At the 71st Annual Meeting of the Ohio Conference AAUP on November 6, members unanimously approved three resolutions.

Resolution 1: Education First

Whereas the primary mission of Ohio’s colleges and universities is to
educate students, a mission carried out by professors,

Whereas colleges and universities have increasingly and irresponsibly
devoted resources to endeavors peripheral to the academic mission, such
as athletics, administrative bloat, and lavish construction projects,

Whereas the aforementioned misplaced priorities have led to a reduction in
instructional spending and the number of full-time and tenured faculty,

Whereas the average spending on instructional salaries at universities is
particularly abysmal, accounting for just 20 percent of institutional budgets,

Be it resolved that the Ohio Conference AAUP encourages Ohio’s colleges
and universities to adopt an “Education First” approach to its priorities and
budgeting to ensure that high-quality instruction for students can be
guaranteed before allocations are made to enterprises and activities clearly
outside of our institutions’ core missions.

Resolution 2: Academic Freedom & Government Interference

Whereas the American Association of University Professors was founded
on the core principle of academic freedom – the idea that faculty are free to
teach, research, write, and otherwise engage in scholarly activity without
fear or retaliation or political interference;

Whereas faculty are bound by professional standards and expertise to
teach the most up-to-date and accurate information of their disciplines;

Whereas the Ohio Conference AAUP represents approximately 6,000
college and university faculty across the state;

Whereas college students deserve truth and honesty in education;

Whereas there is legislation pending in the Ohio General Assembly, which
would restrict academic freedom and create a dangerous precedent of
what can and cannot be taught at institutions of higher education;

Be it resolved that the Ohio Conference AAUP affirms its unwavering
commitment to promoting and defending academic freedom;

Be it further resolved that the Ohio Conference AAUP unequivocally
opposes any attempts by government to interfere with educational content
and academic freedom at Ohio’s colleges and universities.

Resolution 3: Support for New Deal for Higher Education

Whereas the American Association of University Professors has partnered
with the American Federation of Teachers on the “New Deal for Higher
Education” campaign;

Whereas the New Deal for Higher Education campaign promotes the
following ideas:

–Prioritizing teaching, research, and supporting student success;

–Allowing all students to access higher education regardless of their ability
to pay;

–Ensuring job security, equitable pay, professional voice, and sustainable
careers for all faculty and staff;

–Creating academic environments free from racism, sexism, and other
bigotries that prevent learning, degrade research, and perpetuate
inequality; and

–Canceling student debt for borrowers who have unjustly shouldered the
burden of financing higher education the last forty years.

Be it resolved that the Ohio Conference AAUP supports the New Deal for
Higher Education and pledges to help advance the mission of the
campaign;

Be it further resolved that the Ohio Conference AAUP encourages Ohio
AAUP chapters and members to engage in advocacy to help promote the
New Deal for Higher Education.