Frequently Asked Questions

For new faculty members, please explore the following resources

• 2026 Faculty Handbook
• Explore the most recent faculty agreement document
• Join the OU-AAUP Chapter

The strength of the union provides all OU faculty with professionally competitive salaries and benefit packages.

• Mediate Grievance
• Advise Faculty
• Promote and protect academic freedom

If you have a concern that may be an issue covered by the Faculty Agreement, you can contact the AAUP Office.

• Call Us at (248) 370-2005
• Email the Executive Director
• Visit our Office at 201 Pryale Hall 654 Pioneer Drive

The most obvious problems which the AAUP can help with involve contract violations. Faculty members should be somewhat familiar with the contract and the rights and responsibilities defined in it.

• Explain contract language in details
• Determine if a contract violation has occurred
• File a grievance

In any complex institution personnel problems will occur from time to time. In universities these might include conflicts between faculty and students, faculty and faculty, and faculty and administrators. The formal grievance process delineated in Article XXIV of the current 2024-2029 Faculty Agreement exists to resolve conflicts between faculty and administrators.

• Protect the less authoritative party against arbitrary decisions by the more authoritative party
• Contact the Grievance Officer or AAUP Chapter Executive Director.

A good place to start is your department chair and/or your academic unit’s AAUP representative. If you have additional questions, contact the AAUP Chapter Executive Director. Chances are that your question has been asked many times before and an answer will be quickly found. On the chance that your question raises new concerns or possibilities, contacting the AAUP Executive Committee can insure that it will be included in the discussions for the next round of negotiations.