Association Of American Universities

THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES, INC. (AAU) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED ON AUGUST 16, 1995, IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. AAU REPRESENTS THE NATION'S LEADING RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES, AND MEMBERS INCLUDE 66 (AS OF FY21) COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA THAT ARE DISTINGUISHED BY THE BREADTH AND QUALITY OF THEIR PROGRAMS OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE EDUCATION. FOUNDED IN 1900 TO ADVANCE THE INTERNATIONAL STANDING OF U.S. RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES, AAU TODAY FOCUSES ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO RESEARCH-INTENSIVE UNIVERSITIES, SUCH AS FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN STUDENT AID AND RESEARCH, HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY AND RESEARCH ISSUES, AND GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION. AAU'S MEMBER UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES EARN THE MAJORITY OF COMPETITIVELY AWARDED FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH, ARE IMPROVING HUMAN LIFE AND WELLBEING THROUGH RESEARCH, AND ARE EDUCATING TOMORROW'S VISIONARY LEADERS AND GLOBAL CITIZENS.

FEDERAL RELATIONS, POLICY, AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS: THE MAJORITY OF THE ASSOCIATION'S PROGRAM SERVICES ARE CONCENTRATED IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, POLICY STUDIES, AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS/COMMUNICATIONS. AAU'S PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS ADDRESS BOTH FEDERAL AND INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES. MAINTAINING THE PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE NATION'S LEADING RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS A KEY AREA OF FOCUS. THIS INCLUDES WORK ON FEDERAL AND INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AFFECTING THE TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND SERVICE MISSIONS OF RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES AS WELL AS THEIR STUDENTS, FACULTY MEMBERS, AND STAFF. THIS FOCUS ALSO INCLUDES FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN STUDENT AID, HIGHER EDUCATION, COMPETITIVELY AWARDED BASIC SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROGRAMS, AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC RELIEF.

THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES (AAU) IS COMMITTED TO HELPING OUR MEMBER CAMPUSES BE AS EXCELLENT IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH. AAU'S INITIATIVES WORK TO IDENTIFY AND DISMANTLE INEQUITABLE STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES. THESE INITIATIVES TAKE A SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO CHANGE AND ARE DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE MULTIPLE PARTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM THAT SURROUND DEPARTMENT-LEVEL INNOVATIONS. THE INITIATIVES ALSO ARE INFORMED BY BROADER THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IN ACADEMIA, AS WELL AS FACULTY WORK AND REWARDS.AAU UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVE:IN 2011, AAU LAUNCHED THE UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVE IN COLLABORATION WITH MEMBER INSTITUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF INTRODUCTORY UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) COURSES. AAU IDENTIFIED CROSS-CUTTING STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE LONG-LASTING IMPROVEMENTS IN UNDERGRADUATE STEM COURSES THAT ARE DOCUMENTED IN THE FIVE-YEAR STATUS REPORT, PROGRESS TOWARD ACHIEVING SYSTEMIC CHANGE. THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE ADVANCING THE INITIATIVE: - AAU PRESIDENT BARBARA SNYDER JOINED APLU PRESIDENT PETER MCPHERSON IN CO-CHAIRING THE BOYER 2040 COMMISSION. FORMED BY THE ASSOCIATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AT RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES (FORMERLY THE REINVENTION COLLABORATIVE), THE COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH DESIGNING A 2040 BLUEPRINT FOR EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY IN UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AT RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. TOGETHER WITH OUR 14 FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, WHOSE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE PROVIDE DISTINCTIVE PERSPECTIVES ON UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION, WE EXPECT TO ISSUE A REPORT IN EARLY 2022.THE ORIGINAL BOYER COMMISSION WAS CONVENED BY THE CARNEGIE FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF TEACHING IN 1995 TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON IMPROVING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AT RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES; THE COMMISSION ISSUED A REPORT IN 1998, REINVENTING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION: A BLUEPRINT FOR AMERICA'S RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES. - THE NORTHROP GRUMMAN FOUNDATION IS SUPPORTING MINI GRANTS TO AAU MEMBER CAMPUSES TO HELP INSTITUTIONALIZE AND SCALE SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHING IN INTRODUCTORY SCIENCE AND MATH COURSES. AAU HAS AWARDED 26 MINI-GRANTS TO MEMBER CAMPUSES. - AAU CONTINUES TO ADVANCE OUR NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION FUNDED PROJECT (DUE IUSE 1625532), LEVERAGING THE AAU UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVE, THAT EXAMINES THE INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE IN WHICH INNOVATIONS TO UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION TAKES PLACE. THE RESEARCH TEAM IS CURRENTLY WRITING A REPORT THAT WILL ADDRESS THE ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, AND APPROACHES BEING USED TO SUPPORT AND ALIGN EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF UNDERGRADUATE STEM TEACHING AND LEARNING. THE AAU STEM NETWORK DEPARTMENT CHAIR WORKSHOP, "EFFECTIVE STEM EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF THE ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT CHAIR," WAS HOSTED VIRTUALLY ON JANUARY 25 & 26, 2021. SESSION TOPICS INCLUDED FACILITATING DEPARTMENTAL CHANGE; TRANSFORMING THE EVALUATION OF TEACHING; COURSE-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS FOR EQUITY; AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN STEM. OVER 90 STEM DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, ASSOCIATE CHAIRS, AND UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS FROM ACROSS 27 AAU INSTITUTIONS PARTICIPATED.THE PHD EDUCATION INITIATIVE: THE AAU PHD EDUCATION INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS LAUNCHED IN 2018, ACTIVELY WORKS TO REORIENT THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT TO FOSTER THE FULL INCLUSION OF CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE DOCTORAL STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS BY PLACING GREATER EMPHASIS ON STUDENTS AS INDIVIDUALS WITH A FULL RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL AMBITIONS AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS. DURING THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE INITIATIVE WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION, A PILOT GROUP OF EIGHT MEMBER UNIVERSITIES, REPRESENTING 32 ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS, WILL IMPLEMENT REFORMS WITHIN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH, SOCIAL SCIENCES, ARTS, AND HUMANITIES PHD PROGRAMS TO MAKE DIVERSE PHD CAREER PATHWAYS VISIBLE, VALUED, AND VIABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS. THESE REFORMS WILL ADDRESS THE CULTURE, BEHAVIOR, POLICIES, AND PRACTICES NECESSARY TO CREATE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH ALL PHD STUDENTS FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND HAVE THE SUPPORT NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THEIR DESIRED EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS.COMPONENTS OF THE INITIATIVE INCLUDE: 1) DRIVING INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE: INFLUENCE THE CULTURE AND BEHAVIOR AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL TO PROVIDE PHD STUDENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY TO SUCCEED IN CAREERS WITHIN AND BEYOND ACADEMIA; 2) PROMOTING DATA TRANSPARENCY: IDENTIFY INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO MAKE PHD PROGRAM DATA INCLUDING DATA ABOUT THE CAREER PATHWAYS AND EMPLOYMENT TRENDS OF THEIR PHD ALUMNI WIDELY AVAILABLE; AND 3) IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES: HIGHLIGHT AND ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE UNIVERSITY, DISCIPLINARY SOCIETY, AND FEDERAL AGENCY STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT CAREER DIVERSITY. RESOURCES PRODUCED FROM INITIATIVE ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA AT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS:AAU, IN COLLABORATION WITH APLU AND THE AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, HOSTED A WORKSHOP TO EXPLORE WHAT UNIVERSITIES AND DISCIPLINARY SOCIETIES CAN DO TO ACCELERATE PUBLIC ACCESS TO DATA FROM FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH. THE WORKSHOP IS PART OF THE AAU AND APLU ACCELERATING PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA PROJECT AND THE AGU WE SHARE DATA PROJECT, BOTH FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.AAU AND APLU INITIATED THE ACCELERATING PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA PROJECT IN 2016 TO HELP MEMBER INSTITUTIONS RESPOND TO NEW REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE RESULTS FROM FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE. IN 2017, AAU AND APLU ISSUED A REPORT WITH A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW UNIVERSITIES CAN INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA. THE TWO ASSOCIATIONS ALSO PUBLISHED A MORE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE IN 2021 TO HELP UNIVERSITIES CREATE ROBUST SYSTEMS FOR ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH DATA.THE WORKSHOP WITH AGU FOCUSED ON THE UNIQUE ROLE PROFESSIONAL AND DISCIPLINARY SOCIETIES CAN PLAY IN SUPPORTING DATA ACCESS. PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSED HOW DISCIPLINARY SOCIETIES CAN ADVANCE ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA BY DEVELOPING AND PROMOTING STANDARD DATA-SHARING PRACTICES AND EXPECTATIONS, CREATING DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC TEMPLATES FOR DATA MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND HELPING RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY AND STORE DATA IN DISCIPLINARY REPOSITORIES. BY THE END OF THE MEETING, PARTICIPANTS AGREED THAT THE WORKSHOP HAD HELPED IDENTIFY AREAS OF POTENTIAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN DISCIPLINARY SOCIETY, UNIVERSITY, AND FEDERAL AGENCY EFFORTS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO DATA. IN THE COMING WEEKS, AAU, APLU, AND AGU WILL PREPARE A PROJECT REPORT OUTLINING SPECIFIC ACTION ITEMS EMERGING FROM THE WORKSHOP FOR SUBMISSION TO THE NSF.

OTHER PROGRAMS: MEETINGS: THE ASSOCIATION CONDUCTS SEMI-ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF ITS MEMBER INSTITUTIONS AS WELL AS MULTIPLE MEETINGS OF FEDERAL RELATIONS OFFICERS OF ITS MEMBER UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR SUBCOMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS. AAU ALSO CONDUCTS ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE FOLLOWING GROUPS: PUBLIC AFFAIRS NETWORK; CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS; ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS; UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION NETWORK. GOLDEN GOOSE AWARD: THE ASSOCIATION ANNUALLY PLAYS A LEADERSHIP ROLE THE GOLDEN GOOSE AWARDS PROGRAM AND CEREMONY. THESE AWARDS HONOR FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCHERS WHOSE WORK SOUNDS ODD OR OBSCURE BUT TURNS OUT TO HAVE MAJOR SOCIETAL BENEFITS. AAU BY THE NUMBERS: AS PART OF THE ASSOCIATION'S EFFORTS TO DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES TO THE NATION, AAU UPDATES AND PRODUCES PRINTED AND DIGITAL INFOGRAPHICS WITH AGGREGATE STATISTICS ON OUR MEMBER UNIVERSITIES' ECONOMIC IMPACT, STUDENT FINANCIAL AID PROVIDED, THE BENEFITS OF OUR RESEARCH, AND OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION. PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH PROJECT: AAU COMMISSIONS AND ANALYZES PUBLIC OPINION POLLS AND INFORMATION TO GAIN ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS FOR OUR MEMBERS ON ISSUES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC AND POLICYMAKERS.