Academic Freedom in the 21

st

Century for All Faculty

Arthur Hochner Associate Professor, Human Resource Mgt.

Fox School of Business & Management Temple University & President Temple Association of University Professionals AFT Local 4531

April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 1

Links for further information

AFT’s Academic Freedom Statement: http://www.aft.org/higher_ed/pubs reports/AcademicFreedomStatement.pdf

My email: [email protected]

April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 2

Academic Freedom underpins our system of Higher Education  “Freedom to conduct research, teach, speak and publish,  subject to the norms and standards of scholarly inquiry,  without interference or penalty,  wherever the search for truth may lead.” Statement on Academic Freedom, Report of the First Global Colloquium of University Presidents , Columbia U., Jan. 18 19, 2005 April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 3

Core values

Higher education:     Sustains a free and open society Provides solid-up-to-date knowledge Develops critical intellectual tools students need Encourages debate and challenge of ideas April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 4

The basic principle of AF

Not identical to constitutional rights of free speech but that: Educators should be making educational decisions, for educational reasons April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 5

Institutional Pillars of AF: The Model of the Modern University 1.

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 Tenure Protection against arbitrary treatment  Peer evaluation Standards set by the community of scholars  Shared governance Involvement in institutional decisions affecting the educational mission April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 6

Origins of Academic Freedom

 Late 19 th education century, growth of graduate    Led to demands for freedom in scholarship and teaching These demands clashed often with power of business-oriented trustees Some faculty members fired or contracts not renewed April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 7

20 th century – some faculty took controversial positions & lost jobs      Supported unions (though not yet for faculty!) Opposed child labor Advocated economic reform and regulation Taught biological evolution Opposed WWI April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 8

AAUP formed by professors from elite institutions in 1915

    To set professional standards To promote the idea of scholarship Issued standards of academic freedom  Became overwhelmed by number of cases to defend Worked to establish tenure system  Consensus with Assoc. of American Colleges in 1940 – joint statement on “Academic Freedom and Tenure” April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 9

Recent changes in HE are weakening AF’s foundations

     Vocational / consumerist focus  demands to reshape curricula Loss of state govt. financial support  Squeeze on budgets & tuition Corporate management practices Political attacks on the academy Erosion of academic staffing April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 10

Political attacks

   Charges of subversion Accusations of liberal bias Legislation introduced in 27 states   “Academic Bill of Rights” – associated with David Horowitz and Students for Academic Freedom Not passed in any state, but proposed for US Congress reauthorization of Higher Ed. Act April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 11

Erosion of academic staffing

  As of 2005, < 30 % of US instructional staff tenured or tenure-eligible Traditional tenured positions displaced by hiring of masses of contingent faculty    Insecure positions Low wages Little professional support April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 12

Many faculty not under the Pillars of AF: Realities of the Modern University    No claim to tenure, so less freedom from interference and retaliation No involvement in peer evaluation, so cut off from community of scholars No participation in shared governance, so educational decisions are made for them April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 13

AFT’s Academic freedom Standards: Teaching

   Faculty as a whole responsible for the curriculum and methods of instruction Individuals primarily responsible for selecting instructional materials, subject to academic standards Individuals free to discuss subject matter, based on prevailing academic standards and good judgment April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 14

Teaching (continued)

  Faculty entitled to evaluate students on basis of academic merit Faculty entitled to full intellectual property rights to their teaching materials 15 April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC

Research

  Full freedom in choosing research subjects and methods, subject to professional and peer-driven standards Discoveries should be shared; knowledge is a public good April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 16

Participation in governance

    All faculty free to participate without fear of intimidation or retaliation Institutions to provide opportunity and time to participate All faculty share in decisions on educational policy, curricula, programs, accountability, etc.

Participation in accrediting process April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 17

What should be done?

 AFT, NEA & AAUP all call for re invigoration of academic freedom   Real job protection, real rights, real participation Treating educators as professionals, not hired hands April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 18

How to accomplish this?

    Open dialogue on academic freedom on campus Demystify academic practices for policymakers and public Negotiate and enforce practices and procedures for academic freedom Legislative action for funding April 11, 2008 NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC 19