3.085 Academic Freedom in Teaching and Scholarship
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- Academic Freedom, while an important principle throughout Delta College, is especially
vital for any faculty member when engaging in teaching and scholarship. This policy
is based upon a “Statement on Academic Freedom” formulated by representatives of the
American Association of University Professors1 and the Association of the American Colleges and adopted by the Delta College Board
of Trustees.
- 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.2
- Faculty are entitled to freedom in the classroom in teaching their subject; however they should be careful not to introduce irrelevant subject matter which clearly has no relation to the course content.
- 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 their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As members of a learned profession and educational officers, they should remember that the public may judge their institution by their utterances. Hence, they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate that they are not institutional spokespersons.
- A Faculty Assembly Member who believes that his or her academic freedom has been violated should use the Senate grievance process.
- A Part-time faculty member who believes that his or her academic freedom has been violated should refer to the grievance procedure in the Adjunct Handbook.
- Academic Freedom, while an important principle throughout Delta College, is especially
vital for any faculty member when engaging in teaching and scholarship. This policy
is based upon a “Statement on Academic Freedom” formulated by representatives of the
American Association of University Professors1 and the Association of the American Colleges and adopted by the Delta College Board
of Trustees.
1 Adapted from the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure.
2 See Senate Policy 2.040 Intellectual Property for situations resulting in financial renumeration.
Board Action 5073 – December 10, 2014
Board Action 2869 – February 15, 1989