Shawnee
State University Resolution on Senate Bill 24
Summary:
The SSU Faculty Senate opposes SB-24 in its current form.
As written, the bill has the potential to chill the free
exchange of ideas in the classroom. However, the principle
of protecting academic freedom of all faculty and students
in higher ed, both public and private by legislation has
merit and should be discussed by faculty and students as
well as the public at large.
Whereas, the principle of academic freedom is vital to the
health of the University and to society at large;
Whereas, there are many threats to academic freedom that
have arisen both from within the University itself and also
from outside the University;
Whereas, there is at present little real protection of
academic freedom for untenured faculty and adjunct faculty
at many public and private institutions;
Whereas, not all private institutions of higher education
recognize and uphold the principles of academic freedom;
Whereas, the open consideration, debate and discussion of
some ideas will of necessity be deemed at one point or
another by some people in society as unpatriotic,
treasonous, racist, sexist, egalitarian, inegalitarian,
excessively "liberal", or excessively "conservative" and
thus threatening to the considerations of "decent" people
and the moral fabric of society;
Whereas, the principle of academic freedom must also be
accompanied by a commitment to responsibility to uphold
scholarly and scientific standards of inquiry when
considering multiple viewpoints;
Whereas, SB-24 purports to protect academic freedom;
Whereas, SB-24 as written mandates inclusion of all
viewpoints in the Social Sciences and Humanities regardless
of scholarly or scientific standing;
Whereas, curricular needs and limited time often do not
allow for assigning all viewpoints on a subject matter in a
given discipline in all classes with equal time and
consideration;
Whereas, curricular decisions are best left to the
collegial consultation of faculty, administrators,
University and College Boards, and the Board of Regents;
Whereas, SB-24 as written would in all likelihood open the
door to frivolous lawsuits against faculty whose views
offend anyone on any grounds;
Be it Resolved, We the Faculty Senate of Shawnee State
University oppose SB-24 and believe that rather than
expanding the scope for open discussion and free exchange
of ideas, SB-24 will have the opposite effect and will
result in chilling the open discussion and free exchange of
ideas. We urge that SB-24 be withdrawn and that subsequent
attempts to protect academic freedom by legislation be
considered more carefully prior to being
reintroduced.
