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Policy 205: Academic Freedom

Operational Policy
Policy Number: 205
Adopted: August 1975

Institutions of higher education exist for the common good. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free expression. Hence, all faculty shall be free to pursue scholarly inquiry and to voice and publish conclusions.

All faculty shall be free from the fear that others whose views may differ, whether inside or outside the college community, could threaten those faculty members’ professional careers.

All faculty shall have freedom in the instructional setting, and in presenting the subjects that they teach, within established course outlines. Faculty must have adequate safeguards of their academic freedom to ensure freedom of learning, teaching, investigation, and publishing. Faculty shall be free from institutional censorship or discipline when they speak, write, or act as long as they exercise academic responsibility in the instructional setting. Academic responsibility entails attention to the learning objectives of one’s teaching assignment and respect for the dignity and uniqueness of other people.

It shall be the duty of the president to see that the necessary guidelines are established to protect academic freedom and the freedom of speech of the individual.

Policy Review History

Reviewed: November 2018, July 2023
Revised: March 2006

Review and Revision refers to the College’s cyclical process for evaluating and updating all institutional policies and procedures. At minimum, each policy or procedure will undergo review once every five years to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with current practices and regulatory requirements. If the scheduled review results in no changes, the date of that review will be recorded in the Reviewed field. If updates or edits are made, the date will be recorded in the Revised field. This process maintains transparency regarding the history of each policy or procedure and ensures the College remains responsive to evolving needs and standards.

Related Procedures

  • No related procedures