AAUP Helps to Stop Anti-DEI Executive Orders
Last Friday, the national AAUP won a legal battle against President Donald Trump’s effort in two executive orders to roll back diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility nationwide. The AAUP was one of four plaintiffs in a lawsuit brought by Democracy Forward in the US District Court of Maryland. In Friday’s decision, a judge granted a preliminary national injunction against key pieces of the executive orders. 

Our organization is proud to have stood up to unconstitutional threats to federal funding and to basic free speech rights in colleges, universities, and other arenas. AAUP will continue to fight this fight to make this legal pause a permanent one on behalf of all faculty, students, and workers in higher education. Read more about the case here.

We Can Fight the “Dear Colleague” Letter 
Many of you have heard about the “Dear Colleague” letter issued by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights on February 14, 2025, in which the Trump administration threatens federal funding if colleges do not roll back race-based programs and activities. The letter is a sweeping attack on decades-old practices that ensure that everyone on college campuses can thrive and succeed, no matter their background. It targets activities ranging from hiring, admissions, and scholarships to student organizations, graduation ceremonies, and housing. Moreover, the letter sets a dangerous precedent of federal overreach into college curricula, in implying that all teaching about race is itself discriminatory.

As we want to clarify, this “Dear Colleague” letter does not enact new law. Rather, it is an interpretation of existing law, and it is being actively challenged in the courts. Like the Ohio legislature’s overreach in SB 1, this letter demands a vigorous response and defense of existing programs, teaching, and research. And that response is already happening. 

In particular, we want to call attention to this powerful memo authored by several law faculty, “DEI Programs Are Lawful Under Federal Civil Rights Laws and Supreme Court Precedent.” Its specific focus is a January 21st Executive Order, or “J21 EO,” which is closely related to the “Dear Colleague” letter. The memo argues that even by the federal government’s own admission, there is no legal ground for curtailing DEI programs and activities. The memo makes the following four points:

1. The J21 EO itself recognizes the right of institutions to engage in their First Amendment-protected speech, and it does not apply to academic programs or classroom teaching. 
2. Common DEI initiatives are lawful under federal civil rights laws and Supreme Court precedent. 
3. The J21 EO itself concedes that DEI initiatives are not inherently unlawful.
4. The J21 EO is constitutionally suspect because it appears to rest on pernicious stereotypes that presume the intellectual inferiority of women and Black people.

We’re grateful for the forcefulness of point #4. In a twisted logic, the “Dear Colleague” letter compares race-based programs and activities to Jim Crow laws. We find that comparison repulsive and welcome all efforts to shore up true histories and equal rights. 

Colleges and Universities Should Not Obey in Advance
Finally, we are concerned that colleges and universities are rushing to comply with current political will—both state efforts like SB 1 and federal efforts such as the “Dear Colleague” letter—preemptively and unnecessarily. We hope you’ll use the information here to help us fight this anticipatory obedience and that you’ll find ways to speak out in faculty and other spaces. 

Sign the Petition to Support Miami University of Ohio Faculty

*Petition to support Miami University faculty.*

More than six months ago, faculty organizers from Miami University of Ohio submitted a strong majority of signed cards to the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) to file for a union election.

Given the large number of cards that were delivered, which signaled strong support for a union, the Miami University board of trustees and administration could have chosen to voluntarily recognize the union. Instead, they have expended student tuition and taxpayer dollars to fight the faculty every step of the way.

Most recently, the university leaders are challenging the proposed composition of the faculty’s bargaining unit, contending that tenure-line, non-tenure-line, and librarians do not belong in a single union, despite the fact that there is precedent for such inclusive unions in Ohio. This is merely a tactic to delay the vote while they attempt to divide the faculty.

On December 12 and 13, SERB will be deciding on the issue of bargaining unit composition. The Faculty Alliance of Miami (FAM) is asking the Miami board and administration to withdraw their objections ahead of these hearings and allow faculty to move forward with a democratic vote on unionization.

Please sign and share this petition calling on Miami University to drop their costly legal challenges and allow this vote to proceed without further delay. Thank you in advance for your support!

Support Teachers at KIPP Columbus

Our colleagues at the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT/AFT), who have been steadfast in their support of Miami AAUP’s unionization efforts, have asked for our support and solidarity in their efforts to unionize teachers and staff at KIPP Columbus.

Just like the circumstances at Miami, the KIPP Columbus board of directors are attempting to delay and block these workers’ democratic right to vote on a union.

Please show your support by signing this petition.

Lame Duck Session & December 13 Rally

As usual, the Ohio General Assembly’s lame duck session has brought about a flurry of legislative activity late in the year.

Of particular concern are two bills that would thwart citizen participation in the democratic process: House Bill 294 and House Joint Resolution 6.

