Brian L. Evans, PhD, aaup.texas@gmail.com
President, Texas AAUP-AFT Conference, AFT Local 8041A

August 13, 2024

I hope that you’re finding the time to prepare for the fall semester and November elections. For daily updates, follow us on X at @TexasAaup and @aaup_utAustin.

Here’s the previous Texas AAUP-AFT newsletter on New organizers, Fall outreach, and the next Texas Legislature on July 26, 2024.  It’s all hands-on-deck for us to respond to the higher ed priorities for the Texas Legislature and Project 2025.

Today’s Texas AAUP-AFT update is on SB 17 Syllabus Language, Fall Outreach, Voter Registration, and Academic Freedom Project, Higher Ed Summit, and Fall Texas AAUP-AFT meeting.  Please feel free to share this email message to others.

SB 17 Syllabus Language

On Jan. 9, 2024, a few days after SB 17 took effect, Texas AAUP hosted a panel on “Guidance on anti-DEI SB17 and its exceptions for academic course instruction, scholarly research, and creative works”.  At the panel, Texas AAUP presented the following course syllabus language to affirm the exception of academic course instruction in SB 17:Texas Senate Bill 17, the recent law that outlaws diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public colleges and universities in Texas, does not in any way affect content, instruction or discussion in a course at public colleges and universities in Texas. Expectations and academic freedom for teaching and class discussion have not been altered post-SB 17, and students should not feel the need to censor their speech pertaining to topics including race and racism, structural inequality, LGBTQ+ issues, or diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Calls to Action

Fall outreach on campus

We’ve prepared a one-page handout and one-page flyer about AAUP and Texas AAUP-AFT to customize for your campus and pass along to colleagues.  Generally, the most effective conversations are face-to-face.  If you’d like to present at a departmental faculty meeting, I’ll be glad to help you prepare.  If you’d like to help plan an outreach event, please contact your AAUP chapter, Texas AAUP-AFT VP for your region, or Texas AAUP-AFT organizers Alvaro Chavez (achavez@texasaft.org) and Amanda Garcia (agarcia@texasaft.org).  Also see “Fall Outreach” in the July 26, 2024, update.

Voter registration

With the elections on Nov. 5, please consider organizing or contributing funding for voter registration drives.  Coordinating with student orgs can be quite effective. Voter registration in Texas is cumbersome.  It is by paper form and the person registering has to complete it.  The Texas Secretary of State site has a voter registration starter page that will generate a form to print, sign, and mail.  The deadline to register is Oct. 7. Here’s more info on voting in this election from The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization.

Academic freedom project

Texas AAUP-AFT Officer Miriam Sobre is proposing to create a one-stop shop for faculty who want to know if their current or planned activities infringe on state laws or their campus policies.  A committee of faculty would create the content.  Others would develop Wiki and App versions.  The project would also curate resources on advocacy, academic freedom and shared governance.  Please email Miriam Sobre at m.sobre.denton@gmail.com if you’d like to contribute to the project. We need you!

Upcoming Events

Higher Ed Summit will help faculty understand their rights, navigate the new higher ed landscape, and advocate at the next Texas Legislature.  The summit has free registration and will be held Saturday, Sep. 14, 2024, 9am-6pm, in Beaumont at the Elegante Hotel.  On the agenda, topics include shared governance, academic freedom, faculty rights, free speech, legislative advocacy, and faculty senates.  Presenters include Texas AAUP-AFT Officers David Albert, Brian Evans, Teresa Klein, and Tony Villanueva; former AAUP General Counsel David Rabban; TFA attorney Frank Hill; FIRE attorney Joshua T. Bleisch; SACS Chief of Staff Sandra Jordan on accreditation; and Lobbyist Beaman Floyd.  Please bring other faculty with you. We have a special room rate of $89 at the Elegante Hotel 409-842-3600.  RSVP to TFA President Pat Heintzelman at tfa.president@texasfacultyassociation.org.  Fall Texas AAUP-AFT meeting will be on Saturday, Sep. 28, 2024, 8:30am-1:00pm in San Marcos, Texas, in person and on Zoom.  The tentative agenda includes academic freedom and shared governance; faculty rights and representation; political interference; organizing, advocacy, and political action; campus reports; and faculty survey results.  Former AAUP General Counsel David Rabban will speak on academic freedom.  In-person attendance is only open to AAUP and AFT members– please RSVP to Brian Evans (Texas AAUP-AFT President) at aaup.texas@gmail.com.  Registration is free.  You can reserve a room at the conference hotel at a discounted rate using our room block.  Anyone can attend by Zoom.