Academic Freedom
About This Policy
- Responsible Office
- Academic Affairs
Academic Freedom is discussed under Article V of the State Master Contract. It states:
- Academic freedom derives from the nature of the quest for knowledge. It is essential to the full search for truth and its free exposition, applies to both teaching and research, and shall not be abridged or abused. Academic freedom does not relieve the employee of those duties and obligations which are inherent in the employer/employee relationship.
- Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. Academic freedom in its teaching aspect is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and of the student to freedom in learning. It carries with it responsibilities correlative with rights. Both parties to this Agreement subscribe to the following principles of academic freedom:
- Employees are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of results.
- An employee is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his or her subject.
- Employees are citizens and members of a learned profession. When the employee speaks or writes as a citizen, he or she is free from institutional censorship or discipline, but should not represent himself or herself as a spokesperson for the institution.