The affiliated faculty union, AFEC-AAUP, shares the concerns of the tenure-line and term faculty with confronting racism and rape culture on campus. Many members in our union wished that they could have borne witness to April’s direct action by students in the Faculty Assembly, but we are not included in that body. We will do what we can to help. AFEC-AAUP pledges to provide guidance, resources, and expertise to affiliated faculty through newsletters and social media, union office hours, department communication liaisons, advocacy, and solidarity with student and faculty groups. We will continue to promote existing programs like Inclusive Excellence training and those from the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning. Having a more welcoming and inclusive campus climate benefits our entire community.
For that difficult dialogue on race and sexism to happen effectively, however, faculty need to have the job security, academic freedom, and due process rights to foster safe classroom spaces for faculty and students. We would hope those part-time faculty who already take on this valuable classroom labor without full protection and support will be appreciated.
Signed,
The Affiliated Faculty of Emerson College, American Association of University Professors chapter