As part of an
organizational renaissance, the Colorado Conference of the American Association
of University Professors (AAUP) early in 2014 began reaching out to part- and
full-time faculty teaching throughout Colorado’s Community College System. Suzanne Hudson of the AAUP Colo. Conf. Exec.
Committee, and Caprice Lawless, FRCC AAUP Chapter President, toured southern
Colorado before the spring semester began, visiting with faculty at Otero Junior
College in La Junta, Lamar Community College in Lamar and Trinidad State Junior
College in Trinidad. Larry Eson, an
adjunct professor on the Westminster campus of Front Range Community College, helped
staff the membership table during the in-service held for Community College of
Denver faculty before the spring semester began. At the FRCC Westminster campus in-service in
late January, Hudson, along with Don Eron, also of the AAUP Colo. Conf. Exec.
Committee, staffed the membership table throughout the faculty in-service on
that campus.
In February, Hudson, along with
Don Eron (also of the AAUP Colo. Conf. Executive Committee) were invited to
speak at the faculty senate meeting of Community College of Denver.
The purpose of the visits is to recruit
new members and to encourage renewals of long-time, supporting faculty. The
Colorado Conference of the august and highly respected organization, long a
champion of higher education principles of equity, shared governance, and
academic freedom, is redoubling its recruiting throughout the state.
“Like all professional
organizations, of course, we use social media, print and mobile communications,”
explained Hudson, Secretary-Treasurer and spokesperson for the outreach
campaign. “However, we are finding it
increasingly helpful to meet faculty informally on their campuses to answer
questions, provide resources, and to determine how best we can serve them.”
“What we’re interested in is
strengthening the bonds between faculty
at the urban campuses and those working in the rural campuses,” added Lawless. “It makes sense to build ties among
communities within the community college system,” she added.
Suzanne Hudson and Caprice Lawless, AAUP membership table, Lamar Community College, in Lamar, Colo., January 13, 2014.
Exec.
Committee members met many interested faculty members during their visit t0 Otero
Junior College in La Junta, Colo.
Larry
Eson, of the FRCC AAUP chapter, at St. Cajetan’s Event Center for the Community
College of Denver faculty in-service, on January 15, 2014.
Staff
at Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colo. welcomed AAUP members.
AAUP chocolates were a big hit with faculty and students who stopped by the membership tables.
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