Why should I join?
This is a great question, and the first one anyone joining a new organization should ask.
We are the largest faculty organization on campus, other than Faculty Senate, but with a more focused mission: support and protect this campus's most valuable asset - the faculty, graduate students, and other DU community members who make it run.
There is strength in numbers, and we need numbers. Higher education is under attack from multiple fronts, and we are stronger together.
In joining the AAUP, as of 2022, you are also becoming a member of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and by extension, the AFL-CIO.
As of this past year (2024-2025), we are the largest chapter in Colorado with over 100 members, and were asked in 2024 by the Colorado AAUP to send a delegate to the national conference to represent the state.
I'm a (postdoc, graduate student who is a grad/teaching assistant, adjunct faculty member) - should I/can I still join?
The DU AAUP chapter is open to anyone in one of the ten faculty series outlined in the Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure handbook. which includes tenure-line series, as well as "teaching and professional series" (Libraries, Teaching, Clinical, Professor of the Practice, Research Professor, Adjunct, Visiting, In-Residence, and Emeritus), as well as graduate students, per the current bylaws.
While graduate students are welcome to join, they are not currently well-represented in the membership. We would welcome conversations with graduate students, particularly grad/teaching assistants, about how we can best work with and support them.
Postdoctoral researchers, despite having academic appointments and often serving in important research and teaching roles, are classified as staff, and based on the current bylaws, are not eligible to join, but we would welcome conversations with postdocs and indeed any other staff with academic positions on how we could best work with and support them.
So - am I joining a union?
No. We are an advocacy chapter of the AAUP, but the AAUP does provide resources for advocacy chapters who are thinking about organizing a union chapter.
How much are dues?
AAUP member dues are structured based on income bands, and can be paid in monthly installments, or on an annual basis. See AAUP website for the most current information: https://www.aaup.org/membership
Even if I'm not a member, can I attend meetings/are meetings open to all?
Great question! Meetings are open to all, regardless of membership status. Only current AAUP members may vote on membership business, but anyone may attend.