The faculty discussed and passed a motion to publish a statement on freedom of expression on campus in "Rights, Rules, Responsibilities"at the faculty meeting on Monday in Nassau Hall.
The motion was presented by mathematics professor Sergiu Klainerman.
Klainerman had originally sent an email to Dean of the Faculty Deborah Prentice, University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 and Provost David Lee GS ’99 advocating that the University adopt a commitment to academic freedom similar to one the University of Chicago had recently adopted.
The email attached the names of 60 other faculty members who had supported the idea of this motion.
The motion was to adopt the principles stated in the University of Chicago’s Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression, including that it should be for individuals and not for universities as institutions to decide, in general, when speech and ideas are inappropriate.
"Because the University is committed to free and open inquiry in all matters, it guarantees all members of the University community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn,” the Chicago report reads in part.
The motion was seconded and then moved forward to further discussion and questions.
The faculty discussed and inquired about the reasoning, context and timing of this motion.Some faculty expressed curiosity as to why the motion was being brought up now or if there was something that happened regarding the campus culture causing this matter to appear.
Klainerman said it was in response to a “general feeling” that is present across different academic institutions.
“[The University of Chicago produced a] wonderful statement, which reaffirms the principles of academic freedom," he said. "We thought — me and the 60 people who have signed — that this would be a good time to reaffirm this.”
Other professors were unsure about the definition of endorsement, including whether the faculty would be supporting the actions of the University of Chicago and commending them for making a strong and appropriate statement or whether the University would be adopting this philosophy as its own.
“We should develop that ourselves rather than adopt someone else’s language, however much we might admire [it],”William Gleason, chair of English department, said.
Eisgruber said his understanding was that the endorsement would provide interpretive guidance in situations in which the endorsement might be relevant.
The motion was passed after a vote, and it was decided that paragraphs five through nine of the University of Chicago's report would be published by the Dean of the Faculty in "Rights, Rules, Responsibilities."
Dean of the Graduate School Sanjeev Kulkarni also reported changes to the graduate school curriculum.
The Graduate School added courses to the departments of economics, mathematics, philosophy and Slavic languages and literature.A large number of Graduate School courses were slated for removal under the guidelines of the curriculum subcommittee.
“Courses that have not been taught for 10 years or more should be deactivated to clean up the course catalog,” he said.
The meeting concluded with no unfinished or new business to address.
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