4.1 Academic Freedom

“The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic institution committed to advancing
academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge, creating a diverse
and inclusive community, and preparing leaders dedicated to ethical conduct and
compassionate service.” Mission Statement (Policy 1.2).

Academic freedom undergirds the mission and the culture of the University of San Diego.
The University is a community of scholars, the goals of which include promoting an
environment of full academic freedom in which to pursue teaching, learning, and
scholarly activity.

The University acknowledges that it has a duty to provide such an environment offering
an intellectual life guided by principles and norms of the academic community.
Teaching, learning, and scholarly activity within such an environment draw knowledge
and understanding from all the diverse traditions of humankind, explore the spectrum of
historical insights and achievements, and probe the frontiers of advancing knowledge.
Because full academic freedom in teaching, learning, scholarly activity, and academic
decision-making is a sine qua non of a university, the value of academic freedom is selfevident;
hence the burden of proof lies with those who would seek to limit it. For any
question arising concerning the limits of academic freedom, all presumptions shall favor
academic freedom. Whoever seeks to limit academic freedom has the burden to provide
compelling reasons or evidence justifying the proposed limitations.

Academic freedom shall be exercised in a manner consistent with the professional
standards of one’s discipline, applicable laws and regulations, and the University’s
mission statement. Other University policies shall be applied in a manner consistent with
this academic freedom policy.

The University maintains that academic freedom is compatible with the University’s
Roman Catholic identity. Thus, the University imposes no religious limitation on
academic freedom. Just as the University respects the religious traditions, the freedom of
conscience, and the liberty of each member of its academic community, so too does it ask
for respect with regard to its Catholic character.

In the interest of providing an environment committed to the pursuit of knowledge, the
University acknowledges, defends, and protects the following rights:

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1. The rights of faculty to academic freedom.

Recognizing that the free pursuit of knowledge is essential to a Catholic university’s
educational, scholarly and spiritual missions, the University endorses the statement
of academic freedom set forth in the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic
Freedom and Tenure co-authored by the American Association of University
Professors and the Association of American Colleges, appended to the end of this
policy.

a. The rights of faculty to full freedom in scholarly activity.
Faculty engaged in scholarly activity have the freedom to choose their subject matter
and methods of inquiry. Scholars are entitled to full freedom in publication and
presentation of their work, subject to the adequate performance of their other
academic duties. Students, post-doctoral researchers, and others who engage in
scholarly activity under the direction of a faculty member have academic freedom
subject to the supervision of the faculty member.

b. The right of faculty to full freedom in teaching.

All persons serving in instructional and/or scholarly capacities, whether tenured or
non-tenured, permanent or visiting, full-time or part-time appointees, have the right
to freedom in teaching. The specific material to be covered, the pedagogical
methods to be employed in a course, and individual student grades are not to be
determined for them by administrators, trustees, benefactors, or students or by any
organization or persons external to the University, as long as the materials, methods
and grades are consistent with the learning objectives, course descriptions, syllabi,
academic rules applicable to the course, and applicable accreditation standards.
c. The right of faculty to full freedom in academic decision-making.

The University recognizes the inextricable link between academic freedom and
shared governance. Other University policies identify the procedures for academic
decision-making in areas defined within Article VIII of the Constitution and By-
Laws of the University of San Diego Senate. When exercising its authority under
those policies, the University should give primary weight to the judgment of the
faculty. In academic decision-making, faculty should feel free to contribute to
decisions without fear of sanction or retaliation. The University will safeguard
faculty from sanctions or retaliation based on their participation in the decisionmaking
processes.

2. The right of students to full freedom in learning.

In their academic coursework, students are entitled to full freedom of learning. The
whole world of knowledge and ideas must be open to our students. There must be no
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banned books or subjects. The University advocates and protects its students’
freedom of inquiry.

APPENDIX: The 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure
co-authored by the American Association of University Professors and the
Association of American Colleges.

(a) Teachers are entitled to full freedom in research and in 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.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(March 3, 2011)