President’s Message
Michael Harkins
President, Illinois AAUP

Over the past few months the officers and committees of the Illinois Conference have actively addressed issues affecting higher education. Conference leaders have supported faculty members in cases involving academic freedom, layoffs, governance, legislative initiatives, chapter development, and membership. In addition, specific presentations have been made at campuses throughout Illinois highlighting effective governance and the benefits associated with state and national membership. On a regular basis, the Conference provides speakers and consulting expertise in conjunction with our National office.

The Conference encourages existing chapters and faculty leadership teams to contact our committees for resources, assistance and services. The goal of the Conference is to assist all faculty, existing chapters, and to create new chapters to further the mission of AAUP. Over the past few months, Conference members have visited campuses to discuss chapter formation. We have been well received.

Today, more Illinois AAUP members are in contact with our state conference and National than in the past. The current issues that are confronting higher educational across our campuses need a collective response. AAUP is here to meet these issues and support all faculty. Our updated web site serves as an excellent source for our members to locate current information on issues that impact all faculty. The site also provides copies of documents as well as positions taken by the state conference and National.

I am delighted to announce that in April for the first time the Illinois Conference will hold a joint annual meeting and conference with the Collective Bargaining Congress of the AAUP. The combined meeting and conference will take place on Saturday April 30th in Chicago at the Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro, 733 West Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois. Detailed information will be on our Illinois Conference web site. The conference is open to all AAUP members and interested higher education faculty. The conference will address a number of the leading issues confronting higher education not only in Illinois, but the country. Major keynote speakers from the National AAUP will be in attendance.

This summer the Illinois Conference will be sending Ken Andersen from the University of Illinois, and Joerg Tiede from Illinois Wesleyan University as our elected delegates to the ASC meeting and the National AAUP annual meeting. John Wilson from Illinois State University will serve as the elected alternate delegate.
The Illinois Conference of the AAUP is dedicated to helping all higher education faculty in Illinois. If you need help at your institution or information about current issues or any AAUP positions, please contact your state leadership team. Together we can meet the challenges of today by supporting each other and the values of our profession.