The Whitman College chapter of the AAUP was formed in 1922, making it one of the earliest AAUP chapters. Chapters were organized at other small private liberal arts colleges, including Amherst, Brown, Haverford, Earlham, Colorado, Bryn Mawr, Lafayette, Oberlin, Reed, Smith, Swarthmore, Williams, Wellesley, and others.

In the 20th century, professors fought for and earned recognition of their academic freedom, the tenure system, and shared governance. Each of these three principles is essential to enable faculty in modern higher education to perform as academics. The Whitman AAUP Chapter played an important role in advocating for these principles. Its activities have contributed to:

• The formal incorporation into the Faculty Code of provisions for tenure, following a controversy on campus and extensive consultation with the national office from 1950-1952.
• The formal adoption of adequate cause grounds for dismissal as well as due process guarantees for tenure-track and tenured faculty.
• The adoption of the reference to academic freedom in the current Faculty Code.
• The formation of what is now the Personnel Committee as an expression of commitment to peer review of faculty.
• Multiple resolutions in favor of competitive compensation.
• The adoption and improvements of the sabbatical leave program.
• The removal of the loyalty oath at Whitman College.

Read the brief history and view the timeline of achievements by the national organization: https://www.aaup.org/about/history/timeline-first-100-years.