Academic Freedom

Scope

All academic appointees with teaching, research, or librarianship responsibilities, including visiting, adjunct, acting and part-time faculty.

Back to top

Policy Statement

1. Academic freedom, accompanied by responsibility, attaches to all aspects of a teacher’s professional conduct. The teacher shall have full freedom of instruction, subject to adequate fulfillment of other academic duties. No limitation shall be placed upon the teacher’s freedom of exposition of the subject in the classroom or on the expression of it outside. The teacher should not subject students to discussion in the classroom of topics irrelevant to the content of the course.
2. Academic freedom, accompanied by responsibility, attaches to all aspects of a librarian’s professional conduct. No censorship shall be imposed on the librarian’s freedom to select and make available any materials supporting the teaching, research, and general learning functions of the academic community.
3. Academic freedom, accompanied by responsibility, attaches to all aspects of a researcher’s professional conduct. The researcher shall have full freedom of investigation, subject to adequate fulfillment of other academic duties. No limitation shall be placed upon the subject matter of the research, its publication and dissemination, or the expression of it outside the university.
4. Academic freedom includes the freedom to express views on matters having to do with the university and its policies, and on issues of public interest generally. When faculty write or speak as citizens, they should avoid appearing to be speaking for the university. They should recognize that a professional position in the community involves the obligation to be accurate, to exercise appropriate restraint, and to show respect for the right of others to express their views.
5. This policy does not override promotion and tenure guidelines, nor other university policies concerning academic ethics and misconduct.

Back to top

Reason for Policy

Academic freedom is central to the mission of the university. Knowledge cannot be advanced unless faculty and librarians have freedom to study and communicate ideas and facts, including those that are inconvenient to political groups or authorities, without fear of recrimination.

Back to top

Procedures

Cases involving alleged impairment of academic freedom shall be referred to the appropriate campus Board of Review and addressed according to its established procedure.

Back to top

History

Enacted by University Faculty Council, May 17, 1966.
Amended by University Faculty Council, May 30, 1976; April 23, 2019.
Endorsed by Board of Trustees, Nov.4, 2005.

Back to top