Resolutions

Resolutions passed by AAUP NC membership represent the guiding documents for the state conference. Chapters and members are encouraged to prepare resolutions for consideration at the AAUP NC Annual Conference.

Current Resolutions:

• A Policy for Campus Engagement with Federal Immigration Authorities and Protection of Privacy Rights – adopted October 2, 2025

A Policy for Campus Engagement with Federal Immigration Authorities and Protection of Privacy Rights

Whereas, the mission of the American Association of University Professors and its state conferences and local chapters is clear: to advance academic freedom and shared governance; to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education; to promote the economic security of faculty, academic professionals, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and all those engaged in teaching and research in higher education; to help the higher education community organize to make our goals a reality; and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good;

Whereas, the AAUP has condemned the Trump administration’s “draconian approach to immigration enforcement and its unprecedented attack on international students and faculty”; 

Whereas, the AAUP has stated that the Trump administration’s actions on campuses since at least February 2025 have stoked fear due to “seemingly arbitrary detentions” and “the long-term impacts of these trends on the vitality of higher education in the US cannot be overstated”;

Whereas, the universities and colleges of North Carolina, both public and private, include students, faculty, staff, and visitors with diverse immigration statuses, and the faculty are committed to protecting the privacy, safety, and rights of all members; and

Whereas, it is essential to establish clear campus policies with regard to working with federal immigration authorities, to designate appropriate points of contact, to identify private or limited-access spaces where entry by immigration agents is restricted, and to communicate privacy rights to the campus community; and

Whereas, it is essential that the university community is aware of Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure;    

Whereas, privacy and confidentiality of university records are governed by applicable privacy laws and university policies, and it is the obligation of the university to protect personal and personally identifiable information and to limit disclosure to only what is required by law. 

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the NC Conference of the AAUP:

• That administrators of North Carolina universities and colleges shall establish and communicate a clear policy regarding cooperation with federal immigration authorities, consistent with applicable law and these resolutions;

• That universities and colleges shall not cooperate with federal law enforcement absent a judicial warrant or subpoena and shall not provide more information to ICE or the DHS about international faculty, students, and staff than required by state or federal law;

• That university and college employees are informed of the basic tenets of the Fourth Amendment that protects against unreasonable and unconstitutional searches and seizures;   

• That university or college administrators shall designate a campus authority to whom students, staff, and faculty should report or contact if approached or questioned by ICE agents;

• That university or college administrators shall communicate to faculty and students whom to contact in the event they are approached by ICE and shall provide clear guidance for students and faculty on appropriate actions when approached;

• That university or college administrators shall identify and publicly designate private or limited-access spaces on campus where ICE agents may not enter without a valid warrant;

• That university or college administrators shall communicate which spaces are protected and the procedures to be followed if a federal agent seeks to enter a limited-access area;

• That university or college administrators shall plan to communicate with students, staff, and faculty about their privacy rights, including the right to deny immigration officers entry to their homes (including dorms) unless officers have a judicial warrant, and the right to not respond to questions or statements of an immigration officer who is seeking to enter their home without a judicial warrant;

• That university or college administrators shall consider and implement guidance stating that, if a federal immigration enforcement officer seeks to enter a limited-access area on campus, individuals should ask for the officer’s name, identification number, agency affiliation, and business card, and should inform the officer that they are not obstructing the process but need to contact a supervisor;

• That university or college administrators shall protect personal and personally identifiable information in university records, recognizing that such records are shielded by privacy laws and university policies;

• That university or college administrators shall not send the names of non-citizen students or faculty to the DOE, DHS, or the Secretary of State in response to the faculty or students’ expressive, First Amendment-protected activity;

• That university or college administrators shall develop and implement written policies and training for faculty and students on these privacy rights, and appropriate responses to inquiries from immigration authorities;

• That university or college administrators shall designate responsible offices (e.g., General Counsel, Office of Privacy/Compliance, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Public Safety) to implement these policies and address questions or exceptions;

• That university or college administrators shall monitor legal developments and campus needs and adjust these policies accordingly, with annual reporting to the appropriate governance body.

Adopted October 2, 2025, by virtual vote of AAUP NC membership