AAUP Urges AAU to Deny Readmission to University of Nebraska–Lincoln Over Mass Faculty Firings

In a letter sent today, Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), formally urged the American Association of Universities (AAU) to withhold consideration of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's readmission to the organization. The AAUP warns that recent actions at UNL that led to dozens of faculty terminations have compromised its standing as a leading research institution.

Last December, in a significant departure from both AAUP and AAU standards, UNL regents approved the termination of 58 faculty members, including 39 tenured professors, through the closure of four academic departments: Educational Administration; Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; Statistics; and Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. These decisions have had immediate consequences for students, research programs, and faculty leadership, including members of the UNL AAUP chapter.

"I urge the AAU to withhold consideration of UNL's readmission," wrote Wolfson, "unless and until the institution demonstrates a clear and credible commitment to restoring shared governance, protecting tenure, and aligning its practices with the principles that define leading research universities."

The full letter urging against UNL's readmission to the AAU can be found on the AAUP's website here.