Organizations

Alongside increased activism in academia is the growth of labor unions and faculty groups for the improvement of academic life. These include both single campus associations and those that stretch across national and international schools. Some work only in higher education while others address the whole teaching system. As the controversy over adjunct professors and graduate students rights begins to boil over, these societies are becoming more popular.

While they all have the purpose of protecting academic freedoms, they do not go about it in the same way. Some are only for graduate students while others are for adjuncts. Recently national unions have partnered with some of these groups, providing support and financial resources to a historically underrepresented group. There is much variety in the academic organizations faculty can choose from. Find out more about these relatively new scholarly unions from the resources found below.

Resources

  • Coalition of Graduate Employee Unions

    This conglomerate of labor unions advocates on behalf of graduate students around the country by disseminating information about contracts, employment trends and employee rights.

  • Council of Graduate Schools

    Makes it a mission to promote the activities of graduate students in the U.S. They support research, lobby on behalf of students and conduct meetings around the country to make sure graduate voices are heard.

  • The American Federation of Teachers

    one of the oldest educational unions in the United States. Member unions from different universities are organized under its umbrella.

  • Graduate Employees and Students Organization

    It has fought with the administration for 20 years in promoting the rights of students. Some are meant as support for professors working in specific fields.

  • Graduate Student Employees United

    Works for students and portrays the progress made on their site.

  • National Association of Graduate-Professional Students

    They work to help student teachers succeed in their classroom duties and lobby on their behalf at the local and national levels.

  • CollegeStrike.ca

    A resource developed by the College Student Alliance for students in Ontario to connect and organize for their rights.

  • National Education Association

    Works on behalf of all teachers in the United States. They are very active in helping adjuncts and graduate students organize for better working conditions.

  • Graduate Student Employees Union

    Is part of the Communication Workers of America and works with teachers in the State University of New York System. See their current contracts and the issues they are currently invloved with.

  • American Association of University Women

    Promotes female professors and administrators in their roles. It works to ensure women are included and accepted as equals to their male counterparts.

  • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

    They promote the teaching of language through continuing education and publications including The Language Educator.

  • American Educational Research Association

    Questions current policies in education for more effective systems. They are dedicated to helping scholars conduct courses in a more efficient and productive manner.