Faculty Handbook Committee Minutes Friday, November 21, 2003

Present were: Cynthia Gilliatt, Nick Swayne, Bill O’Meara, Susan Wheeler, Chuck Bilbrey and David Brakke

The group reviewed Bill's paper of the rewrite that defines "What Academic Freedom Means". It was decided to replace the current verbiage with this document with a few minor changes. It now reads as follows:

III.A.2.a. Academic Freedom

The university is an institution of higher learning in a democratic society. Is fundamentally committed to the open-ended pursuit of knowledge and the unfettered activity of inquiry and debate.

Just as the university is entitled to academic freedom in the pursuit of its educational mission, so each member of the university is entitled to academic freedom in the discharge of his or her professional duties.

Accordingly, each member of the university faculty has a right to the freedom of thought and expression, including a right to reasoned dissent, in the conduct of his or her professional activities.

This right to academic freedom safeguards one’s liberty to pursue, study, research, discover, teach, discuss, question, and critique relevant knowledge, ideas and theory, in accordance with the academic standards in one’s discipline.

Academic freedom must be exercised responsibly, in keeping with the standards of one’s academic professional discipline and with other professional obligations.

The group felt strongly that there should be some sort of whistleblower protection in place for JMU employees. It was decided that the Faculty Handbook was not the proper place to address this issue. Susan will take the groups recommendation before the University Policy Committee and suggest they consider drafting a university policy.

Susan will update the suggested changes chart and forward to the Faculty Senate.