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Principles of Academic Freedom
Scope: Who is Covered by this Policy?
Instructional Staff and Research ScientistsPolicy
The following statement of principles of academic freedom adopted by the American Association of University Professors in 1940 was approved by the Board of Trustees, June of 1950:
Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. (The word “teacher” as used in this document is understood to include the investigator who is attached to an academic institution without teaching duties.)
Academic freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research. 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 duties correlative with rights.
Tenure is a means to certain ends, specifically:
- freedom of teaching and research and of extramural activities, and
- a sufficient degree of economic security to make the profession attractive to men and women of ability. Freedom and economic security, hence tenure, are indispensable to the success of an institution in fulfilling its obligations to its students and to society.
No faculty member shall be obliged to make her or his nonpublic work available for inspection by a second party in the absence of compulsory legal process.
Related Form(s)
Not Applicable.
Additional Resources and Procedures
Not Applicable.
FAQ
Not Applicable.
Policy Administration
Next Review Date
7/1/2023
Responsible Officers
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Legal Authority
Not Applicable.
Compliance Policy
Yes
Recent Revision History
Reference ID(s)
- MUPIM 5.1
- OAC-3339-5-01
Reviewing Bodies
- Administrative
- University Senate