AAU Partners Mission Statement The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of sixty-two leading research universities in the United States and Canada. Based in Washington, D.C., the association provides a forum for the development and implementation of institutional and national policies promoting strong programs in academic research and scholarship and undergraduate, graduate, and professional education. Founded in 1977, the AAU Partners is an organization whose purpose is to provide an opportunity for the partners of the AAU presidents and chancellors to participate in programs concerning issues important to universities in order to better serve the universities they represent. The Partners hold their meetings twice a year, concurrently with the presidents and chancellors: in the fall on the campus of a member university and in Washington in the spring. During their executive committee and general business meetings, Partners receive and provide information to clarify and facilitate the wide range of roles they serve on their respective campuses. Partners work, in varying degrees, to enhance the stature, funding, and community relationships of their institutions. This work may take the form of speaking at community and national organizations as a representative of their home institution, serving on community boards in volunteer positions, and co-hosting events that educate alumni and donors about the university, just to name a few. At the meetings, Partners exchange information, mentor new members, and offer suggestions that will improve performance in their roles, often with advice from professionals in relevant fields such as institutional advancement, campus communications, and media/press relations. For more information about the AAU Partners, please contact Lajauna Smouse at lajauna_smouse@aau.edu. Approved by the Partners Executive Committee - October 2004 (From AAU Web Site)