Scope and Contents: The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) represents the interests of university professors to lawmakers, college administrators and the public. They lobby for legislation and funding issues that affect higher education, such as tenure, equitable funding, and collective bargaining. On campus, AAUP represents the faculty to the administration, often addressing issues of retention of faculty, fairness, course load, evaluation, tenure and faculty representation.
The collection of the Valdosta State College/University chapter of AAUP documents the local, state and national activities of the chapter from 1963 to 1995. However, the bulk of the materials fall in the years from 1971-1985. The collection is divided into four sub groups:
<ul> <li> The Valdosta State College/University AAUP Chapter Business: Chapter Constitution, Correspondence, Minutes, and Membership information comprise two boxes of the collection. Here are lobbying letters to legislators, correspondence with administrators on campus: letters on national issues such as the ERA and on VSC-related issues such as teaching load. Names prominent in the correspondence include Jane Elza, S. Walter Martin, Hugh Bailey, Betty Derrick, Dawson Mathis, and Dennis Marks.</li> <li> Special Topics and Activities of the VSC AAUP relating to campus and Georgia Issues: Three boxes document such topics as Administrator Evaluation and Salaries, establishment of the Faculty Senate, Tenure, Teaching loads, Grievance policies, and Collective Bargaining. The chapter polled the VSC faculty often and poll data are included for many topics including choosing the president, the vice president, the beginning of the football program, semester system and merit pay. One of the most extensive series of files involves the "Salary Fight" of 1975. Evidently in an effort to save money during tight economic times, the Ga. Board of Regents tried to take back already agreed-upon raises for 1975. AAUP on behalf of all Georgia professors, brought suit, and won. In addition, the VSC chapter was simultaneously exploring funding equity for VSC based on state levels for comparable institutions. Retrenchment, and its corresponding threats to tenure are also extensively addressed in this subgroup.</li> <li> Publications: Selected Publications of Local, State and National AAUP organizations, and related collected newsletters of other educational organizations--one box:</li></ul> Academe 1973-1981
AAUP Chapter Conference Letter--Newsletters from various Ga. AAUP chapters and from Georgia Conference
AAUP National News and Announcements--various material sent from National AAUP office, including Newsletters from other states
AAUP News Bulletins and Legislative News (scattered)
VSC AAUP Newsletter 1973-1983 (scattered)
Clippings from various newspapers regarding the AAUP
Collected GAE/NEA Higher Education and VSC Campus Capsule
<ul> <li> AAUP National and State Issues: One box of information from the National AAUP office along with collected information on issues of interest to VSC AAUP but with no correspondence or evidence of direct chapter action on the issue. Issues include Scientific Creationism, Affirmative Action, and other national policy issues.</li></ul>
| Valdosta State University Archives
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