Faculty Senate ad hoc Committee on Academic Freedom Statement
At the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW-L), institutional academic freedom is a principle that
conveys both rights and responsibilities to instructors, students, and the institution. UW-L’s mission
statement states, “The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse provides a challenging, dynamic, and diverse
learning environment in which the entire university community is fully engaged in supporting student
success.” The freedoms of instructors to conduct research and to teach material and of students to
formulate their own judgments are crucial to maintaining an environment, which fosters intellectual
growth and the pursuit of knowledge. It is assumed that all UW-L employees and students included in
the academic freedom aegis are already bound by one or more sets of ethical/professional standards of
conduct. Such standards form part UW-L policies. Instructors and students that are members of
professional societies may indeed be further bound by standards promulgated by those professional
societies. It is with confidence that comments within classrooms and other class communication are not
only made with integrity and honesty, but also will be protected by this statement on academic
freedom. Grievances must be put to the Committee on Complaints, Grievances, Appeals and Academic
Freedom.
Approved by the ad hoc Committee on Academic Freedom on 4/8/2014
Hannah Bresson
Anna George, PhD – Chair
Joseph Kastantin, PhD
Adam Putz, PhD