HB 294, which would limit dropbox availability and reduces time set aside for early voting, is being watched closely for a possible amendment to add a strict photo ID requirement for Ohio voters. The Chair is refusing to allow all testimony, limiting remarks to just 10 supporters and 10 opponents. The bill is scheduled to get a vote out of the Government Oversight Committee on Wednesday, December 7.

Also in Government Oversight, HJR 6, the new proposal to make it harder for voters to pass a constitutional amendment, all parties are invited to testify at the bill’s second hearing–an unusual step signifying lawmakers are in a rush to move the bill. No agenda has been released for Thursday’s hearing of the same committee, but it’s not out of the question for HJR 6 to be voted out of committee after just three hearings and one opportunity for public testimony.

In order to be placed before voters in a May special election, HJR 6 needs to pick up 60 votes in support. With 63 sitting Republican House members and one vacant seat, bill supporters can’t afford to lose more than 4 members to the “no” side. Therefore, it’s critical that lawmakers hear from constituents in opposition to this proposal – you can use this letter-writing tool to contact your lawmakers to oppose HJR 6.

On Tuesday, December 13 at 11:15 am in Columbus, there will be a rally to oppose HJR 6. Click here for more details and to RSVP for this event.

If Ohio kept up with the average employer contribution rate of the other non-Social Security states, STRS would annually be adding an additional $1 billion towards funding Ohio teacher and professor pensions.  It’s unreasonable to go 38 years without an employer rate increase.

Sign the petition today: http://strsohioemployercontributionrate.com/

Happy New Year! Here is how OCAAUP works for you.

We thought that the New Year would be a great time to remind our members about the ways that the Ohio Conference serves faculty interests.

We know that OCAAUP may sometimes seem like a mystery. You likely are most in tune with the AAUP at the chapter level, which generally has the greatest impact on your day-to-day professional lives.
However, at the state level, OCAAUP does valuable and important work for all Ohio members. With just one staff member and a 19-member elected volunteer board, the Conference accomplishes a tremendous amount each year.

One of the biggest roles of the State Conference is governmental advocacy efforts. OCAAUP is seen as the faculty voice at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. We regularly engage legislators, track bills, and provide oral and written committee testimony. Our goals are to lobby for greater resources for higher education, as well as protect and advance academic freedom, faculty job security, and shared governance. We advocate for strong pensions to the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) and Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) Boards.

We belong to several coalitions with other organizations that work on issues impacting worker rights, collective bargaining, the state budget, education, and public pensions. This work not only strengthens our collective interests, but it also means that other groups have our backs when we are faced with a threat.

In addition to our advocacy efforts, we often work with National AAUP’s Committee A to help individual faculty address infringements to academic freedom and tenure, and we help chapters address wider issues that threaten AAUP principles at the campus level. Over the years, we have had some success mitigating faculty job loss and holding administrations accountable.

We also aid in establishing new advocacy and collective bargaining chapters, build membership at existing chapters, and facilitate information sharing among our chapters. OCAAUP serves as a hub that connects all 25 chapters in the state so that faculty can exercise a collective voice and collective power. We frequently have op-eds published to engage the public on issues of importance to higher education and make the faculty voice heard.

You can keep up with Conference activity by reading our e-mails, checking our website, and attending your own chapter meetings to get updates from your local leadership. Thank you for being an AAUP member and supporting the important work that we do!

Opportunities to engage in pension issues If you are a member of the defined benefit State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) pension, there are a couple of ways that you can get more involved in pension issues to be an advocate for yourself and your peers. Healthcare and Pension Advocates Coalition For many years, Dr. Rudy Fichtenbaum served as the AAUP member representative to the Healthcare and Pension Advocates (HPA) coalition. Because Dr. Fichtenbaum is now a member of the STRS Board, we need another AAUP member to serve as a representative to the coalition, attending meetings with OCAAUP Executive Director Sara Kilpatrick. Currently, the meetings are virtual, but at some point are likely to revert back to in-person ones at STRS headquarters in Columbus. Travel expenses are reimbursed by OCAAUP. If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please contact Sara Kilpatrick at sara@ocaaup.org. Run for the STRS Board The best way that we can make changes at STRS for the better is to elect new people to the board who understand that the status quo is unacceptable. Retirees have been without a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for eight years, and active contributors to the system are paying in more than what the value of their pension will be upon retirement. But it doesn’t have to be this way, and we need more Board members who will support Dr. Rudy Fichtenbaum and his efforts to improve STRS. Whether you are an active professor or retired, there are positions on the STRS board that will be up for election. If you are interested either now or possibly for the future, contact Sara Kilpatrick at sara@ocaaup.org.