II.A.2.a. Academic Freedom

The university is an institution of higher learning in a democratic society. It is fundamentally committed to the open-ended pursuit of knowledge and the unfettered activity of inquiry and debate. Just as the university is entitled to academic freedom in the pursuit of its educational mission, so each member of the faculty is entitled to academic freedom in the discharge of their professional duties. Accordingly, each member of the faculty has a right to the freedom of thought and expression, including a right to reasoned dissent, in the conduct of their professional activities. This right to academic freedom safeguards one’s liberty to pursue, discuss, study, research, discover, question, critique, and teach relevant knowledge, ideas, and theory, in accordance with the standards of the academic profession and one’s discipline. Academic freedom must be exercised responsibly, in keeping with the standards of one’s academic profession and one’s discipline and with other university and professional duties. A faculty member who is acting in the course and scope of their employment at the university is protected by the tenets of academic freedom as long as such action is performed in good faith and in a manner consistent with their responsibilities. A faculty member who is speaking or writing on matters of public concern is not subject to university censorship or discipline.

Academic freedom: Establishes the right of the faculty member to teach, instruct, and examine students on the information, concepts, methodology, and content of courses without interference, consistent with the university’s right to expect productive teaching, research/scholarly achievement, and professional qualifications, and professional service from a faculty member, to evaluate and to require improvement (as needed) in the quality and quantity of instruction, research, and service work, and to require consistency between the catalog description of a course and that course’s content and focus.

Allows the faculty member to engage in research, inquiry, study, creative enterprise, and exposition of the results of scholarly activity unfettered by unreasonable restrictions imposed by the institution. This freedom is consistent with the university’s right to expect productive scholarship from a faculty member, to evaluate and to require improvement (as needed) in the quality and quantity of scholarly work, and to make rules concerning ownership and conduct of university-related research and creative endeavor.

Protects the faculty member in service to the academic unit, the college, the university, and the faculty member’s discipline. This is consistent with the university’s right to expect productive service from a faculty member and to evaluate and to require improvement (as needed) in the quality and quantity of service activity.