As an inclusive and democratic organization, the Macalester Chapter of the American Association of University Professors promotes academic freedom and shared governance on campus and advocates for matters that concern the faculty. The history of the AAUP at Macalester goes back to the 1930s; the current chapter was established in 2019. The chapter is involved with the Minnesota Conference of AAUP (state organization) and in activities of the national AAUP, one of the leading organizations in resisting federal government interference under the Trump administration.
Macalester faculty members and librarians who are members of the national American Association of University Professors are members of the Macalester Chapter. While only members may vote in chapter elections, we welcome all people eligible for membership to our meetings and will work to support all such individuals when needed.
The work of the chapter is driven by member initiative. Our officers and members bring issues and concerns to monthly meetings. In addition, there are some activities that officers take on without publicity (such as assistance and support to individual faculty members).
The Macalester AAUP chapter normally seeks to work through the elected committees of the faculty to address issues and initiatives that emerge in its meetings. At times, the chapter may bring issues directly to the faculty. In support of these efforts, the chapter may undertake initial work or action on particular matters. At other times, the chapter may serve more as a forum for members to discuss issues without deciding on a specific course of action.
Membership, Officers, Meetings, and Outreach
During the past year, membership in the Macalester chapter grew considerably (by 40%) to 47 total members.
In 2024, the reconfigured officer positions were filled for the first time. The officers for the year were: President: Erik Larson
Secretary-Treasurer: Andrew Billing
Communications: Khaldoun Samman
Membership: Joëlle Vitiello
These officers will continue in their roles for the 2025-26 academic year.
The chapter met seven times during the year. We also held an orientation session in the fall and had a chapter member visit with the New Faculty Seminar during the fall semester. Members of the chapter also organized a reading group through the Serie Center on Academic Transitions and Transformations with 17 participants.
Key Actions, Issues Discussed, and Conversations
The chapter had an eventful year, addressing several issues. The report summarizes some of these key actions.
1. End of Course Surveys
Based on member input, the chapter took up the topic at a fall meeting. The discussions on the issue concerned both the design, impact, and use of end-of-course surveys of students for assessing teaching, particularly given their well-documented shortcomings and biases. Members formed a working committee that developed a plan of action. This action included addressing the department chairs’ meeting (which was well-received) and designing and conducting a survey of faculty members during the spring semester. The work on this topic was sufficiently visible that the Mac Weekly covered the topic. Work on this issue continues into the current year.
2. Response to federal government restrictions on academic freedom and on immigration Members brought several concerns about the changes to US federal government policies that threaten academic freedom and campus-based governance. In addition to sharing information (particularly from the national AAUP, which organized a series of webinars and has been involved with several lawsuits seeking to block federal government administrative actions), the chapter devoted particular attention to the issue of immigration enforcement and threats to the college, faculty, staff, and students. Members of the chapter developed a resource list, which was subsequently shared with department chairs (and well-received). The chapter was also represented by officers and members at regular Immigration Solidarity meetings during the spring semester. These meetings brought together students, staff, and faculty to both share information and inform college preparations for potential enforcement actions. Chapter members also established a phone tree as a resource for an additional source of emergency contacts and rapid response.
3. Criminal Record Check and Employee Handbook
During Fall 2022, the college announced a new criminal record check policy. Members of AAUP organized a petition outlining a series of objections that a majority of full professors signed. The record check policy change also exposed a larger issue of the Employee Handbook for the college falling outside of the shared governance structure, particularly as it relates to potential disciplinary actions against faculty members. Members of the AAUP organized against the criminal record check policy, including a group of members who withheld compliance from the policy. As a result of subsequent negotiations, the President agreed to a process to examine the relation between the Employee and Faculty Handbooks. This process led to the Educational Policy and Governance committee of the college appointing a subcommittee that developed a proposal that was forwarded to EPAG. This proposal was introduced to the faculty in May 2024 and brought to the faculty for a vote in May 2025, but subsequently postponed until September 2025. During the spring semester of 2025, the college announced that it was altering elements of the criminal record check policy in ways consistent with the recommendations of the working group.
4. Special focal conversation on AAUP Statement on Contingent Appointments and the Academic Profession and issues facing contingent faculty at Macalester
In 2024, the national AAUP issued a revised statement on Contingent Appointments and the Academic Profession. At the chapter’s November 2024 meeting (which had a large group of Macalester faculty in attendance), we were joined by the President of the Minnesota Conference of AAUP, Mary Pogatshnik, a long-time contingent faculty member at the University of Minnesota. The chapter was able to hear from
Macalester colleagues who have been organizing for a standing faculty body to address issues that face faculty in NTT, part-time, and other limited positions.
5. Shift to Performance Recognition Pay and Faculty Handbook
Based on a conversation during a chapter meeting, a chapter officer submitted a letter to the Faculty Advisory Committee that raised four issues about the shift from merit pay to one-time performance awards. The issues included:
• Current faculty handbook language makes no provision for NTT to get merit pay. • Whether eliminating merit pay could be done without going through the shared governance process.
• Whether the decision to not give a particular faculty member a performance award would be grounds for that faculty member to use the salary appeal procedure to appeal the administrative decision.
• Whether the shift to performance pay undermined efforts at tracking internal equity, since these awards are not part of the salary of record.
The Faculty Advisory Committee referred the issue to EPAG, which has not yet addressed all of these concerns.
6. AAUP Statement of Principles
The chapter sent a letter to Macalester’s Senior Leadership Team in April regarding the Trump Administration’s targeting of international students and scholars, and calling for Macalester to make a “clear and unambiguous commitment” to several principles affirmed by the AAUP in support of students and scholars at risk. Chapter officers met with the President and the Chair of the Board of Trustees about ways to address these concerns and sent an email summary to the mac-faculty-l mailing list.
7. International Travel Registration
In the spring semester, the college announced a new policy requiring faculty members to register in advance for international travel. Chapter members and officers shared several concerns about this policy were raised. A chapter member provided feedback to the administration on revisions to the policy.
Macalester College AAUP 