AAUP@UT

We champion academic freedom, advance shared governance, and organize faculty and staff to promote economic security and quality education.

Contact: Chapter President Karma Chavez aaup.utaustin@gmail.com

AAUP at UT Austin Expresses Concerns about UT’s “Statement on Academic Integrity”, Nov. 11, 2025

AAUP at UT Austin Stands in Solidarity with Faculty in the Texas A&M System, Nov. 11, 2025

AAUP Chapter at UT Austin Responses to the Trump Compact

• AAUP Chapter at UT Austin Statement on the Trump Administration “Compact”, Oct. 14, 2025
• AAUP Chapter at UT Austin Resolution on the Trump Administration “Compact”, Oct. 14, 2025
• Trump Administration, Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, Oct. 1, 2025

National Petitions Against the Trump Compacts

• University Administrations: Reject Trump’s “Loyalty Oath” Compacts, by Student, Staff, and Faculty organizations including Higher Ed Labor United.  Anyone can sign.
• To: University Presidents and Trustees: STAND WITH YOUR SCHOOL: Federal government attacks 9 universities. Sign the alumni petition now.  Anyone can sign.

Texas AAUP-AFT Response to Degree Audits and New State Laws

• Faculty Rights: Standing Against Censorship, Sept. 25, 2025. Here’s more info about your faculty rights in the UT System
• Upholding Faculty Rights to Academic Freedom and Due Process, an open letter to college and university administrators, Sept. 22, 2025
• Higher Ed Laws from the 2025 Texas Legislature, Aug. 4, 2025

AAUP Chapter at UT Austin 2025

• Advocacy: AAUP at UT Austin Expresses Concerns about UT’s “Statement on Academic Integrity”, Nov. 3, 2025
• Teach-In: Learn about Trump’s Proposed Compact with UT and What We Can All Do About It, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, 4-6pm, University Methodist Church, 2409 Guadalupe, Austin, TX. Flier.
• Advocacy: “Authoritarian Shift at UT Austin: AAUP Chapter Condemns Faculty Governance Overhaul“, Sept. 27, 2025
• Advocacy: “AAUP Executive Committee Letter to UT Austin Interim President Jim Davis,” concerning lack of a consultative committee for a national search for the new Provost hire, June 2, 2025.
• Advocacy: “Letter from AAUP Chapter at UT Austin: Revocation of International Student Visas“, March 9, 2025.
• Advocacy: “Statement on President Jay Hartzell’s Resignation“, Jan. 7, 2025.
• AAUP Principles in UT Policies: Curriculum – Academic freedom
• Meetings: Fall 24 – Fall 23 – Spr 23 – Fall 22 – Spr 22 – Fall 21
• Officers: 2025-27 and By-Laws

AAUP Chapter at UT Austin 2024 Highlights

• Chapter Meeting: Agenda, slides & highlights, Dec. 11, 2024.
• Testified at Texas Senate hearing on faculty senates and curriculum, Nov. 11, 2024.
• Join the AAUP Chapter at UT Austin Handout, Oct. 13, 2024
• Message to President Jay Hartzell About Not Following Due Process in Non-Renewal of Dean Stevens, Oct. 11, 2024
• Testified at Texas Senate hearing on implementation of anti-DEI SB 17 and Governor’s Order on antisemitism & free speech, May 14, 2024.
• UT Faculty have No Confidence in President Hartzell due to mass firings and militarized response to campus protests, Apr. 25, 2024.
• Response to mass firings of staff, faculty, administrators, Apr. 2, 2024.
• Academic freedom presentation to Dean’s Council, Mar. 2, 2024.

Slides & Fliers

All AAUP members affiliated with UT Austin are automatically members of AAUP@UT. If you are affiliated with UT Austin and would like to join the AAUP@UT mailing list, please email Brian Evans.

Our advocacy is amplified by teaming with Texas AAUP, AAUP, Texas AFT, AFT, Texas Council of Faculty Senates, Texas Faculty Association, Texas State Employees Union, Black Brown Dialogues on Policy, Texas Students for DEI, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Pen America, Texas NAACP, Every Texan, ACLU Texas, and other orgs. AAUP is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, and Texas AAUP is affiliated with Texas AFT.

AAUP@UT enthusiasts met on April 4, 2022.

Academic Freedom Panel

Andrea Gore (UT Austin Pharmacy) moderator
Karma Chavez (UT Austin Liberal Arts)
David Rabban (UT Austin Law)
Lynn Tatum (Baylor University Honors College)

Shared Governance

“Weakening Tenure and Shared Governance: The Case of the University of Wisconsin” by Karma Chavez (UT Austin Liberal Arts)

Strengthening Academic Freeedom Panel

• Brian Evans, Engineering, UT Austin, Moderator
• Pat Heintzelman, English, Lamar University, AAUP Member, President Texas Faculty Association
• Jim Klein, History, Del Mar College, AAUP Member, President of Texas Association of Colleges and Teachers
• Anne Lewis, Radio-TV-Film, UT Austin, Executive Board Member of Texas State Employees Union
• Lynn Tatum, Honors College, AAUP Member, Baylor University, Member Texas AAUP Conference Executive Committee

AAUP enthusiasts at UT Austin held a kickoff meeting on Sept. 27, 2021, after a 40-year hiatus:

Relaunch of the UT Austin AAUP Advocacy Chapter by AAUP@UT Conveners Brian Evans (UT Austin Engineering) and Pat Somers (UT Austin Education)

Proposed By-Laws for the UT Austin AAUP Chapter by Pat Somers (UT Austin Education)

Shared Governance Panel by Anthony Brown (UT Austin Education), Brian Evans (UT Austin Engineering), Jim Klein (Del Mar College), and Pat Somers (UT Austin Education)

Each Spring, the UT Austin and Texas A&M Faculty Senates meet to discuss academic freedom, shared governance, tenure, and other matters.

Here are the slides from the presentations by faculty members that set the stage for discussion:

by Andrea Gore (UT Austin Pharmacy) and Rob Mackin (Texas A&M Sociology)

by Brian Evans (UT Austin Engineering) and John Stallone (Texas A&M Veterinary School)

The AAUP co-authored the seminal document on shared governance entitled 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities:

• Jointly formulated by AAUP, ACE and AGB
• UT Austin is a member of the American Council on Education (ACE)
• UT System is a member of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities & Colleges (AGB)

The six-page document outlines the responsibilities of faculty, the President, and the governing board (UT System Board of Regents for us).

The safeguards of academic freedom in teaching, research and expression include tenure, due process, and shared governance.

The seminal document for academic freedom and tenure in the US is the
1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom & Tenure

• Academic freedom for teachers in teaching, research and expression
• Jointly formulated by faculty represented by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and university administrations represented by the American Association of Colleges & University (AA&U)
• UT Austin and 900+ other institutions are AAC&U members
• More than 250+ professional organizations have adopted this statement

It was this 1940 statement that led to the widespread adoption of these principles in university handbooks in the 1940s, 1950s, and beyond.

The UT System Regents Rules and the UT Austin Handbook of Operating Procedures adopt the wording in the 1940 statement almost verbatim.

Site for the AAUP enthusiasts at The University of Texas at Austin