Join 

How Do  You Fit In?

Not sure how you fit into WCU AAUP? Subscribing to our newsletter is a great start, but is certainly not the only way that you can make a difference on WCU's campus on higher education more broadly. We understand that time can be a huge barrier to participation, which is why we have outlined a few ways to get involved, all you need to do is choose what works for you right now.

• Supporter: ​Subscribes to the Newsletter and participates in Chapter initiatives. Perfect for family, friends, and community members who are not currently employed by WCU, but interested in helping spread the word or otherwise show up to support our efforts. 

• Quiet Member: Subscribes to the Newsletter, is a dues-paying AAUP Member​, and participates in some events and Chapter initiatives. Regular meeting attendance or meeting attendance at all is not required, participate as you can. 

• Active Member​: Subscribes to the Newsletter, is a dues-paying AAUP Member​, and participates regularly i​n Chapter meetings and initiatives. No leadership expectations here; show up often and speak up as you see fit.

• ​Leader: An active member on a mission. Serve on the Executive Committee or Chair a Subcommittee to direct the WCU AAUP chapter.

• ​Organizer​: An Active member with a passion for people. Help recruit and maintain membership to ensure that our chapter is a good representation of our campus.

Whatever you choose, we look forward to working with and for you.

Member Benefits

The mission of the AAUP is to advance academic freedom and shared governance; to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education; to promote the economic security of faculty, academic professionals, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and all those engaged in teaching and research in higher education; to help the higher education community organize to make our goals a reality; and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good. Founded in 1915, the AAUP has helped to shape American higher education by developing the standards and procedures that maintain quality in education and academic freedom in this country's colleges and universities.

AAUP chapters at campuses across the country work to advance the mission of the AAUP through advocacy, organizing and, where possible, collective bargaining. In some states, state conferences support chapters and work on state level issues. 

AAUP membership is now more important than ever in North Carolina. Increased membership brings increased resources from North Carolina and national AAUP. These resources are vital when targeted harassment, denial of tenure/reappointment, or other higher educations infringements inevitably occur. (See the recent initiatives of NC AAUP and AAUP National). In addition to a larger platform to make noise about issues facing higher education, joining the AAUP gives you access to legal help, Webinars, and AFT membership. Joining at WCU AAUP gives you local support tailored to your needs and a community of peers ready to hear your concerns and visions of the future of our instiution.