No, it isn’t indoctrination. It’s not opinion.  And, it’s not brainwashing.
But those are convenient myths when facts don’t support powerful special interests or politics.

Academic freedom is essential to higher education. It ensures that the pursuit and transfer of knowledge are not hindered by powerful special interests, partisan politics, or the influence of large donors. By protecting independent teaching, learning, and research, academic freedom safeguards the integrity of colleges and universities and strengthens their ability to serve the public good.

What Academic Freedom Means
Academic freedom means that subject matter experts are responsible for developing course content and materials, designing assignments that support knowledge-building, and assessing student academic performance based on established academic standards.

It supports a classroom environment where ideas can be openly exchanged and rigorously tested through discussion and debate. Faculty must be able to address current topics and issues relevant to their discipline, consistent with professional standards and ethical responsibilities. Academic freedom is not, and never has been, a license to offer personal opinions on any topic. Rather, it protects the ability of educators to teach and engage in scholarship within their areas of expertise.

Academic Freedom and Student Success
Academic freedom benefits students by fostering the development of knowledge, critical thinking skills, independent analytical thought, and objective evaluation. It creates an educational environment where students learn how to examine evidence, consider competing perspectives, and draw informed conclusions.

These skills are essential for preparing future generations to succeed in an evolving and competitive job market. Graduates must be equipped to solve complex problems and navigate the challenges facing our country and the global community.

Academic Freedom and Research
Academic freedom is critical to research and discovery. It allows scholars to investigate important questions, challenge prevailing assumptions, and publish evidence-based findings without fear of censorship, political pressure, or commercial interference.

From advancing medical breakthroughs and curing disease to developing innovative technologies and informing public policy, independent research improves lives and strengthens society.

Serving the Public Good
At its core, academic freedom enables institutions of higher education to understand, explain, and address complex societal challenges. By protecting open inquiry and scholarly independence, academic freedom ultimately serves the public good and reinforces the vital role of higher education in a democratic society.

Earlier this month, the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) ruled on the composition of the proposed bargaining unit for Miami faculty.

The ruling contended that only the full-time tenured/tenure-track and full-time non-tenure-track faculty on continuous contracts were part of a “community of interest” and eligible to be in the same bargaining unit. The more than 800 faculty who are eligible will have the opportunity to vote for a union between April 18 and May 2. The vote count will occur at SERB on May 17.

Unfortunately, the other faculty that the Faculty Alliance of Miami (FAM) attempted to include in the bargaining unit–visiting assisting professors, librarians, and those who are 50% faculty and 50% staff–were excluded from the unit. Nevertheless, efforts already are underway to organize these faculty into separate bargaining units.

Congratulations to FAM for getting to this point! Faculty union organizing is a volunteer-led effort that takes years. We hope that all eligible Miami faculty will vote in favor of establishing the union to begin a new era of shared governance at Miami University!

On March 7, National AAUP sent information to all members regarding the tentative agreement that they have reached with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The agreement represents months of negotiations to establish a closer working relationship with the AFT. The AAUP already has been involved in joint unionizing campaigns with the AFT for many years.

To read the full text of the agreement, an overview, as well as FAQs and relevant financial information, visit: https://www.aaup.org/member-information-aaupaft-affiliation. You will need your member log-in information to view that page.

Under the proposed agreement, which must be ratified by delegates at the National AAUP Biennial Meeting in June in order to take effect, the Ohio Conference AAUP will remain as is. This is different from other states, where chapters will become members of the AFT state federation.

Here is what the overview document says about OCAAUP:

• All existing AAUP chapters in Ohio will retain their current state conference, and will not become part of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. The Ohio Conference of the AAUP and the OFT reserve the right to discuss a potential merger in the future.
• The OCAAUP and OFT will develop a shared services model, including but not limited to a fee-for-service arrangement between the two entities.
• The AAUP and the AFT commit to joint funding for a shared political organizing program in Ohio.
• Where possible, AFT and AAUP affiliates in Ohio will coordinate their statewide political endorsements.

Ohio collective bargaining chapters will continue to pay dues to the State Conference and do not have to pay anything separate to the OFT. Advocacy members also will continue to be part of OCAAUP. Any changes to the relationship between OCAAUP and OFT will have to be negotiated between and agreed to by both organizations.

For many years, OCAAUP and OFT have worked together on state lobbying efforts, and we look forward to continuing working even more closely together in the future should this agreement be ratified in June.

With Marty Kich assuming the presidency, it means that our long-time president, John McNay, Professor of History from the University of Cincinnati, now moves into the role of past president on the Ohio Conference board.

During his eight years as president, McNay testified dozens of times to the Ohio General Assembly. He has fought for more higher education funding, and fought against numerous proposals that would have imposed onerous mandates on faculty, and even taken away faculty collective bargaining rights.

In recognition of his lobbying efforts, McNay received the Al Sumberg Award from National AAUP in 2015.

He has helped start and build chapters all over the state, working with members to build faculty power and address issues at their colleges and universities.

Moreover, he has worked with other unions and allied organizations to form coalitions through which we have worked collectively on issues important to professors, students, and workers.

We want to take this opportunity to thank John McNay for his eight years of service as president. His contributions to the Conference and its chapters are immeasurable. He has been an unwavering advocate for faculty and higher education.

We are grateful that McNay will continue on the board as past president for one year, and beyond that, will remain engaged through committee work.

On September 1, Marty Kich, Professor of English from Wright State University, became the new president of the Ohio Conference AAUP. Prof. Kich was first elected to the Ohio Conference board in 2009 as an at-large representative, and since 2012, he has served as vice president. He has chaired the Communications, Organizing, Adjunct Faculty, Nominating, and Personnel Committees. In 2012-2013, he was largely responsible for the major overhaul of the Conference’s Code of Regulations to accommodate the transition from a 501(c)(3) to a 501(c)(6) and to enlarge the membership of the Board of Trustees. In addition, Kich served as president of the Wright State chapter from 2011 to 2019. Previous to that, he served one term as vice president and four terms as an at-large representative on the chapter’s executive committee. He has served the chapter as a member of its negotiating team, as editor of its newsletter, and as an assistant grievance officer, and he currently maintains the chapter’s website. On the national level, Kich served three terms as an at-large member of the Executive Committee of the Collective Bargaining Congress. He has co-edited the Academe Blog, has served on the editorial board of Academe, has guest-edited two issues of Academe, and has served as a frequent contact for national and regional media outlets. He has also served on the Committee for Teaching, Research, and Publication, on a number of nominating committees. Moreover, he has been honored with the Marilyn Sternberg Award from the National AAUP for activism on behalf of human rights, political advocacy, effective engagement in collective bargaining and defense of collective bargaining rights, and the promotion of the AAUP principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and tenure and the economic security of the professoriate. He has also received the William S. Tacey Award from the Association of State Conferences for outstanding and sustained service to a state conference. He has received the Trustees’ Award for Faculty Excellence from Wright State University for a sustained and balanced contribution to the teaching, research, and professional service mission of the university. A founding member of the Association for the University Regional Campuses of Ohio, he has received its Distinguished Service Award. And he has received the Lake Campus’ Outstanding Faculty Award and its awards for Outstanding Scholarship and Outstanding Service. We are fortunate to have Marty Kich’s experience and activism at the helm of the Conference!