The Oklahoma AAUP Chapter Service Program

This is the web site of the Oklahoma Conference of the American Association of University Professors. This site contains information about state AAUP events, initiatives, and members. AAUP-Oklahoma is the main advocate of the state's college faculty. We fight for raising faculty salaries and benefits, strengthening the tenure system, and ensuring freedom of academic speech on campus.

The Oklahoma Conference does the following to assist chapters in Oklahoma.  The chapter service program is explained on the state conference website and is communicated to chapter leaders by e-mail several times each year.

  • Consultation with chapter and faculty governance leaders regarding issues of academic policy; consultation and assistance in developing strategies to strengthen the faculty role in academic governance.

  • Protection and support for individuals faced with violations of academic freedom and lack of due process; possible referral to the national office to determine if an investigation should be pursued; provision of external observers at faculty hearings; references to higher education attorneys with reduced fees for chapter/conference referrals.

  • Assistance in developing media relations campaigns; training in dealing with the press; maintenance of direct press contacts; assistance in development and production of chapter newsletters.

  • Comprehensive program of support for faculty and students in the state legislature; active government relations committee with statewide membership; carefully monitoring of bills affecting higher education and higher education employees.

  • Chapter leadership training; advice and assistance in chapter organization and membership development; provision of speakers and consultants with expertise in a wide range of higher education issues.

  • Monitoring of legislation impacting on higher education.  Lobbying efforts for better higher education funding, opposition to TABOR (which was defeated in the Oklahoma legislature), by joining a formal statewide organization to defeat TABOR.  The coalition was able to successfully challenge an initiative petition to put TABOR on the ballot.  Coordination with other groups in support of and opposed to legislative initiatives depending on potential impact on higher education and higher education faculty.