This section on academic freedom is taken from Academic Freedom and Tenure, Title I: Statement in Regard to Academic Freedom and Tenure, which appears in full below under “Faculty Policies Applicable to Tenured/ Tenure Track Faculty." This provision has been amended, from time to time, by the Board of Trustees.

Section II. The Case for Academic Freedom

“Academic freedom is essential to the free search for truth and its free expression. Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. Freedom in teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member in teaching and of the student in learning. Academic freedom imposes distinct obligations on the faculty member such as those mentioned hereinafter.”

Section IV. Academic Freedom

“Faculty are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of their other academic duties, but outside occupations and research for pecuniary gain, except in the case of sporadic and wholly unrelated engagements should be based upon an understanding with the administration of the University.

Faculty are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they should not introduce into their teaching controversial matter that has no relation to their subject.

Faculty are citizens, members of a learned profession, and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but this special position in the community imposes special obligations. As men and women of learning and educational officers, they should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. Hence they at all times should be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others and for the established policy of their institution, and while properly identifying themselves to outside audiences as associated with the University should clearly indicate that they are not institutional spokespeople unless specifically commissioned to serve in such a capacity.”

Tenured/tenure track faculty members also are entitled to other protections, discussed in more detail in “Faculty Policies Applicable to Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty” below. Continuing Contract faculty are also entitled to other protections, discussed in more detail in “Faculty Policies Applicable to Full-Time Continuing Contract Faculty.”