Greetings AAUP-CSU Members and Supporters,
It has been a busy fall so far, and AAUP-CSU has been active around campus and in the community. Here’s the latest news.
[Take Action] [Stay Informed] [Get Support] [Join AAUP-CSU]
Take Action
Monthly meeting
Wednesday, November 5, 4:30-5:30pm | Avogadro’s Number
We gather monthly to plan actions, discuss concerns, and build solidarity. All are welcome (faculty, staff, students, and community members). This month we’ll be discussing our fall postcard campaign, organizing volunteers for our AAUP Day of Action for Higher Ed events, and discussing future projects, like a teach-in to respond to the Trump administration’s policies.
Movie night! Join our free screening of The Librarians
Friday, November 7, 6:30 pm | CSU Campus, Behavioral Sciences A101 | Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/aaupcsu
Join the CSU chapters of the AAUP and the Young Democratic Socialists of America for a free screening of the acclaimed documentary The Librarians.
As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.
Arrive early to learn more about local efforts to support academic freedom and resist partisan attempts to control research, teaching, and student support at CSU. This event is part of the AAUP’s Day of Action for Higher Ed.
Nearest Parking (Free after 4pm, no permit required) just east of the building (map here) and at the South College Parking Garage (map here).
Support the Day of Action for Higher Ed student event on the LSC Plaza
Students are gathering on the LSC Plaza on Friday, November 7, from 11-1 to demonstrate for academic freedom, free speech, and supporting student centers. Help us staff the AAUP-CSU table where we will be continuing our postcard campaign and building solidarity with CSU students, staff, and faculty.
Stay Informed
AAUP-CSU has been fighting for academic freedom and workers’ rights on campus and in our community!
- We tabled at Fort Collins No Kings
- We supported the Fort Collins Starbucks picket line
- We delivered over 400 postcards in support of academic freedom, free speech, and student centers to CSU Chancellor Tony Frank and the Board of Governors and testified during the Board’s public comment session.
And we’re getting results!
The CSU administration withdrew revisions to the campus Free Speech and Peaceful Assembly policy after coordinated pushback from faculty council, AAUP-CSU, and ASCSU. When we fight, we win! But we’re just getting started. To expand our impact, we need to build our membership. Encourage your colleagues to join our chapter and share our website stories on social media.
New Poll: The public supports university independence
The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published results of a nationally representative Quinnipiac University poll that “explores public views on the federal government’s role in higher education and key elements of the proposed Trump compact.” The Chronicle reports that, “by a wide margin,” the public rejects the Trump administration’s “sustained campaign to give the federal government greater oversight of higher education.”
AAUP-CSU in the news
Read the Rocky Mountain Collegian‘s coverage of the Fort Collins No Kings march. AAUP-CSU Executive Board Member Karrin Anderson emceed the march and is quoted in the Collegian‘s coverage:
“Karrin Vasby Anderson, a professor of communication studies and an executive board member of the American Association of University Professors at CSU, pointed to Trump’s policies toward higher education as a concerning example of authoritarianism. Most recently, the Trump administration sent a letter to a handful of universities promising them priority funding if they agree to Trump’s political agenda, including adherence to strict definitions of gender.
‘Defunding, censoring and seeking to control universities is dangerous because one of the main responsibilities of a university is to equip people with the skills needed to have a healthy democracy and to recognize and resist demagogues when they arise,’ Anderson wrote in an email.
Anderson pointed to the No Kings protest as an example of meaningful democratic resistance, adding that such a large turnout helps prevent people from feeling helpless. ‘Authoritarianism works by making people feel like it is inevitable — like they lack the power to stop what is happening,’ Anderson said. ‘Public demonstrations challenge that feeling of inevitability and isolation. They also can embolden regular citizens and elected officials to challenge authoritarianism in other ways in their community.’”
Get Support
AAUP works for you! In November, AAUP national members can take advantage of the following webinars:
- Shared governance: what it is and how to strengthen it on your campus (Nov 5)
- College and university legal obligations to accommodate pregnant and parenting faculty (Nov 12)
Membership has its benefits! Check out the resources available to national AAUP members, including webinars, toolkits, a subscription to Academe, and benefits from the American Federation of Teachers.
Join AAUP-CSU
Membership Drive
The AAUP@CSU is mobilizing to respond to threats aimed at higher education and changes faculty are experiencing on campus.
We want to grow our numbers and we need your help! Invite your colleagues and friends to connect with AAUP@CSU:
- Sign up for our newsletter.
- Become a member or supporter.
- Attend our monthly meeting the first Monday of each month, 4:00-5:00 p.m., at Ramskeller in the Lory Student Center.
