Ohio University AAUP

29/04/2026

OU-AAUP Statement in Support of Ohio University Student First Amendment Rights

April 27, 2026

The Ohio University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors expresses grave concern about the decision to arrest and charge two Ohio University students for criminal trespass during a student-led protest at an Ohio University Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, April 16. The circumstance of the arrest and the corresponding charges trouble us. Students and all other members of the public have a right to be present in public premises such as the buildings of a state university. Moreover, students and all people in the United States retain their First Amendment right to gather and express themselves politically, including through public protest. The protest in question attempted to communicate to the Board of Trustees dissatisfaction with an alleged failure of the Ohio University administration to respond to previously published student concerns and demands, including:
Overcomplying with SB1/Advance Ohio Higher Education Act (AOHEA) requirements, especially those forcing the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and the closing of the multicultural, LGBTQ+, and Women’s centers;
Resisting enacting policies to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence on Ohio University’s campus;
Resisting adoption of the Ohio University Undergraduate Student Senate’s resolution requiring transparency of Ohio University’s investments and fiduciary responsibility especially in relation to underperforming Israel Bonds;
Refusing to end Ohio University’s suit contesting the free, fair, and overwhelming vote of Ohio University faculty in favor of forming their faculty union (the United Academics of Ohio University).

OU-AAUP accordingly demands that the Ohio University Administration secure the immediate reversal of all criminal trespassing charges brought in the Athens County Municipal Court against the students in apparent violation of their First Amendment rights.

We demand further that no additional university action–including code of conduct measures–be taken against the students. Our students acted in the very best tradition of open, public discourse and protest. They did so in a manner that respected the proceedings of the Board of Trustees. Available evidence indicates the protest remained peaceful and at no point disrupted the business of the meeting. Arresting and charging our students serves only to undercut the principle of “viewpoint diversity” as enshrined in the AOHEA and in the First Amendment of the US Constitution. We should laud the actions of our students, not criminalize them.

Reverse the charges, hold our students harmless, respect speech!

04/02/2026

Our most recent statement of solidarity:

We are currently living through a period of intensifying actions by the US government intended to forcibly detain immigrants and place them under inhumane conditions, suppress attempts to document those attempts, and engage in lethal violence, all part of a broader campaign of fear and intimidation.

Ohio University AAUP stands with members of our community who have been directly affected by these actions, and with those who are speaking out and taking action against this injustice.

We also affirm that educational spaces must remain safe zones of learning and growth, and federal enforcement agencies like ICE should never be permitted to enter schools or campuses in ways that instill fear or disrupt the educational environment. In our universities - international students, staff, scholars, and professors are members of our academic communities—not targets for intimidation simply for seeking knowledge, teaching, or contributing to the public good.

We also call on Ohio University Administrators to create a sanctuary campus that will actively work to protect staff, students, and faculty from arrest and detention.

Ohio University AAUP

Some organizations you can get involved with:
Community Response Hub of Central Ohio
Ohio Immigrant Alliance - https://ohioimmigrant.org
Community Refugee & Immigrant Services - https://www.crisohio.org
Our Helpers - https://www.ourhelpers.org

Sites: , ,

27/03/2024

I stand in solidarity with United Academics of Ohio University - UAOU!

10/03/2024

More people across the state are learning about our unionization campaign!! https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2024/03/08/a-very-longtime-coming-ohio-university-faculty-announce-plans-to-unionize/72897275007/?fbclid=IwAR0TcSGpIhlmqX_gofpGJcNuObpj-cFQoiDkNTYmDWenE-qdj9lz2pE17eY

A supermajority of Ohio University faculty members across its six campuses are planning to unionize.

09/03/2024

At least seven Ohio public universities are reviewing scholarships in the wake of comments Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost made about race-based scholarships after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against race-conscious admissions.

09/03/2024

After a lot of work and and a lot of support (a SUPERMAJORITY of faculty!!) - we are proud to submit our cards authorizing an election to the State Employment Relations Board!!!

02/03/2024

Please JOIN US for a DAY of ACTION!! Tuesday March 5 from noon to 1pm on the College Green.

If you can't attend, you can still participate! Wear Red and a UAOU button - if you're on an RHE campus, organizers there have buttons they can share!

