News & Blog

The Fallacy of Retrenchment

Press Release | March 21, 2026

Cutting Faculty Positions Doesn’t Cut Costs; But Retrenchment Does Decrease the Quality of Education Retrenchment has become so commonplace that it has been accepted as part of a broader shift in the higher education landscape. But that doesn’t mean that it makes sense. First, faculty compensation –salaries and benefits—constitutes just 18%-25% of the budgets of […]

College Affordability: What’s Really Driving the Costs?

Press Release | March 19, 2026

It’s time for policy makers to invest in what matters most–faculty, instruction & learning. A college degree–and all of its benefits–didn’t always cost this much. Since around 1980, tuition and fees have increased far faster than inflation. At the same time, policymakers in Ohio and Washington, D.C. reduced grant aid and shifted toward student loans, […]

OCAAUP Election Information

Press Release | March 10, 2026

The 2026 Ohio Conference AAUP Board of Trustees elections will be held electronically from March 15-March 31, 2026. Each member who is in good standing, which includes being current on their dues, will be emailed a ballot from BallotBoxOnline, the secure voting platform OCAAUP has used in past years. CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT Name: Dr. Gretchen McNamara Institutional […]

OCAAUP Statement on Resignation of Ted Carter As OSU President

Press Release | March 9, 2026

Students, Faculty, Staff Deserve Better; Board of Trustees Must Engage Them In Next Presidential Hiring Process Attribution: Jennifer Tisone Price, Executive Director, American Association of University Professors-Ohio Conference “The students, faculty, and staff of the Ohio State University deserve better. Better looks like respecting colleges and universities as institutions of higher education; not running them […]

Know Your Rights Training Webinar: March 6, 2026

Press Release | March 3, 2026

In a time of heightened uncertainty around campus activism and immigration enforcement, understanding your rights is essential. Join the University of Cincinnati-AAUP on Friday, March 6, from 3 – 5 p.m. for a Know Your Rights training focused on faculty activism and interactions, including those involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Gain insights from legal, […]

OCCAUP Opposes HB 698: Bill Attacks Academic Freedom, Tenure, Shared Governance, and Workers’ Rights

Press Release | February 26, 2026

HB 698 Analysis FUNDING HB 698 requires the Governor to “ensure” that future executive budgets set aside a portion of the State Share of Instruction (SSI) for institutional compliance. This directive raises separation-of-powers concerns, as the General Assembly is effectively instructing the Governor regarding budget recommendations. While the Ohio Constitution requires the Governor to submit […]

OCAAUP Calls On Ohio Legislators to Reject HB 698

Press Release | February 24, 2026

Bill Is Another Attack on Higher Education, Academic Freedom, And Tenure Under the Guise of “Accountability” Ohio Professors Strongly Oppose HB 698 The American Association of University Professors- Ohio Conference (OCAAUP) strongly opposes HB 698. The bill is an attempt to address a problem that does not exist. In doing so, HB 698 imposes exorbitant […]

Join Us In The Fight Against HB 698

Press Release | February 22, 2026

Ohio’s Legislators Must Stop Attacking Higher Education! Ohio’s public colleges and universities are under attack–AGAIN– and the people who will pay the price are students, workers, and communities across the state. House Bill 698 doubles down on a troubling pattern of legislation designed to politicize higher education, single out employees, and erode the academic freedom […]

Understanding Tenure

Press Release | February 19, 2026

One of the most misunderstood concepts in higher education is tenure. No, it’s not a job for life. Yes, it is fundamental to safeguarding academic freedom. Does tenure guarantee a job for life?Tenure is not a guarantee of lifetime employment but rather a protection of academic freedom and a guarantee of due process. In terms […]

Understanding Academic Freedom

Press Release | February 12, 2026

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 […]

Jennifer Tisone Price To Lead OCAAUP As New Executive Director

Press Release | November 5, 2025

A Message from President Gretchen McNamara, DMA Dear Fellow Ohio AAUP Members: I am pleased to share that the Executive Board of the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors has selected Jennifer Tisone Price to be our next Executive Director! We were impressed with her level of experience, professionalism, and enthusiasm for meeting […]

McNay Memorial Award Recipients

Press Release | October 21, 2025

Thank you to all members who took the time to nominate colleagues for the annual meeting awards. It is clear that there are many AAUP members across the state who are very actively engaged in meaningful work that advances AAUP principles. We are pleased to announce that the 2025 and first-ever recipients of the John T. […]

Lawsuit Filed Over STRS Board Overhaul

Press Release | September 16, 2025

Plaintiffs Are Members of Ohio’s Three Largest Education Unions Today, members of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), and the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors (OCAAUP) filed a lawsuit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas challenging an unconstitutional and discriminatory provision in the most […]

Nominations Open for Annual Meeting Awards

Press Release | August 18, 2025

The Ohio Conference AAUP will host an in-person annual meeting this year to celebrate our 75th anniversary as a state conference. The meeting will be held on Friday, November 7, and Saturday, November 8, at The Grand Event Center, just outside of downtown Columbus. There are three awards that are eligible to be given at […]

Take Action on STRS Board Changes

Press Release | August 11, 2025

You might recall from our previous communications about the state budget that, during the conference committee process, the legislature added an overhaul of the governance of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS). This extreme, eleventh-hour change will take away control of the system from elected educators and put it in the hands of political appointees. […]