Spring Break
Academic freedom status discussed
Krystal Moya / Administration Editor
Issue date: 3/10/09 Section: News
The discussion of how information technologies such as recording devices and the Internet affect academic freedom was the basis for the University Professionals of Illinois and Faculty Senate Forum Monday night.
The forum, titled "Academic Freedom in the Age of Information Technology and the Industrial Model of Education," was presented as an open floor for discussion on the hindrances pinned to academic freedom in current times.
Also incorporated was how the industrial model - which casts students as consumers and commodifies the learning experience through grades and other rewards - now applies to education.
"The goal is to keep this idea of academic freedom and discussion of it alive," said Charles Delman, Eastern's chapter president of UPI.
Panelist Gary Aylesworth, philosophy professor, said the concept was derived sometime in the Middle Ages, but the modern definition derives from the University of Berlin's writings.
Aylesworth said three principles were outlined by the university: the freedom to teach, allowing teachers to direct the content of their courses; the freedom to learn, not setting curriculum and allowing students to control their course loads; and the freedom to practice science, viewing the university as an independent entity with the Faculty Senate directly in control of every aspect.
"These ideas don't exactly remain in today's definition of academic freedom, though," Aylesworth said. "Really only the first applies, but even now we have restrictions."
Three principles are established in the American Association of University Professors giving teachers the right to freedom of discussion of controversial matters as long as they pertain to the course, freedom in research and publication of their work as long as they remain accurate and have an understanding with their institution, and freedom of institutional censorship as long as faculty acknowledge that their words can be perceived as a mouthpiece for the institution.
Jocelyn Tipton, Booth librarian; Chris Hanlon, English professor; and Lynanne Page, English professor, gave insight as the other panelists.
Tipton said librarians are included in faculty and administer and protect academic freedoms.
She said by providing resources for research and guidance in topics, librarians are involved with directing students', faculties' and their own academic freedoms.
Hanlon discussed the issues academia face in light of activist groups such as Students for Academic Freedom, organizations that encourage students to report biases in their teachers' lectures and classroom curricula.
The group was created and supported by David Horowitz, writer and activist on educational matters.
Page provided a case study that served as discussion fodder for those in attendance. Page said in recent years, a student became extremely offended by material she discussed in class, a policy of a large sign on a bonus for military service. Page posed the question to her students, "Who is this policy targeting, the rich or the poor?"
From there, she said, the student, the student's father and the student's uncle all sent e-mails charging Page of insulting the military and insulting their family.
She said the student had recorded her on his cell phone, but the university's administration stood by her and did not acknowledge any impropriety on her part.
John Allison, English professor, commented on the effect technological advances have on academic freedom, despite its current good standing.
"Is this a growing threat that we now need to be aware of, and how does this affect our freedoms?" he said.
Issues over what the faculty is allowed to post on Web pages, how it can use this technology and whether it can espouse its opinions freely on social forums such as Facebook were also debated.
Lisa Carroll and Laura Bodine, both graduate students in dietetics, expressed concern over privacy issues on Facebook pages for students as well as faculty.
"Students should be able to have separate spheres of social life and academic life that do not intermingle," Carroll said. "Just like faculty are concerned with the privacy of their lectures, we are concerned with how faculty uses this technology on us too."
Bodine said she was punished for her social adventures posted on Facebook by an institution and felt her privacy was invaded.
Krystal Moya can be reached at 581-7942 or at ksmoya@eiu.edu.
The forum, titled "Academic Freedom in the Age of Information Technology and the Industrial Model of Education," was presented as an open floor for discussion on the hindrances pinned to academic freedom in current times.
Also incorporated was how the industrial model - which casts students as consumers and commodifies the learning experience through grades and other rewards - now applies to education.
"The goal is to keep this idea of academic freedom and discussion of it alive," said Charles Delman, Eastern's chapter president of UPI.
Panelist Gary Aylesworth, philosophy professor, said the concept was derived sometime in the Middle Ages, but the modern definition derives from the University of Berlin's writings.
Aylesworth said three principles were outlined by the university: the freedom to teach, allowing teachers to direct the content of their courses; the freedom to learn, not setting curriculum and allowing students to control their course loads; and the freedom to practice science, viewing the university as an independent entity with the Faculty Senate directly in control of every aspect.
"These ideas don't exactly remain in today's definition of academic freedom, though," Aylesworth said. "Really only the first applies, but even now we have restrictions."
Three principles are established in the American Association of University Professors giving teachers the right to freedom of discussion of controversial matters as long as they pertain to the course, freedom in research and publication of their work as long as they remain accurate and have an understanding with their institution, and freedom of institutional censorship as long as faculty acknowledge that their words can be perceived as a mouthpiece for the institution.
Jocelyn Tipton, Booth librarian; Chris Hanlon, English professor; and Lynanne Page, English professor, gave insight as the other panelists.
Tipton said librarians are included in faculty and administer and protect academic freedoms.
She said by providing resources for research and guidance in topics, librarians are involved with directing students', faculties' and their own academic freedoms.
Hanlon discussed the issues academia face in light of activist groups such as Students for Academic Freedom, organizations that encourage students to report biases in their teachers' lectures and classroom curricula.
The group was created and supported by David Horowitz, writer and activist on educational matters.
Page provided a case study that served as discussion fodder for those in attendance. Page said in recent years, a student became extremely offended by material she discussed in class, a policy of a large sign on a bonus for military service. Page posed the question to her students, "Who is this policy targeting, the rich or the poor?"
From there, she said, the student, the student's father and the student's uncle all sent e-mails charging Page of insulting the military and insulting their family.
She said the student had recorded her on his cell phone, but the university's administration stood by her and did not acknowledge any impropriety on her part.
John Allison, English professor, commented on the effect technological advances have on academic freedom, despite its current good standing.
"Is this a growing threat that we now need to be aware of, and how does this affect our freedoms?" he said.
Issues over what the faculty is allowed to post on Web pages, how it can use this technology and whether it can espouse its opinions freely on social forums such as Facebook were also debated.
Lisa Carroll and Laura Bodine, both graduate students in dietetics, expressed concern over privacy issues on Facebook pages for students as well as faculty.
"Students should be able to have separate spheres of social life and academic life that do not intermingle," Carroll said. "Just like faculty are concerned with the privacy of their lectures, we are concerned with how faculty uses this technology on us too."
Bodine said she was punished for her social adventures posted on Facebook by an institution and felt her privacy was invaded.
Krystal Moya can be reached at 581-7942 or at ksmoya@eiu.edu.
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