, organizing and, in some cases, collective bargaining. In some states, state conferences support chapters and work on state level issues.
Its sister organization, the AAUP Foundation, is a public charity; it funds, through its grant-making process, the charitable and educational purposes of the AAUP, including support for academic freedom and quality higher education.
HOPKINS AAUP
Hopkins AAUP is a membership organization dedicated to protecting shared governance and supporting academic freedom across the different sectors of Johns Hopkins University.
Hopkins faculty has been part of the AAUP since its inception. The Chapter was dormant for some decades until it was re-established in 2023.
Johns Hopkins University is one of the country’s top research university. We believe our success is rooted in shared governance and academic freedom, and that faculty organizing in the best tool to protect our rights and ensure the continuation of our mission.