Joining & Benefits

Become a Member Today!

Your membership helps strengthen our union by showing your dedication to the pursuit of quality education. We at PSU-AAUP are committed to excellence in the workplace because we know that faculty working conditions are student learning conditions. Your pledge of membership proves your investment in the quality of Portland State University.

In addition to the support you contribute to yourself and your colleagues with your membership, you are also entitled to numerous benefits, such as a variety of optional insurance plans, merchant discounts, regalia reimbursement, and much more. Please refer to the Member Benefits section below for details on the benefits of membership.

Why Join? Here's 3 Reasons Common Questions

We need your support! By filling out a membership application:

you are helping AAUP lobby at the state and national level to ensure that there is money available. The more members we have, the stronger our voice in Salem and in Washington, DC
you are helping fight attacks on tenure and academic freedom at the national level
you can vote on contract ratification or on other important union issues
The more support we have from full members, the stronger our position at the bargaining table!

Member Benefits

Membership Benefits are eligible to all full members. If you are unsure whether you are a full member, please see the Membership Status section below.

PSU-AAUP Membership Benefits:

The right to vote on important chapter decisions and run for PSU-AAUP office.
Eligibility to serve on the PSU-AAUP Collective Bargaining team.
Eligibility to serve on other PSU-AAUP Committees.
Membership in the National AAUP and the Oregon Conference of the AAUP. The National AAUP and the Oregon Conference of the AAUP protects the rights of all faculty on the state and national level.
Regalia Reimbursement - Reimbursement of purchase or rental cost for June Commencement. You must present a receipt for your purchase or rental to the PSU-AAUP office. The reimbursement request is due by December 15 of the year of your rental.
PSU-AAUP Assistance Fund eligibility.

AAUP National Benefits:

There are many additional benefits of membership offered through National. For more detailed information on National AAUP Membership Benefits, please visit the National AAUP website.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Benefits:

Since August 1, 2022, AAUP is an affiliate union of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), with access to a variety of AFT individual member benefits. As a dues-paying AAUP Member, you have access to AFT's benefits. Take a look here:

Membership Status

We are a union campus. We are the largest of six (6) unions on campus. Approximately 78% of the faculty and academic professionals are members of the Association and pay member dues to the Association for the services we provide in collectively bargaining and enforcing the contract.

You are not automatically a member when you commence employment at Portland State University. To become a member, you must fill out a membership application.

You need to fill out a membership application only once, and your membership continues from one academic year to the next.

If you do not fill out an application, then you will be relying on your co-workers to pay the cost of bargaining and enforcing the contract completely while you pay nothing. Your coworkers want you and expect you to pay your share and want you to become a member.

Member Dues are deducted from your paycheck. Your pay stub will indicate you are a member:

Members Dues deductions from paychecks are indicated “AAUP Union Membership Dues.”
More information on Member Dues can be found HERE.