American Association of University Professors
Press Release | June 30, 2021
While Gov. DeWine has the ability to line item veto portions of House Bill 110, the state budget bill, before he signs it into law, here are the higher education highlights of the final bill as passed by the House and Senate: -The Senate’s language to require the chancellor to approve any nursing programs at […]
Press Release | June 23, 2021
OverviewThere has been a rash of anti-academic freedom legislation cropping up in states across the country, and Ohio is no exception. The main purpose of these bills is to prohibit the teaching of “critical race theory” in primary and secondary education, but the bills tend to go much farther, and higher education has been a […]
Press Release | June 14, 2021
Wittenberg University was one of six institutions added to the list of AAUP sanctioned institutions at the June 2021 AAUP Council meeting. An institution is sanctioned by AAUP only after an investigation by the Committee on College and University Governance reveals “serious departures by the administration and/or governing board from generally accepted standards of college […]
Press Release | June 4, 2021
For the June 2 hearing of the Ohio Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee, OCAAUP President Marty Kich submitted interested party testimony to address several key concerns that we have with the substitute bill. On May 19, the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee had adopted a substitute version of SB 135. Substitute SB 135 […]
Press Release | May 14, 2021
On May 4, Dr. David Jackson, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University, as well as President of the BGSU AAUP chapter, delivered testimony on behalf of OCAAUP regarding House Bill 110, the state budget bill. The testimony focused on the importance of investment in public higher education, as well as the importance […]
Press Release | May 14, 2021
A hard-hitting report about the upside-down priorities at the University of Cincinnati has been released by current and former students at UC who are members of the Roosevelt Network. The report criticizes UC’s lack of inclusiveness in decision-making and transparency. It challenges the university’s centralized budgeting model, which usurps money to the central administration — […]
Press Release | April 30, 2021
As we reported to you earlier this month, Senator Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) introduced Ohio Senate Bill 135, which contains a myriad of proposed changes to public higher education, most of which we believe would be detrimental to institutions and faculty. The proposals could impact college and university finances, program and degree offerings, and free speech/First Amendment policies, including academic […]
Press Release | February 3, 2021
Executive State Budget ReleasedOn Monday, Gov. Mike DeWine released his executive proposal for the next biennial state budget, allocating resources for Fiscal Years 2022-2023. Unsurprisingly, the Governor did not show a willingness to seek new tax revenue or tap the state’s “Rainy Day Fund,” which many groups, including ours, have suggested is necessary to properly […]
Press Release | January 27, 2021
We are pleased to share that our own Rudy Fichtenbaum, Past President of National AAUP, long-time OCAAUP Board Member, and emeritus professor of economics at Wright State University, is running for one of the retiree positions on the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board. We also are supporting the candidacy of Elizabeth Jones, a retired […]
Press Release | January 26, 2021
We are working with the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) to collect signatures from active public institution faculty who pay into the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) pension in order to get OFT member Ben Pfeiffer on the STRS ballot this spring. Ben is a Chemistry Teacher in Oregon City Schools in Northwest Ohio, as well as […]
Press Release | January 26, 2021
Higher Ed Gets Back $100 million Last week, Gov. DeWine announced the restoration of $100 million in cuts that he had made to higher education in the last calendar year. Between Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021, the cuts amounted to a $164 million reduction in State Share of Instruction (SSI). DeWine credited better-than-expected tax receipts […]
Press Release | December 15, 2020
On December 11, OCAAUP President Martin Kich sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine regarding the next biennial state budget. As you can see in the letter, we are urging the Governor (and will be urging the next General Assembly, too) to restore SSI funding levels to original allocations in the current budget, as well […]
Press Release | December 3, 2020
The period of time between the election and the end of the calendar year — known as “lame duck” session — often sees a flurry of legislative activity. In spite of the pandemic, 2020 is no different, and the Ohio General Assembly has been full steam ahead on numerous pieces of legislation. Two bills that […]
Press Release | November 19, 2020
Federal ElectionsWhile President Trump and his legal team continue to challenge election results in several states, presumptive President-Elect Joe Biden built on his electoral victory last week. Biden already has put together his own COVID-19 task force and named long-time Democratic operative Ron Klain as his chief-of-staff. Biden has signaled that there will be many […]
Press Release | November 19, 2020
In accordance with our Code of Regulations, this will serve as our call for nominations for the 2021 OCAAUP elections. The positions to be elected in 2021 are: -Vice President-Treasurer-At-Large Member from a public institution with less than 100 members or a private institution The Vice President serves in the absence of the President. The Treasurer is responsible for […]