Academic Freedom

Academic Freedom and Christian Higher Education

by Rick Ostrander, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professional Programs, CCCU  

"ACADEMIC FREEDOM IS the right of the professor to a degree of freedom in teaching and research, subject to professional standards of competence, relevance, and respect... It is a foundational value of the academy."

American Association of University Professors (AAUP)

The AAUP definition of academic freedom:

1. Teachers are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of their other academic duties; but research for pecuniary return should be based upon an understanding with the authorities of the institution.
2. Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject. Limitations of academic freedom because of religious or other aims of the institution should be clearly stated in writing at the time of the appointment.
3. College and university teachers are citizens, members of a learned profession, and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As scholars and educational officers, they should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. Hence they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution.

The AAUP website includes Resources on Academic Freedom

Pepperdine Chapter of AAUP

The Provost's statement on academic freedom reiterating a portion of the tenure policy:

Statement of Academic Freedom

Pepperdine Libraries Academic Freedom Statement

[for complete statement see https://library.pepperdine.edu/about/academic-freedom.htm]

For librarians at Pepperdine University, academic freedom includes, but is not limited to the following:

• The right to recommend for purchase library materials that might be controversial
• The right to provide reference assistance in response to controversial questions
• The right to publish and conduct scholarly research
• The right to join and participate in professional organizations to encourage intellectual and social diversity

Pepperdine University librarians have the following responsibilities:

• To fulfill their functions and academic roles with competence, integrity and to the best of their abilities.
• To perform their academic functions in accordance with the highest ethical and workplace standards.
• To exercise their rights with responsibility and without prejudice to the rights of others and in compliance with the mission and the needs of the Pepperdine community.

Pepperdine Libraries supports the free exchange of ideas and aspires to build collections that include all points of view.

Pepperdine Libraries affirms the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association.