Dues-Sharing Program

As part of the AAUP's Organize Every Campus campaign, advocacy chapters are eligible to receive a portion of members’ dues back when members participate in active organizing efforts. These resources will help chapters develop an organizing culture and build power on campus.

The dues-sharing program was piloted in academic year 2024-25, and was a tremendous success. Eligible advocacy chapters receive ⅛ of the dues paid by the total number of members on their roster.

There are five main requirements for becoming a part of the Dues Sharing program:

  1. A minimum of twenty members in your chapter;

  2. Grow your chapter membership density by 2% over the course of the preceding 12-month period (this number will depend on the size of your campus, see below)

  3. Send members through AAUP organizing training;

  4. A bank account and filing 990 forms annually with the IRS

Chapters admitted to the program will receive:

  • ⅛ of their member’s dues on a quarterly basis (lifetime members will only be counted toward dues-sharing at the time they join);

Chapter Density

Building density is key to building power on campus. Density is the number of dues paying members divided by the total number of eligible members on your campus. To qualify for dues-sharing, your chapter must add 2% membership density annually.

Eligible AAUP members include all academic workers (full and part-time faculty, including all clinical faculty, instructors, lecturers, as well as staff and graduate workers). But, for the purposes of establishing baseline campus sizes, we are using IPEDS data for faculty only. However, all new members — regardless of job category — will be counted toward your chapter’s growth goal. For chapters already enrolled in dues-sharing, rosters will be checked on June 1 each year.

How to Calculate 2% Member Density Growth:

  • Total Faculty - Total Current AAUP Chapter Size = Total Remaining Eligible AAUP Members

  • Total Remaining Eligible AAUP Members x 2% (i.e., .02) = Number of Members Chapter Needs to Add to Be/Remain Eligible in Dues Sharing

Large R1 University Example:

  • 2,530 (Total Faculty) - 245 (Total Current AAUP Chapter Size) = 2,285 (Total Remaining Eligible AAUP Members)

  • Total Members Who Need to Be Added: 2,285 x 2% (i.e., .02) = 46

Small Liberal Arts College Example:

  • 300 (Total Faculty) - 21 (Total Current AAUP Chapter Size) = 279 (Total Remaining Eligible AAUP Members)

  • Total Members Who Need to Be Added: 279 x 2% (i.e., .02) = 6

To arrive at consistent numbers, estimate using the IPEDS Academic Workforce data. When the page loads, click on the tab “DRILLDOWN” and enter your institution name in the field about halfway down the page on the right. Subtract the “GA” (graduate workers) number from the total. If there are faculty on your campus in a collective bargaining unit, subtract the size of their bargaining unit from the number of eligible AAUP members. 

All staff, graduate workers, full and part-time faculty members are eligible and encouraged to join the AAUP, and every member will be counted toward your chapter density growth. If you have questions about how to estimate your growth goal, please write to tmcdonald@aaup.org. 

Organize Every Campus Trainings

One of the primary aims of the Dues Sharing program—and the broader Organize Every Campus campaign of which it is a part—is to help advocacy build their organizing capacity. There are several opportunities throughout the year to complete the training:

  • AAUP will run a training each Fall and Winter semester, tailored to academic workers

  • UC Berkeley Center regularly runs Skills to Win workshops throughout the year   

  • Organizing for Power runs a Core Fundamentals program each year 

The number of required new participants your chapter must send is determined on the following sliding scale. If your institution has:

  • ≦ 300 faculty, you must train 2 new members annually

  • 301-1000 faculty, you must train 3 new members annually

  • ≧ 1,000 faculty, you must train 4 new members annually

Please note that these Zoom trainings have minimum cohort requirements — if your chapter has questions about how to participate, contact Trent McDonald (tmcdonald@aaup.org).

Set Up a Bank Account and File 990 forms

You will need to make sure your chapter has up to date bylaws in compliance with national AAUP, and has elected officers including a treasurer.Instructions for setting up an EIN number, setting up a bank account, and filing 990 forms with the IRS will be provided separately. For instructions on how to do this, contact Secretary-Treasurer Danielle Aubert (daubert@aaup.org) or AAUP Director of Finance Muaz Ahmed (mahmed@aaup.org).

HOW TO JOIN DUES SHARING

To participate in the dues-sharing program, complete the interest form.