AAUP-Censured and Sanctioned Institutions in New York

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From time to time, after an on-campus investigation and subsequent consideration, the American Association of University Professors censures particular institutional administrations or boards of trustees for "not observing the generally recognized principles of academic freedom and tenure endorsed by this Association, the Association of American Colleges, and over 100 other professional and educational organizations." These principles may be found in the 1940 Statement of Principles of Academic Freedom and Tenure; they are reprinted yearly in the January-February issue of (national) Academe.

From time to time, the AAUP removes institutions from the censure list if past injustices have been rectified and if institutional arrangements have been sufficiently improved to warrant removal. Colleges and universities are glad to get off the censure list. At the Association's 1997 Annual Meeting, held in Berkeley, California, two institutions were added to the censure list; two were removed.

In the May-June issue of Academe each year, developments (if any) which might lead to the removal of censure from each censured institution are briefly summarized. National AAUP urges each individual considering appointment at a censured institution to seek information on present conditions of academic freedom and tenure there before accepting an appointment. Consult the AAUP's national office, 1012 14th St., NW, Washington, DC 20005 (800-424-2973), and prospective colleagues at the institution; then use your discretion.

Review the complete listing of AAUP censured Institutions in the US.

Three Institutions in New York state are now on censure by the AAUP because of unsatisfactory conditions of academic freedom on campus.

St. Bonaventure University (New York), 1996 [PDF]

The published report concluded that the administration, in terminating the appointments of eighteen tenured professors on grounds of financial exigency, failed to provide adjudicative hearings and refused to allow the presence of counsel in the appeals procedure. The president, in subsequently denying reappointment to an assistant professor, made an unsupported aspersion about the professor’s character that Committee A found reprehensible.

Settlements were reached several years ago in the above-noted cases that were contested. Still to be achieved, however, is the adoption of acceptable policies for terminating appointments because of financial exigency. In discussions with the staff that occurred last fall, the current university president and AAUP chapter leaders indicated a strong interest in working together to accomplish this final step. The staff has offered its assistance in facilitating the process.

State University of New York 1978 [PDF]

Over the years the staff has conveyed to successive chancellors of the State University of New York concerns over specific policies and procedures governing faculty appointments. Issues of redress also remain to be resolved.

No new developments over the past year can be reported.

Yeshiva University (New York), 1982 [PDF]

Censure resulted from a report’s findings that the university’s financial condition did not warrant terminating the appointments of three tenured professors and that the administration had declined to justify its actions before a faculty hearing body.

The three cases were settled several years ago, but deficiencies in the university’s policies governing faculty appointments have remained uncorrected. The staff’s letters to the administration over the past year have gone unanswered.

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