23/02/2024

In case you missed it:

Faculty retention rates at Ohio University are still dropping after the COVID-19 pandemic layoffs, leading to fewer course offerings for students and frustration among instructional faculty.

As student-to-faculty ratios in large colleges like the College of Arts and Sciences are increasing, the number of credit hours being taught by nontenured instructional faculty is also rising.

Students and faculty are becoming increasingly frustrated with low retention rates among faculty after the COVID-19 era buyouts and layoffs.

31/01/2024

5 important updates for AAUP members:

1) Status of Senate Bill 83

Late last year, SB 83 passed the House Higher Education Committee by a vote of 8-7. Typically, this committee vote would tee up the bill for a vote by the full House of Representatives, but we continue to hear that the legislation in its current form does not have sufficient support among all representatives. As such, SB 83 sits in the House Rules and Reference Committee, which decides what bills will make it to the House floor. If the bill remains in this committee, it could be moved to the floor for a vote at any time. As we already have experienced with this bill, anything can change at any time.

We will continue to provide relevant updates. In the meantime, you can quickly send a message to State Representatives through this link to urge them to reject SB 83. We must continue to fight this bill, which threatens academic freedom, tenure, union rights, and which promises to siphon even more money away from instruction and to administrative bloat.

2) 2024 OCAAUP Elections

We are pleased to announce the candidates for this year's elections:

President: Gretchen McNamara (Wright State University)
Secretary: Cassandra Fetters (University of Cincinnati)
At-Large--Private Institutions: Peter Tandler (Walsh University)
At-Large--Public or Private Institutions: Naykishia Darby (Central State University)

In March, all Ohio AAUP members will receive an email containing a secure link to access an electronic ballot. Despite there being only one candidate per position, we must still run a securely balloted election. We encourage all members to take a minute to vote!

3) Honoring Dr. John T. McNay

Last fall, we shared the unfortunate news of the passing of University of Cincinnati history professor and long-time OCAAUP President, Dr. John T. McNay. In honor of John's legacy, the OCAAUP board made a contribution to the John McNay Memorial - Young Scholars Fund at the University of Cincinnati.

The fund will award two $500 scholarships each year to students majoring in history, liberal arts, or English at the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash, where John taught for 23 years.

Many members have asked what they can do in John's memory; so, if you would like to make a personal contribution to this fund, checks should be made out to "University of Cincinnati Foundation" with "John McNay Memorial - Young Scholars Fund" in the memo line and sent to the following address:

UC Blue Ash College
Attn: Andrew Baker – Director of Development
9555 Plainfield Rd. Muntz Hall, 140M
Blue Ash, OH 45236

4) BEWARE: Anti-Union Group Spreads Lies in "Opt-Out" Campaigns

Members of at least two Ohio AAUP unions have been targeted by "opt-out" campaigns encouraging union members to drop their memberships. These campaigns also have targeted a number of other Ohio unions over the last few years.

The group behind these efforts is called "The Freedom Foundation." It is funded by billionaires who want to undermine worker power.

In these U.S. mail and e-mail communications, they spout outright lies about unions that try to create the sense that unions are on the decline when the exact opposite is true. Labor unions across the board are enjoying high approval in public opinion polls, and AAUP membership in Ohio has never been stronger and continues to grow--thanks to all of your efforts!

Please beware of these messages and make sure your colleagues know to ignore this drivel from organizations that seek to destroy union power! If you receive such a communication, please let us and your local chapter know.

5) AAUP Statement on Academic Freedom in Polarizing Times

The ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East has led to debate and in some cases unrest on college and university campuses around the country, including here in Ohio.

Often in times of war, we are confronted with complicated questions about free speech and academic freedom, but it is important that we do not allow politicians and others to capitalize on these moments to misuse them to suppress open and honest debate.

National AAUP released the statement, "Polarizing Times Demand Robust Academic Freedom." We encourage you to read the statement and, in these very challenging times, to be defenders of AAUP principles on your campuses.

19/01/2024

WVU admin spent $350K on charter flights to Charleston WV from Morgantown

WVU administrators took 44 flights that were based out of Latrobe Airport in Pennsylvania to West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, over six months in 2023, spending