PACIFIC AAUP

We are the University of the Pacific Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), a national organization whose mission is "to advance academic freedom and shared governance; to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education; to promote the economic security of faculty, academic professionals, graduate students, post‐doctoral fellows, and all those engaged in teaching and research in higher education; to help the higher education community organize to make our goals a reality; and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good."

The University of the Pacific AAUP Chapter is dedicated to preserving and advancing academic freedom and shared governance. Being the bedrock of the academic enterprise, having a secure and empowered faculty is crucial to the health of the institution.

The Chapter acknowledges that both benefits and obligations flow from these principles for faculty members. The Mission of the Chapter is defined by the following Commitments and related Activities.

Commitments

1. Promote the solidarity of the faculty at Pacific, and the solidarity of the Pacific faculty with faculty members across the nation. (Faculty include all persons in teaching roles).

2. Protect and Promote Academic Freedom and the Professionalism of all members of the faculty at Pacific, without regard to rank or contract.

3. Support the faculty’s formal role in shared governance under University policies from an independent perspective dedicated to the AAUP principles.

4. Champion the faculty’s primary responsibility to design and implement an effective curriculum that provides an excellent education for our students.

5. Protect and advance the economic status of all faculty members.

6. Educate the faculty, University staff, and external constituencies about AAUP position papers and statements relevant to Pacific.

Activities

As an independent body, the Chapter is free to undertake projects of its own choosing. The Chapter supplements formal shared governance, and does not seek to replace or compete with those structures. The following is a partial list of activities that can advance the Commitments in response to circumstances at hand.

1. Informational. The Chapter may gather, produce and disseminate information that can assist the faculty in reaching informed decisions.

2. Responsive. The Chapter may serve as a persistent venue and clearinghouse for Faculty concerns that may not fall into any of the predefined categorizations charged to governance, or which may relate to problems with governance.

3. Collective Expression. The Chapter may issue statements, seek petitions, and engage in other collective activity to highlight the need for University action on specific issues.

4. External Resources. The Chapter may act as an official conduit for support from the AAUP, or other external constituencies, to assist in its mission.

5. Representation. Over time, the Chapter may facilitate concerted activity of the faculty under the auspices of the AAUP, including contract negotiation and collective bargaining structures.