Resolution
in Opposition to Senate Bill 24
Central
State University University Senate
WHEREAS,
Senate Bill 24, also sometimes described as an “academic
bill of rights”, has been introduced into the 126th session
of the Ohio General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 24, if adopted into law, would impose
serious and unnecessary restrictions on the methods of
teaching, research, and grading used by college and
university faculty; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 24 contains language so vague as to
invite frivolous and unwarranted legal challenges to
critical aspects of academic life on the university campus;
and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 24 is unnecessary because the student
rights that it purports to guarantee are already protected
by policies in student
handbooks and other policies in university
faculty agreements; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 24 imposes a chilling redefinition of
academic freedom and thereby threatens the pursuit of
excellence in teaching by insisting that faculty not
introduce controversial matters into the classroom on a
“persistent” basis; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 24 recognizes that “Knowledge advances
when individual scholars are left free to reach their own
conclusions about which methods, facts, and theories have
been validated by research”, Senate Bill 24 contradicts
itself by proposing unnecessary legislative restrictions on
the judgment of faculty experts in their fields as to how
to best teach their subject matter; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 24 seeks to alter a higher education
system that is recognized for excellence and has attracted
students from around the world to Ohio;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Academic Senate of
Central State University vigorously opposes Senate Bill 24,
both in spirit and in substance;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution
shall be provided to the Ohio Faculty Council and to the
Academic Senate or similar body of institutions of higher
education within Ohio.
Approved in the regular University Senate meeting held on
2/24/2005 with two dissenting votes.
