Update #23

University’s Proposal Expands Academic Freedom

Barbara Altmann, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of French
July 24, 2013

Academic freedom is one of the topics currently under discussion at the bargaining table. The challenge is how to express the academic freedom we all prize, as well as defining the responsibilities that come with it. The University of Oregon and the faculty union, United Academics, are in absolute agreement that the free search for truth and its free exposition in teaching and research are fundamental to academic freedom and must be both protected and nurtured.

Apart from teaching, it’s imperative that faculty have the latitude to research any topic or publish a paper containing controversial ideas pertaining to their disciplines without the fear of reprisal or censorship. Thus, the University’s counterproposal extends academic freedom beyond the classroom to research and scholarship.

At the same time, broad exploration and expression appropriately come with responsibilities, and those responsibilities are also stated in the University’s counterproposal.

Specifically, faculty members must do the following:

    • Observe and uphold the ethical standards of their academic discipline.
    • Treat students, staff, colleagues and the public in a fair and civil manner.
    • Respect the integrity of the process in evaluating students, staff and colleagues.
    • Represent themselves as speaking for the university only when expressly authorized to do so.
    • Contribute to the effective and civil functioning of their unit, department or program.

These principles of academic freedom, the bedrock of our University, are broadly and appropriately articulated in the University’s counterproposal. They are vital to the UO mission of serving our students, scholarship and the community.

Comments are closed.