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SECTION 325: ACADEMIC FREEDOM
SOURCE: SBHE Policy Manual, Section 401.1
- General principles: The primary responsibility of the academic community is to provide for the enrichment of intellectual experience. Essential to the realization of this ideal is a free and open academic community which takes no ideological or policy position itself. The responsible academic community welcomes those who do take an ideological or policy position and zealously guards their right to do so. Conflict of ideas cannot occur unless there is opportunity for a variety of viewpoints to be expressed. Toleration of what may be error is an inescapable condition of the meaningful pursuit of truth. The academic community must be hospitable even to closed minds and it must welcome the conflict of ideas likely to ensue. Academic responsibility to provide opportunity for expression of diverse points of view generates academic freedom.
- Faculty: Faculty are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of results
subject to the adequate performance of their other academic duties. They are also entitled to
freedom in lecturing or conducting demonstrations in their subject or field of competence. They
are entitled as any other member of the community in which they live to establish membership in
voluntary groups, to seek or hold public office, to express their opinions as individuals on public
questions and to take action in accordance with their views.
Cognizant of their responsibilities to their profession and to their institution, faculty accept certain obligations; they should attempt to be accurate, to exercise sound judgment and respect the right of others to express opinions. They must make clear that their actions, statements and their memberships do not necessarily represent the views of the academic community. If there are controls to be exercised over faculty members, they are the controls of personal integrity and the judgment of their colleagues.
- Students: Students are entitled to be taught by unfettered teachers and to have access to all information pertinent to their subjects of study. They are entitled to as complete freedom as possible in selection of their curriculum, their teachers, and their associates. Moreover, they have a right to intellectual disagreement with their instructors and their associates and to question them without fear or recrimination or punishment. They are also entitled to seek the publication of their views, to seek membership in voluntary groups, to seek or hold public office, and to take lawful action in accordance with their views. Students also have the responsibility to make clear that their actions, membership and statements do not represent the views of the academic community.
- Guest speakers, movies, and other programs: A college or university by its very nature cannot pay lip service to the concept of freedom of expression and then deny persons with whom it is in disagreement the opportunity of giving expression to their views. Furthermore, a policy that extends the right of freedom of expression to some persons and denies it to others, places the institution in the position of endorsing the past record and views of those who are given permission to speak. Therefore, a speaker, performer, or program may be presented under the sponsorship of any duly recognized student, faculty, or administrative organization or any individual officer of instruction. It is not necessary that the point of view presented be congenial to the campus, members of the staff or student body individually, or to individual members of the wider community. The speaker must be accorded the courtesy of an uninterrupted presentation. Except for ceremonial occasions, speakers must accept as condition of their appearance the right of their audience to question or challenge statements made in their address. Questions must be permitted from the floor unless prevented by physical limitations, or the size of the audience. The invitation or scheduling of such a program must represent the desire of the institutional sponsor and not the will of external individuals or organizations. The sponsor must establish full responsibility for the program and should help to establish the concept that the point of view expressed in an address or performance does not necessarily represent the position of the academic community. Such presentations must at all times be consistent with the laws of North Dakota and the United States.
HISTORY: May 11, 1984; Amended April 1992