Mission
Advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education’s contribution to the common good.
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We provide access to information you can use, committees, available grants, conferences, and links to other educational sites
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Discussions and information on important topics that impact the community.
The latest happenings
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Upcoming Events
The Illinois Conference works to ensure that faculty voices remain central to college and university decision-making processes. We advocate for the conditions that allow professors to teach, conduct research, engage with the public, and pursue scholarly inquiry free from undue political, ideological, or administrative interference. By strengthening faculty participation in governance and defending academic freedom, we help preserve the integrity and quality of higher education.
Upcoming Events:
September 4 – Professor Leonard Bright – update on the current situation at Texas A&M University
September 17 – Academic Freedom and Constitutional Rights in a Time of Crisis
October 4-10 – Banned Book WeekWe invite you to join us for these important upcoming programs.
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Illinois Institute of Technology lays off 160 faculty and staff
The Illinois Institute of Technology reduced its workforce by around 160 faculty and staff positions, a move a university spokesperson said comes as higher education institutions across the country face demographic declines, research cutbacks, and restrictions on international students attending U.S. universities.
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IL AAUP Letter to SAIC Talwar June 2026
The Illinois Conference of the American Association of University Professors Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure expresses concern about the School of the Art Institute’s suspension and investigation of art therapy professor Savneet Talwar. In an April 17, 2026, letter, Director of Employee Relations Andrew Daley accused Talwar of “alleged conduct expressing an anti-Israeli, antisemetic [sic], and/or pro-Palestine viewpoint.
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IL AAUP Letter to SAIC Feb 03, 2025
The Illinois Conference of the American Association of University Professors Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure is deeply concerned by reports that School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) lecturer, Kelly Xi has been suspended and barred from campus for exercising her academic freedom.