Academic Freedom in the 21st
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
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Links for further information
AFT’s Academic Freedom Statement:
http://www.aft.org/higher_ed/pubsreports/AcademicFreedomStatement.pdf
My email:
ahochner@temple.edu
April 11, 2008
NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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Academic Freedom underpins our
system of Higher Education

“Freedom to conduct research, teach,
speak and publish,
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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. 1819, 2005
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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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
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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The basic principle of AF
Not identical to constitutional rights of
free speech but that:
Educators should be making
educational decisions, for
educational reasons
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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Institutional Pillars of AF: The
Model of the Modern University
Tenure
1.

Protection against arbitrary treatment
Peer evaluation
2.

Standards set by the community of
scholars
Shared governance
3.
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Involvement in institutional decisions
affecting the educational mission
April 11, 2008
NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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Origins of Academic Freedom

Late 19th century, growth of graduate
education

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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
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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20th century – some faculty took
controversial positions & lost jobs

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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
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AAUP formed by professors
from elite institutions in 1915

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To set professional standards
To promote the idea of scholarship
Issued standards of academic freedom

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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
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Recent changes in HE are
weakening AF’s foundations

Vocational / consumerist focus
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Loss of state govt. financial support

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demands to reshape curricula
Squeeze on budgets & tuition
Corporate management practices
Political attacks on the academy
Erosion of academic staffing
April 11, 2008
NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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Political attacks

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Charges of subversion
Accusations of liberal bias
Legislation introduced in 27 states

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“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
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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Erosion of academic staffing

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As of 2005, < 30 % of US instructional
staff tenured or tenure-eligible
Traditional tenured positions displaced
by hiring of masses of contingent
faculty
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Insecure positions
Low wages
Little professional support
April 11, 2008
NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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Many faculty not under the Pillars of
AF: Realities of the Modern University

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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
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AFT’s Academic freedom
Standards: Teaching

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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
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Teaching (continued)

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Faculty entitled to evaluate students on
basis of academic merit
Faculty entitled to full intellectual
property rights to their teaching
materials
April 11, 2008
NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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Research

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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
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Participation in governance
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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
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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What should be done?
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AFT, NEA & AAUP all call for reinvigoration of academic freedom

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Real job protection, real rights, real
participation
Treating educators as professionals, not
hired hands
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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How to accomplish this?
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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
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NAGS Annual Meeting, NYC
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