Over twenty chapter leaders and members from across NYS as well as Lena Solow, one of the new lead organizers at National AAUP, joined the August 20 Zoom meeting. We had a dynamic conversation around two main themes identified by participants: 1) internal dynamics at our institutions and our administrations using the current political moment as a Trojan horse for austerity measures and 2) the Trump onslaught and threats to free speech/academic freedom/DEI and real threats to academic workers and students.

Participants shared examples of organic connections being made regionally in NYS across campuses in western, central, and NY Metro regions. Jeremy Varon from the New School discussed the NY Metro Coalition for Higher Education and the April protest involving 8-10 campuses as well as an upcoming protest they are working on for this fall. There is a Faculty Governance Summit scheduled for October 25 at the University of Rochester. Send an email to nyscaaup@gmail.com to be put in contact with either group.

Two types of strategies/roles were discussed for the state conference: 1) helping to organize statewide protest/days of action targeting metro areas around the state and 2) helping with the previously mentioned organic regional organizing efforts. Tapping into the National AAUP messaging and strategies—such as the new “wall-to-wall/coast-to-coast” campaign— was suggested.

The state conference leadership is setting up a WhatsApp group for chapter leaders. Chapter leaders who would like to be added should email their cell phone number to nyscaaup@gmail.com and put “Chapter Leader WhatsApp” in the subject line. If this group is successful we may create other WhatsApp groups around particular issues/actions.