BY KELLY HAND

Several AAUP chapters have issued statements dealing with the presidential election and its repercussions on higher ed.

The University of Connecticut-AAUP issued a statement supporting a statement made last week by the AAUP and the AAUP Collective Bargaining Congress. The chapter affirms its “longstanding commitment to inclusiveness, democracy, and academic freedom and to reject acts of bigotry, violence, and discrimination.” Pledging to “stand in solidarity” with any members of the university community “targeted by agents of intolerance,” the chapter also called on University of Connecticut president Susan Herbst and the administration to do the same.

On November 15, the Western Michigan University-AAUP Association Council approved a resolution in solidarity with Western Michigan University students in the aftermath of the election, and will submit the resolution to the full membership of the WMU-AAUP collective bargaining unit for a vote by electronic ballot. The resolution declares that the faculty “takes seriously its role in modeling, teaching, and facilitating critical thinking and respectful discourse.” It also acknowledges the vulnerability and fear some students feel and affirms the rights of all students “to feel accepted, included, empowered, and safe.”

As faculty come to terms with the surprising outcome of the election, AAUP chapters can play a vital role in providing a forum for dialogue and dissent. This blog post by Tim Strode on the Nassau Community College website is one example of how chapters can communicate with members about some of the challenges faculty and higher education institutions may face in coming years.

If your AAUP chapter has issued formal or informal responses to the election, please share them with us by writing to communications@aaup.org.