Mary W. Gray, PhD, JDMary W. Gray, PhD, JDChair, Board of Directors, AMIDEASTChair, Board of Directors, AMIDEAST

Professor of Mathematics and StatisticsProfessor of Mathematics and Statistics

American University, Washington DCAmerican University, Washington DC

mgray@american.edumgray@american.edu

The Freedom to Teach and to The Freedom to Teach and to LearnLearn

Academic freedomAcademic freedom

The tradition of academic freedomThe tradition of academic freedom

From SocratesFrom Socrates

to the Baghdad House of Wisdomto the Baghdad House of Wisdom

to Galileoto Galileo and today and today

For faculty For faculty

Freedom of teaching and discussionFreedom of teaching and discussion

Freedom to carry out researchFreedom to carry out research

Freedom to express opinionsFreedom to express opinions

Freedom from institutional censorshipFreedom from institutional censorship

Free scientific inquiryFree scientific inquiry

The environmentThe environment

EvolutionEvolution

PoliticsPolitics

Foreign affairsForeign affairs

ImmigrationImmigration

EconomicsEconomics

And for studentsAnd for students

To learn to discover onTo learn to discover on

their own, to foster their own, to foster

entrepreneurship andentrepreneurship and

creativity, students mustcreativity, students must

be free to explore newbe free to explore new

ideas, new techniques, ideas, new techniques,

new directions, to involve themselves in the new directions, to involve themselves in the communitycommunity

Public and private educationPublic and private educationIn the United States as in Tunisia and other countries, both In the United States as in Tunisia and other countries, both

public and private institutions play a role in higher public and private institutions play a role in higher education.education.

Through constitutional and other Through constitutional and other legal protection, freedom of legal protection, freedom of speech is guaranteed. In the speech is guaranteed. In the

U.S., there are U.S., there are both federal and state provisions, both federal and state provisions,

e.g, the 1e.g, the 1stst Amendment to the Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for U.S. Constitution provides for

freedom of speech. freedom of speech.

Constitutional limitations affect only the government and itsConstitutional limitations affect only the government and itsagencies, but private universities have found that offering theagencies, but private universities have found that offering thesame freedom of speech to their faculty and students is same freedom of speech to their faculty and students is

essential essential for a successful educational enterprise.for a successful educational enterprise.

Article 19Article 19Everyone has the right to Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions freedom to hold opinions without interference and to without interference and to seek, receive and impart seek, receive and impart information and ideas through information and ideas through any media and regardless of any media and regardless of frontiers.frontiers.

The Universal Declaration of The Universal Declaration of Human RightsHuman Rights

The right to education in the The right to education in the Universal DeclarationUniversal Declaration

Article 26(1) Everyone has the right to education. (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. accessible to all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. the maintenance of peace.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.of education that shall be given to their children.

University governanceUniversity governance

To be effective a system of higher education must involve those To be effective a system of higher education must involve those who will implement national priorities for scientific, economic and who will implement national priorities for scientific, economic and social progress from strategic planning through executionsocial progress from strategic planning through execution

Government, administrators, faculty and students all have Government, administrators, faculty and students all have important roles to playimportant roles to play

In various aspects of the operation of higher education different In various aspects of the operation of higher education different constituencies – trustees, administrators, faculty - have primary constituencies – trustees, administrators, faculty - have primary responsibility, but working together is importantresponsibility, but working together is important

Deciding on the course of instruction and faculty qualifications Deciding on the course of instruction and faculty qualifications and roles, faculty must play the key role. In select of and roles, faculty must play the key role. In select of administrators and some budget matters, their function may be administrators and some budget matters, their function may be more consultative.more consultative.

To ensure that all sectors meet their responsibilities it is essential To ensure that all sectors meet their responsibilities it is essential that all can think and speak freely but it is also crucial that each that all can think and speak freely but it is also crucial that each segment be accountable for its responsibilitiessegment be accountable for its responsibilities

Types of institutionsTypes of institutionsTo serve the needs of a modern state and its people, many kinds of To serve the needs of a modern state and its people, many kinds of institutions of higher education are required and deserve careful institutions of higher education are required and deserve careful planning and support.planning and support.

To make real progress, research is needed: in medicine, in science, in To make real progress, research is needed: in medicine, in science, in engineering in economics and other social sciences, in information engineering in economics and other social sciences, in information technology and communication, in the humanities and arts. But not technology and communication, in the humanities and arts. But not every institution must have cutting-edge research as its focus; such an every institution must have cutting-edge research as its focus; such an emphasis is demanding of a great deal of resources, human and emphasis is demanding of a great deal of resources, human and material.material.

To provide trained citizens for many fields of endeavor, broad To provide trained citizens for many fields of endeavor, broad undergraduate educational institutions are needed with faculty less undergraduate educational institutions are needed with faculty less focused on creative research. Engineering, business, science and arts focused on creative research. Engineering, business, science and arts and humanities students deserve excellence in their education at this and humanities students deserve excellence in their education at this level. Specialized training in professional fields such as law and level. Specialized training in professional fields such as law and medicine must meet the needs of society.medicine must meet the needs of society.

To provide supportive skills in technical aspects of information To provide supportive skills in technical aspects of information technology, communication, medicine and other fields, easily technology, communication, medicine and other fields, easily accessible, broadly distributed institutions are required.accessible, broadly distributed institutions are required.

Striking a balanceStriking a balance

A system of higher education must serve the needs of a A system of higher education must serve the needs of a nation, but at the same time advance knowledge not nation, but at the same time advance knowledge not necessarily fettered by immediate applicabilitynecessarily fettered by immediate applicability

Academic freedom guarantees that faculty and students have Academic freedom guarantees that faculty and students have the ability to exercise their judgment in striking an the ability to exercise their judgment in striking an appropriate balance appropriate balance

And you never know how useful something might beAnd you never know how useful something might be

Road to successRoad to success

Participatory institutional governanceParticipatory institutional governance

Diversity and inclusivenessDiversity and inclusiveness

Openness and transparencyOpenness and transparency

Freedom of inquiry and Freedom of inquiry and expressionexpression

ReferencesReferences

American Association of University Professors, 1940 Statement American Association of University Professors, 1940 Statement on Academic on Academic

Freedom and TenureFreedom and Tenure

Robert C. Post (2012) Robert C. Post (2012) Democracy, Expertise, and Academic Democracy, Expertise, and Academic Freedom: A First Amendment Jurisprudence for the Modern Freedom: A First Amendment Jurisprudence for the Modern StateState

William G. Bowen (2010) William G. Bowen (2010) Lessons Learned: Reflections of a Lessons Learned: Reflections of a University PresidentUniversity President

Dennis John Gayle, Bhoendradatt Tewarie and Al Quinton White Dennis John Gayle, Bhoendradatt Tewarie and Al Quinton White Jr. (2012) Jr. (2012) Governance in the Twenty-First-Century University: Governance in the Twenty-First-Century University: Approaches to Effective Leadership and Strategic ManagementApproaches to Effective Leadership and Strategic Management

Hans G. Schuetze, William Bruneau and Garnet Grosjean (2012) Hans G. Schuetze, William Bruneau and Garnet Grosjean (2012) University Governance and Reform: Policy, Fads, and University Governance and Reform: Policy, Fads, and Experience in International Perspective (International and Experience in International Perspective (International and Development Education)Development Education)

Vincenzo Zeno-Zencovich (2012) Vincenzo Zeno-Zencovich (2012) Freedom of Expression: A Freedom of Expression: A Critical and Critical and Comparative analysisComparative analysis