BY HANK REICHMAN Recently I had the pleasure of discussing academic freedom with Keith Whittington, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics at Princeton University and chair of the Academic Freedom Alliance, for that organization’s podcast. His interview with me is now available at the link below. My thanks to Keith and to the AFA for…
BY CAPRICE LAWLESS For organizers, the benefit of watching Hogan’s Heroes reruns cannot be overstated. The 1960s sitcom details how inmates of a German World War II prisoner of war camp thwart enemy plans night and day, right under the noses of their Nazi warders. Twist that design just slightly, and you can reframe their…
BY LOUIS HOWARD PORTER If carpenters are needed it is well and good to train men as carpenters. But to train men as carpenters, and then set them to teaching is wasteful and criminal; and to train men as teachers and then refuse them living wages, unless they become carpenters, is rank nonsense. ––W. E.…
BY ALICE FREIFELD After 27 years at the University of Florida, I retired on the first day of class this fall, effective immediately. This despite the fact that I flew back to Gainesville anxious to get back into the classroom. I love teaching. The delta variant was on the upswing, and I was delighted by…
BY HANK REICHMAN The state of Florida has gotten something of a reputation for zaniness. The “Florida Man” meme has been the source of both laughter and horror, as tales of outlandish behavior in the news repeatedly go viral. To read some of the most outrageous (and entertaining), go here. But these days “Florida Man”…
BY DANYA LEEBAW The years since the 2016 election have prompted reckoning and reflection among academic librarians about the integration of our professional, academic, and civic responsibilities. We are educators focused on information literacy, stewards of research and archival collections, and hosts to essential public and learning spaces on our campuses. In recent years, many…
BY HANK REICHMAN At the invitation of the AAUP chapter, I was scheduled to visit and speak at La Salle University in Philadelphia in April 2020 about my book, The Future of Academic Freedom. Of course, the appearance was cancelled owing to the pandemic. Yesterday, I belatedly spoke to members of the La Salle faculty…
BY DARREN JOHNSON Originally published October 16, 2021; reprinted with permission of Campus News. It’s holiday time, and for those unfamiliar with large American family gatherings this time of year, let me tell you about the kiddie table. Most people who host big dinners in their homes have a big dining room table, usually something…
BY DANIELLE SLAUGHTER Miguel Cardona Secretary, US Department of Education Dear Secretary Cardona, My name is Danielle Slaughter, and I’m an independent scholar, digital organizer, and mother of two young children. In 2017, I made the difficult decision to transition out of academia. I was pregnant with my second child, and, after the struggles I…
BY THE COLORADO AAUP CONFERENCE A rumored 25 percent pay raise sounds fantastic until people learn administrators want to phase it in over five years, that a cost-of-living increase will not accompany it, and that the average base pay is only $2,500 per class. To showcase how the “raise” would shake out for impoverished adjuncts…