L/O/G/O

ACADEMIC FREEDOM
Ms. Edna Dean Vergara-Marquez

Academic Freedom A Belief

is the freedom of teachers and students to
teach, study, and pursue knowledge and
research
without
unreasonable
interference or restriction from law,
institutional
regulations,
or
public
pressure.

Conflict of Definition
The term, Academic Freedom tends to be
difficult to define because its technical definitions
come from preferred educational custom and
practice (professional norm), faculty contracts
(professional norm), and from legal findings
related to constitutional and contract law (legal
norm).
In its everyday usage, its definition is more likely
to come from the folkways and mythology that
often define the educational culture.

Rationale
Proponents of academic freedom believe the freedom of
inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the
mission of the academy. They argue that academic
communities are repeatedly targeted for repression due to
their ability to shape and control the flow of information.
When scholars attempt to teach or communicate ideas or
facts that are inconvenient to external political groups or to
authorities, they may find themselves targeted for public
vilification, job loss, imprisonment, or even death.
In North Africa, a professor of public health discovered that
his countrys infant mortality rate was higher than
government figures indicated. He lost his job and was
imprisoned.

Importance of Academic Freedom

Essential to the mission of the academy
Without protection, academic communities are
repressed for their ability to shape knowledge
- According to a reflection by Robert Quinn,
historically, the power to shape knowledge is a
source of power. Authorities have sought to control
societies by controlling scholars
We should care about increasing the quality and flow
of information and understanding in the world
(academic freedom and scholarship promotes these
goals)

Academic Freedom What does it do?

Both faculty members and students can engage in intellectual
debate without fear of censorship or retaliation.
Establishing a faculty members right to remain true to his or her
pedagogical philosophy and intellectual commitments. It
preserves the intellectual integrity of our educational system and
thus serves the public good.
Both faculty members and students can make comparisons and
contrasts between subjects taught in a course and any field of
human knowledge or period of history.
Academic freedom gives both students and faculty the right to
express their views in speech, writing, and through electronic
communication, both on and off campus without fear of
sanction.

 Academic freedom gives both students and faculty the right to

study and do research on the topics they choose and to draw what
conclusions they find consistent with their research, though it does
not prevent others from judging whether their work is valuable and
their conclusions sound.
Political, religious, or philosophical beliefs of politicians,
administrators, and members of the public cannot be
imposed
on students or faculty.
Academic freedom gives faculty members and students the right to
seek redress or request a hearing if they believe their rights have
been violated.
Academic freedom gives faculty members and students the right to
challenge one anothers views, but not to penalize them for holding
them.


Academic freedom gives faculty members substantial latitude in
deciding how to teach the courses for which they are responsible.

Academic freedom guarantees that serious charges against a

faculty member will be heard before a committee of his or her peers. It
provides faculty members the right to due process, including the
assumption that the burden of proof lies with those who brought the
charges, that faculty have the right to present counter-evidence and
confront their accusers, and be assisted by an attorney in serious
cases if they choose.
Academic freedom protects a faculty members authority to assign
grades to students, so long as the grades are not capricious or unjustly
punitive. More broadly, academic freedom encompasses both the
individual and institutional right to maintain academic standards.

In the Philippines
THE PROVISION OF ARTICLE XIV, SECTION 1 OF THE 1987
PHILIPPINE CONSITITUTION GUARANTEES THE PROTECTION
AND PROMOTION OF THE RIGHT OF ALL CITIZENS TO QUALITY
EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS AND THE TAKING OF APPROPRIATE
STEPS TO MAKE SUCH EDUCATION ACCESIBLE TO ALL. THE
DEMOCRATIZATION OF ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION
REFFERED TO IN THIS PROVISION AND THE RIGHT TO SELECT A
PROFESSION IS SUBJECT TO FAIR, REASONABLE, AND
EQUITABLE ADMISSION AND ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS.
ARTICLE XIV, SECTION 5 NO. (2) PROVIDES; ACADEMIC
FREEDOM SHALL ENJOYED IN ALL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
LEARNING
ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING
GIVES THE INSTITUTIONS THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHOM TO
ADMIT AND TO SET STANDARDS OF ADMISSION.

Justice Speaks
Teachers and students must always remain
free to inquire, to study and to evaluate, to gain
new maturity and understanding; otherwise our
civilization stagnate and die.
To impose any strait jacket upon the intellectual
leaders in our colleges and universities would
imperil the future of our Nation.
Chief Justice Earl Warren (Sweezy, 1957)

UP: Maninidigan Laban sa Tunay na

Kaaway ng Academic Freedom

L/O/G/O

Thank You!