Draft Resolution on Content Filtering on the CCSF Computer Network
WHEREAS, City College of San Francisco as an institution of higher education has as part of its mission to prepare “students for transfer to baccalaureate institutions” (CCSF
Mission Statement); and
WHEREAS, the “role of academic freedom in faculty professionalism in fulfilling the teaching and learning component of the CCSF mission” is “central” to CCSF’s strategic plan for “excellence in teaching, learning, and support services” (CCSF Strategic
Priorities and Major Objectives, 2 nd
Draft 2010-11-08); and
WHEREAS, higher education at the college level requires as its cornerstone free and open access to information regardless of format; and
WHEREAS, content filtering contradicts the academic “mission to further research and learning through exposure to the broadest possible range of ideas and information”
(Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries, American Library Association); and
WHEREAS, blocking access to information resources, regardless of format, constitutes a fundamental violation of academic freedom and of the collective bargaining agreement between CCSF and AFT 2121; and
WHEREAS, blocking access to information resources on the CCSF network creates another barrier to student success especially for already disadvantaged students who do not have other means of Internet access and rely on the college for access to online resources; and
WHEREAS, CCSF’s Information Competency graduation requirement requires that students learn to critically evaluate the quality and appropriateness of information as well as understand some of the legal and ethical issues relating to information and its use by complying with institutional policies on access and use of computer equipment and software; and
WHEREAS, there is no proven technology that both blocks out all illegal content and allows access to all other content constitutionally protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution; and
WHEREAS, our community standards clearly do not accept Internet filtering as indicated by the passage by the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco on
October 19, 2001, of Administrative Code, Chapter 22C, prohibiting the use of filtering software on public Internet access terminals; and
WHEREAS, Board Policy 6.06 on Academic Freedom states that “the library faculty, as a part of the educational program, shall have the same freedoms guaranteed the teaching

faculty and students and shall choose books and other resources based on their interest, information and potential for enlightenment of students; and
WHEREAS, prior to October of 2010, CCSF did not filter Internet information on its network; and
WHEREAS, CCSF’s Information Technology Services Department began filtering
Internet access in October of 2010 without consultation with other affected parties; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Information Technology Policy Committee request CCSF’s
Technology Services Department to stop all blocking of Internet resources based on content; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Information Technology Policy Committee will work with
CCSF’s Technology Services Department to evaluate and assess the necessity of blocking other categories of non-informational incoming Internet traffic in order to balance the concerns for academic freedom and network security to ensure that the
College can continue its commitment to the central priority of academic freedom; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Information Technology Policy Committee urge its parent body, the College Advisory Council to request CCSF’s Technology Services Department to stop all blocking of Internet resources based on content; and be it finally
RESOLVED, that the Information Technology Policy Committee draft a policy prohibiting the use of content blocking on equipment used for academic purposes with intention of forwarding that policy to the Academic Senate, the Chancellor, and the
Board of Trustees to be adopted as official College Policy.