Register now! “Solidarity Summit 2025” for PA-AAUP Liberal Arts College Members

Greetings!

We write to invite you to a Solidarity Summit on November 8, 2025, 10:30am-4:30pm, in Harrisburg, PA. This event, organized by Dickinson College’s AAUP chapter, with the support of the PA-AAUP Conference Board, aims to unite faculty and teaching staff at Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges as we face growing threats to academic freedom and institutional integrity.

Why a Solidarity Summit?

On May 8, 2025, Dickinson College’s faculty approved a resolution to propose and help establish a Mutual Academic Defense Compact (MADC) with institutions in the Annapolis Group of Liberal Arts Colleges. The purpose of the MADC is to defend academic freedom and institutional autonomy in response to government overreach by building strategic alliances and solidarity among liberal arts institutions across the country. Under the compact, all participating colleges would facilitate the mobilization of institutional resources to coordinate a unified and robust response to attempts to undermine academic freedom. While faculty at many public institutions have proposed similar resolutions, Dickinson College is one of the first liberal arts institutions to propose this type of initiative.  

Now that the resolution has been approved at Dickinson, we are reaching out to faculty at other Annapolis Group institutions to generate support. We are currently focusing on building coalitions among Pennsylvania institutions. The formation of strategic alliances through the MADC should work in parallel to expand existing, and create new, AAUP chapters. At this solidarity summit, we will discuss appropriate responses to existing and emerging circumstances and emphasize the important role that an MADC can play in tandem with AAUP chapters.

Who: Faculty and teaching staff from Pennsylvania institutions in the Annapolis Group are invited to participate in this summit. Space is limited. Respond by Oct. 1 HERE.

When: November 8, 2025, 10:30am – 4:30pm; lunch and snacks will be provided

Where: 326 Market St, Harrisburg, PA 17101

We will convene in the Academic Tower at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. This building is a 3-minute walk from the Amtrak Station and there is a parking garage next door. To compensate for your time and travel expenses, we can offer the following stipends, thanks to generous funding from the PA-AAUP Conference Board:

• $100 stipend for participants traveling 60 miles or less
• $200 stipend for participants traveling between 60-120 miles
• $300 stipend for participants traveling more than 120 miles

Next Steps:

• Express your interest in joining the Solidarity Summit HERE
• Share this invitation with colleagues at your own institution and at other Annapolis Group institutions that may be interested in participating. The list of PA colleges in the Annapolis group can be found below.
• Keep your eye out for our Solidarity Summit Survey: In advance of the Summit, we will send a survey out to participants to gather information about existing circumstances on your campus and the topics you would like to see prioritized at the summit.
• If you cannot attend the Summit, but would like to learn more about the MADC, please contact us at dickinsonaaup@protonmail.com
•  If you have any questions at all, contact us at dickinsonaaup@protonmail.com

Thank you for your time and consideration!

Dickinson College’s AAUP Chapter