The Kent State branch of the AAUP announced to its members Monday it has elected its new president for the 2012-2013 school year.

The group elected Christopher Fenk, a chemistry professor at Kent State Tuscarawas campus, to take over as president from Kara Robinson, an associate professor in the University Library.

An AAUP president is “the presiding officer of the AAUP-KSU council, the tenure-track unit and the association,” said the AAUP in the email sent to members. “The president’s role in the association is central to the mission of AAUP-KSU and is especially important during this contract year.”

The AAUP is currently in negotiations with the university to revise its 2008 Collective Bargaining Agreement, which expired in August.

New council representatives from various colleges and programs were also announced by AAUP Monday. The new representatives and the areas they cover are:

—Edgar Kooijman, biological sciences department

—Alexander Seed, chemistry department

—Susan Iverson, EHHS/foundations, leadership and administration

—Albert Ingram, EHHS/lifespan development and education sciences

—Todd Hawley and Mike Mikusa, EHHS/teaching, learning and curriculum studies

—Cheryl Casper, emeritus representative

—Kazadi Mukuna, music department

—George Garrison, Pan-African Studies department

—Gina Zavota, philosophy department

—Mark Cassell, political science department

—Ann Abraham, Ashtabula campus

—Patti Swartz, East Liverpool campus

—Sharon Tkacz, Geauga campus

—Claudia Khourey-Bowers, Stark campus

The AAUP acts as a union representing all Kent State professors and has both tenure-track and non-tenure-track branches and members.

Contact Carrie Blazina at [email protected].