University of Washington chapter
American Association of 
University Professors  

For the past 90 years, AAUP has been the guardian of academic freedom, shared governance, and tenure at the University of Washington and universities throughout the United States. The UW chapter was founded in 1918 and helped create the Faculty Senate and the system of tenure at UW. It also has contributed directly to the University's reputation as a premier institution of higher education. The names of AAUP members today grace some of the campus's best known buildings. Professors Padelford,  Parrington, Savery, McMahon, and Smith were all members of AAUP.

AAUP operates on both a national and campus level, sustained by the 45,000 members whose dues insure that faculty will have a strong voice. The national office in Washington D.C. coordinates activities on many fronts. When Congress considers higher education bills, AAUP is there to lobby and advise. When state legislatures write their budgets, AAUP is there. . When journalists look for data and information, AAUP is where they turn. When individual faculty are involved in employment disputes, they call AAUP, which helps resolve more than 1,000 cases each year. Most importantly, when college and university administrations do things that threaten academic freedom, undercut shared governance, or violate faculty codes, they know that AAUP will be there, ready to defend  practices that the organization helped invent.

Over the years AAUP committees have established standards that are recognized by most institutions of higher education. These include the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, the 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities,  and more recently Academic Freedom and National Security in a Time of Crisis. These policies are compiled and published  in the AAUP Redbook. Universities are urged to bring their practices into compliance with these standards. When violations are flagrant and the issues warrant, an offending institution can be subject to AAUP censure. 

AAUP is a communication center and data resource for higher education. The national office publishes Academe,  a bi-monthly magazine, and Footnotes, once a year. Also important  is the Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession which policy makers, faculty and administrators rely on each year.

The University of Washington chapter of AAUP was founded in 1918 and has played  a vital role in making UW the center of excellence that it is. The chapter helped create the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Code, and  system of tenure (see History) and protecting and strengthening those institutions remain its core mission today. 

Here are some of the other things we do:

The chapter maintains the Faculty Issues and Concerns email listserve. More than 1,100 UW faculty members and librarians rely on it for news and discussion of campus and national issues. 

The chapter produces periodic assessments of the conditions of faculty employment and shared governance.  The State of the Faculty-- Report Cards are distributed to faculty members and administrators throughout the campus.

The chapter  helps faculty who seek advice regarding disputes, grievance procedures, including  adjudication. 

Ongoing commitments include:

• promote discussion about  collective bargaining as a resource for UW faculty 
• redress gender and racial inequalities
• raise faculty salaries
• resist the further degradation of the tenure system 
• expose and contest the casualization of faculty positions and the exploitation of contingent faculty.
• monitor distance learning initiatives

For more information click on the links and buttons above and left.

Because Academic Freedom is not free, it is important that AAUP has the members and the funds to continue its work. Please join. For membership information click here

Meetings are held each month.. Members, other faculty and librarians, and invited guests are welcome. See