Academic Freedom
References:
Title 5 Section 51023;
Accreditation Standard II.A.7
The instructional program at Palomar College shall be
conducted in accordance with principles of academic freedom
of inquiry. The educational program must encourage freedom
of expression and freedom of inquiry within the framework of
responsibility.
Palomar College considers academic freedom, defined by
its attendant rights and responsibilities, as a vital,
primary force in the achievement of the aims and objectives
of the institution. Academic freedom involves inherently the
following rights and responsibilities:
- To research to the limit of competence and training,
the assigned teaching area and its references
- To survey, probe, and question the relationship of
humans to their environment within the guidelines of
research techniques and intelligent discussion
- To question and challenge, without fear of
censorship or discipline, those actions originating from
within the institution which seriously affect the total
academic environment
- To introduce, within the assigned teaching area,
controversial concepts, issues, and systems, subjecting
these ideas to the test of objective reasoning
- To create an unhampered and clear intellectual
atmosphere democratically maintained, encouraged, and
supported by students, staff, administration, and
members of the Governing Board
- To associate with those individuals or groups of
one's choice without fear of censorship or discipline,
unless such association is forbidden by law
At no time will the inherent right of staff to use any of
the normal channels of campus communication be abridged, nor
will individual staff members be singled out for special
prior censorship of their use of such channels of
communication. It is understood that staff members
exercising this right will accept responsibility for both
the substance and the manner of their messages.
The college or university teacher is a citizen, a member
of a learned profession, and an officer of an educational
institution. When he/she speaks or writes as a citizen,
he/she should be free from institutional censorship or
discipline, but his/her special position in the community
imposes special obligations. As a person of learning and an
educational officer, he/she should remember that the public
may judge his/her profession and institution by his/her
utterances. Therefore, he/she should at all times be
accurate, show respect for the opinions of others, and make
every effort to indicate that he/she is not an institutional
spokesperson.
Palomar College encourages freedom of expression and the
free flow and exchange of information and ideas. The
College seeks to protect academic freedom and supports free
and unfettered scholarly inquiry. In compliance with these
requirements, the College encourages faculty, staff, and
student involvement with others in support of candidates for
offices or in the furtherance of other political activities.
Approved, Palomar College Governing Board – June 10, 2009
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