Academic Freedom
Academic freedom is indispensable to institutions of higher learning in order to educate students and advance knowledge. Academic freedom gives faculty and students the freedom to investigate and discuss topics without fear of reprisal for alternative opinions in order to gain the best possible understanding of an issue. All members of the University shall support and protect this fundamental principle and work collaboratively to provide an environment of tolerance and mutual respect.
Academic freedom is essential to both teaching and research for faculty, and to learning for students. Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. Academic freedom in its teaching aspect is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and of the student to freedom in learning. It carries with it responsibilities correlative with rights.
CHSU expects that its faculty members will exercise academic freedom responsibly. As highly trained professionals, faculty have the responsibility to their students and community for the quality of their teaching, scholarship, and student learning. The faculty has primary responsibility for contributing their knowledge to such fundamental areas as curriculum, subject matter, methods of instruction and assessment, and research. Faculty input is sought for those aspects of student life which relate to the educational process. Faculty are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing related subject matter. Faculty are free to pursue research and to publish their results within the approved budgetary authority. The exercise of these freedoms’ should not impinge upon the full and adequate performance of their responsibilities, including, but not limited to, teaching, service, and research.
Academic Freedom has the following limitations
- Academic freedom does not give faculty or students the right to say anything they want. Abuse of academic freedom to say or behave in a way that causes physical or emotional harm to others, for example, is not acceptable.
- Students do not have the right to interfere or interrupt the education of others in the name of academic freedom.
- Students do not have the right to avoid teachings with which they do not agree.
- No faculty members (full-time or part-time) of the University shall use or attempt to use their official authority or position in the University, directly or indirectly to:
- Affect the nomination or election of any candidate for any political office,
- Affect the voting or legal political affiliation of any other employee of the College or of any student, or
- Cause any other employee of the University or any student to contribute any time or money (whether as payment, loan, or gift) to the support of any political organization or cause, or
- Represent that any political party, political candidate, political issue, or partisan activity has the official or unofficial support of California Health Sciences University or any of its colleges.
- The faculty member is a citizen as well as a member of a learned profession and an educational institution. While speaking or writing as a citizen, faculty are free from institutional censorship or discipline, but should realize they hold a special position in the community, which imposes unique obligations. As a person of learning and an educational officer, the faculty member should remember the public may judge the teaching profession and this institution by his or her statements and behavior. Hence, at all times, faculty should be accurate, exercise appropriate restraint, show respect for the opinions of others, and make every effort to indicate they do not speak for the institution.
- Procedural safeguards for academic freedom and individual responsibility, including, but not limited to, contracts of employment, are in place to ensure the maintenance of intellectual liberty and high standards in teaching and scholarship. Administration, staff, and other stakeholders have important roles to play in order to protect the fundamental principles of academic freedom on campus, but the faculty and students have the primary responsibility to practice and uphold academic freedom.