TUFTS UNIVERSITY

Tufts Faculty Handbook for Arts, Sciences and Engineering

Academic freedom is essential to the free search for truth and its free exposition and applies to both teaching and research. Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. Academic freedom in its teaching aspect is fundamental, not only to the advancement of truth but for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and of the student to freedom in learning as well. It carries with it duties correlative with rights.

The teacher is entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of his/her other academic duties; but no regular activity for pecuniary return shall be engaged in without the approval of the university.

The teacher is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his/her subject, but should be careful not to introduce into his/her teaching controversial matter which has no relation to the subject.

The college or university teacher is a citizen, a member of a learned profession, and an officer of an educational institution. When he/she speaks or writes as a citizen, he/she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but the teacher's special position in the community imposes special obligations. As a person of learning and an educational officer, he/she should remember that the public may judge the profession and the institution by his/her utterance. Hence, he/she 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 he/she is not an institutional spokesman.

It is essential to the very meaning of a university that, among its many concerns, involvement with and concern for significant controversial contemporary issues should be given a high order of priority. We must constantly ask, of what relevance to the crucial, life-and-death issues confronting modern society is our work and effort. The modern university must include in its search for knowledge a search for solutions to the contemporary problems of population, war, inner city decay, pollution, poverty, employment of minority workers, equal educational opportunities, adequate housing, and opportunities for advancement for all in economic, educational, and social endeavors.

This concern can express itself in the unique ways peculiar to our kind of community. Our search for knowledge should produce new answers and creative solutions to some of these concrete problems. Our dedication to education should lead us to more effective means for the dissemination of knowledge already in our possession. Our dedication to truth should strengthen our role in the public exchange of controversial ideas so essential in those matters where ideas and opinions are, as yet, non-reconciled.

Hence we must expect, and anticipate, confrontation, heated dialogue, and debate, pressure, and tension. Where differences exist, they must be aired. Where issues are unresolved, they must be faced. Where confusion prevails, we must strive to understand. And we must know that none of these things is easy to do. Pain, tension, uncertainty, anger, frustration, and the tiredness of effort expended will inevitably be our companions from time to time. These we cannot escape if we would be a university in these days.

What concerns us, however, is not so much the recognition of these facts as the deeper question: how can we make the confrontations, debates, dialogue, and pressure fruitful, productive, and of positive value in terms of the issues which are central? It is our conviction that certain conditions must prevail and other things must be avoided if the involvement we have been describing is to be productive. Without trying to be exhaustive, we would suggest specifics in each of these categories.

For a university to function, the following must prevail:

An atmosphere conducive to learning, to teaching, and to inquiry.

Sound research and scholarly exchange in appropriate fields of study.

Open and free discussion on any question at issue, that the maximum possible knowledge available be carefully considered.

The freest and fullest presentation of conflicting points of view by committed devotees.

Honest effort to hear and consider views which differ from those initially held.

Freedom to make up and change one's mind, acting on the basis of one's conclusions, with respect for pluralism and diversity to make it possible for segments of the community to act in ways other segments would not choose to act, so long as such actions do not threaten or abridge the personal or constitutional rights of others.

Justice in all university operations; e.g. difference of pay schedules, hiring, conditions of employment shall not be based on race, political, ethnic, or religious identification, color, or sex; where in its relations to the outside world, the university should be sensitive to injustice and refuse complicity in it.

An Administration, Board of Trustees, Faculty, and student body, all of whom regard themselves accountable to the other members of the wider university community for their actions, making available to the wider community, under reasonable conditions, relevant information on all of their activities.

For a university to function, the following must be avoided:

Infringement of the rights of free assembly and free speech by the university administration, any group of faculty or students, or visitors to the campus.

Destruction of or damaging of property.

Intimidation of any person by threats of physical force or by assault by members of the Tufts community or by outside visitors to the campus.

Interference with persons seeking to perform their various duties as participants in the life of the university; i.e. students, faculty, administrators, office personnel, custodians, etc.

Damage or destruction of records, books, and files of the university or its personnel.

In order that such conditions prevail and disruptive incidents be avoided, the faculty, in interaction with students, has certain responsibilities, which we shall strive to fulfill. In addition to fulfilling our usual commitments as educators, we shall do the following things:

Devote the necessary time to do the work of the committees to which we are appointed.

Insist that the appropriate committees of faculty and students:

are consulted in the process of decision-making in those matters within the purview of such committees.

assume the proper responsibilities, which have been assigned to such committees.

take appropriate and decisive action, following the necessary deliberations, in any matters referred to the committee.

Work for the creation of such new committees, with the necessary authority and jurisdiction as are needed for the discharge of the responsibilities which are properly ours.

Use our leadership and influence with students, individually and in groups, to stimulate their attention to significant issues while helping them express their responses to their concerns in accordance with the standards outlined above.

Devote time and effort to participation in and investigation and discussion of significant issues both in regular class work, where appropriate, and in special programs as developed on campus.

Help in the organization of special programs, outside regular class work, designed to deal with special issues and circumstances as they arise in our community.

In the assumption of these responsibilities, we faculty recognize our accountability to the community as a whole and to our profession as teachers. Such participation should be considered and evaluated among those criteria used to measure individual achievement with regard to such matters as promotion and tenure. Conduct in accordance with the standards outlined above should follow from the development of the inner disciplines of self-control. We deplore situations where exterior restraints and controls are imposed. We recognize that, in the absence of internal controls, the exterior may be necessary. Therefore we shall work, in interaction with students, in those ways designed to prevent unacceptable behavior in this academic community.

In the event, however, that such behavior occurs, we accept the fact that university procedures involving student-faculty discipline committees must be applied and that it may even be necessary, in some serious situation, to resort to the civil authorities and subsequent court action when criminal statutes are violated. Desirous of avoiding such measures, we shall do all we can to exert leadership amongst our peers and in concert with students so as to prevent that behavior which might call them forth.

As a faculty devoted to the search for and dissemination of knowledge, we wish to work for the maintenance of a true academic community and to the continued progress of Tufts toward this goal. As well, we seek to make Tufts and its activities relevant and sensitive to significant issues of contemporary society. We shall bend our efforts to provide leadership in this direction and in the maintenance of a campus life conductive to its realization.

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