AAUP Stanford Chapter

Academic Freedom Won’t Defend Itself.

Welcome to our fellow faculty, researchers, scholars, and allies!

You make up the newly re-energized (and rapidly growing!) Stanford Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

Our chapter has come roaring back to life during this time of profound upheaval in American higher education. Across the country, universities are facing targeted attacks on research agendas, speech, institutional autonomy, and vulnerable members of our communities. These coordinated efforts by the government aim to silence dissent, dismantle trust in knowledge, and punish those of us who dare to question power.

Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed something extraordinary: faculty organizing in real time to defend the very core of our profession.

• Academic freedom.
• Intellectual integrity.
• Scientific independence.
• And the right to teach, learn, and speak without fear.

This moment is also a huge opportunity. It’s a chance for faculty to reassert our purpose, reclaim our voice, and reweave the fabric of academic solidarity. Organizing is not easy. It takes time, energy, discomfort – and a whole lot of moral courage. But together, we are building something that matters.

The revitalized Stanford AAUP chapter exists to:

• Defend academic freedom and freedom of expression at Stanford and beyond
• Support our colleagues and students under threat – especially those made vulnerable by political targeting, immigration status, or field of study
• Protect the integrity of scientific and scholarly research from ideological interference
• Work in coalition with other institutions, organizations, and alumni to counter attacks on democracy and higher education

We are just getting started.

In the past few months, our membership has grown rapidly, and our organizing efforts are already making waves.

Here’s what we’ve done so far:

• Massive outreach for Open Letters, which were delivered to our University President and Provost
• Rally in White Plaza in partnership with numerous community and student lead groups
• Forums on Academic Freedom to deepen our understanding of the law and policies that impact our work
• Written opinion essays and spoken with the media about our passion for research, scholarship, and teaching

This is your invitation.

Not just to join, but to shape what comes next. Our strength is in our numbers – and our commitment to each other.

In solidarity,
The Stanford AAUP Chapter Leadership