PAGE SILL THE MICHIGAN DAILY PAGE SIX THE MICHIGAN DAILY PROPOSED STATEMENT: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1964 ext of Proposed AAUP 9 v A UP CitesStudent Freedom 1 't Him By LAURENCE KIRSHBAUM A national group of faculty representatives has drafted a statement advocating a liberaliza- tion of student regulations which would make the University rules ,handbook cringe. Prepared by a committee of the American Association of Univer- sity' Professors, the statement urges professors to eliminate speaker bans and censorship--and to fight to install student reign over student rules. T h e document is entitled "Statement of Faculty Responsi- bility for the Academic Freedom of Students." It will be included in the AAUP Bulletin this fall and placed before the annual meeting next spring at which time it may become the official AAUP viewpoint. Even if adopted as expected, the statement would still have no formal authority on the nation's campuses. But its proponents hope the statement - several years in the formulation-will have its in- fluence on the rule-makers. Faculty's Job Divided into f o u r sections spanning seven pages, the docu- ment holds faculty members re- sponsible for protecting free ex- pression, un-biased admissions policy, student government rights and due process. And a host of others. The first section, "Responsibil- ity of the Professor as Teacher" I Rnt aTVthis FallI calls for evaluations of students according to their performance- not their opinions. No Disclosure Student opinions must be par- ticularly protected, the statement says,against "improper or harm- ful disclosure." This means that information received by a faculty counselor "is of a privileged char- acter and its protection against improper or harmful disclosure is a serious professional obligation." The document further contends that disciplinary cases, which do not result in suspension, should not be entered into permanent academic records available to outside parties. University records have long been a matter of controversy. Joint Judiciary Council members have levelled oiarges against the Office of Student Affairs contend- ing that private information is shown to employers. Only to Evaluate Administrators contend that the private files are used only to evaluate students applying for graduate admission at the Uni- versity. The document's second section outlines the "Responsibility of the Professor as Participant in Insti- tutional Government." Assuming the faculty members play a role in administrative decisions, the statement asserts that they should work for non-discriminatory poli- cies against students. This ranges from admissions policies to student organizations, where the statement advocates these non-rules: -Student organizations should not be forced to submit lists of their members to college officials. -These organizations should have free speaker privileges with the only control being "an orderly scheduling of the use of space." -Student representatives in student government "should have clearly defined means to partici- pate in the formulation and ap- plication of regulations affecting student conduct." Contrary Rules The University has rules con- trary to all three recommenda- tions. Student groups are required to submit membership lists as a prerequisite to University recog- nition. A state-wide speaker ban is imposed which denies the right of students to bring any speaker advocating the overthrow of the government by force. And Student Government Council has sought in the past few years to gain control over student conduct-unsuccess- fully. This section also calls for the abolition of administrative cen- sorship rules, particularly in the firing of controversial newspaper editors. A recent example of this "management of news" by admin- istrators occurred at Oakland Uni- versity where the editor was dis- charged for trying to run a sex survey tabulation. Part Three. The third section assigns "The Responsibility f o r Safeguarding Off - Campus Freedom of Stu- dents." This section denounces double - punishments where both civil and institutional authorities prescribe penalties for civil mis- demeanors. It also implores the institution to fight for students maintaining "what they regard as their political rights" in pickets, freedom rides or demonstrations: "Students should enjoy the same freedom of religion, speech, press and assembly, and the right to petition the authorities, that citi- zens generally possess. Exercise of these rights on or off the campus should not subject them to insti- tutional penalties." Part Four The final section states "The Responsibility of the Faculty for Procedural Due Process in Cases of Alleged Misconduct." It calls, first, for a clear pre- scription of the sorts of conduct students will be permitted---and those for which they will be punished. The University still occasionally uses such a "catch-all" charge; here the epithet is worded "con- duct unbecoming a student of the University." USSPA Hails Press Statement MINNEAPOLIS - The United States Student Press Association, at its recent convention at the University of Minnesota, com- mended the proposed American Association of University Profes- sors statement on freedom of the student press. The AAUP statement, USSPA said, reflects its own code of ethics and "calls upon colleges and uni- versities to allow a free and inde- pendently operating s t u d e n t press and sets a goal of a free and diverse exchange of information and ideas." other peaceful) i t NEW 19" G.E. PORTABLES only $10.00 per month FREE DELIVERY & SERVICE TV set on display at Follett's Bookstore Ca!!I NEJAC TV (4IttalA phone: NO 2-5671 JOIN THE DAILY STAFF EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a draft entitled "Statement on ! Faculty Responsibility for the Aca- demic Freedom for Students." It was written by a national subcom- mittee of the American Association of University Professors. Their draft will be printed in the AAUP Bulletin in the fall and then go before the AAUP plenary body meet- ingnnext spring for formal adop- tion. The statement can only serve in an advisory role; it has no official authority to change rules.tIts ef- fectiveness will rely on the dis- tribution and discussion which the AAUP can create. Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are indivisible. Freedom to learn depends upon appropriate conditions and opportunities in the classroom, as well as op- portunities to exercise the rights of citizenship on and off the campus. The achievement and continuance of these conditionsof freedom require not only a defi- nition of rights but the establish- ment of procedures for their pro- tection. Faculty responsibility for the academic freedom of students stems from the recognition that freedom of inquiry and expres-! Sion are essentialattributes of a community of scholars. As mem- bers and immediate guardians of that community, faculty members share with administrators a spe- cial responsibility for establish- ing and maintaining conditions under which freedom of inquiry may flourish. This lesponsibility is to be exercised both through their individual capacity as teach- ers and their corporate authority in the governance of the instruc- tions in which they serve. The following statement outlines the scope of this responsibility and suggests standards and procedures whereby this obligation may be discharged by members of the pro- fession. Responsibility of the Professor as Teacher The professor in the classroom and in conference has the obli- gation to maintain an atmosphere of free discussion, inquiry, and expression, and should take no action to penalize students be- cause of their opinions or be- cause of their conduct in mat- ters unrelated to academic stand- ards. He also has the obligation to evaluate their performance just- ly. PROTECTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in particular courses of study. This may be required to know thor- oughly the particulars set out by the instructor, but they should be free to reserve personal judgment as to the truth or falsity of what is presented. Knowledge and aca- demic performance, not belief, should be the yardstick by which students are measured. PROTECTION AGAINST UN- JUST GRADING OR EVALUA- TION. Students must maintain standards of academic perform- ance set by their institution if they are to receive the certificate of competence implied by course and its protection against im- taking any. other peaceful action proper or harmful disclosure is a on or off the campus. serious professional obligation. In 4) Any person who is presented particular, the protection of the by a recognized student organiza- climate of freedom on the cam- tion should be allowed to speak on pus requires that any information aa college or university campus. as to the personal views, conic- Institutional control of the use tions, or political associations of of campus facilities by student or- students which teachers and oth- ganizations for meetings and oth- er university personnelacquire er organizational purposes should should be confidential and should not be employed as a device to not be disclosed. Disciplinary ac- censor or prohibit controversial tions which do not result in sus- speakers or the discussion of con- pension for a term or dismissal troversial topics. The only con- should not be posted to perma- trols which may be imposed are nent academic records which are those required by orderly sched- made available to outside parties. uling of the use of space. II 5) Institutional regulations and Responsibility of the jthe announcements of sudent groups should make it clear that Professor as Participant neither student organizations nor the speakers they bring to the Institutionalcampus necessarily represent the Government view of the entire estudent body,' the faculty, or the administration. credits and degrees. The student should have protection against un- just grading and evaluation due to incompetence, error, or preju- dice. The faculty should establish an orderly procedure whereby stu-, dent allegations of prejudice or error in the awarding of grades or the evaluation of progress toward' a degree may be reviewed by, a competent academic authority. PROTECTION AGAINST IM- PROPER OR HARMFUL DIS- CLOSURE. Institutions should have a carefully considered policy as to what information should be part of the permanent student rec- ord and as to the conditions of its disclosure. The information about students which teachers ac- quire in the course of their work as instructors, advisers, and coun- selors is of a privileged character cial organizations required to maintain minimum grade averages among their members may submit current lists for checking grade averages. 2) Campus organizations, facili- ties, and activities should be open to all students without respect to race, creed, or national origin, except for the possible limita- tion of sectarian organizations. Organizations and activities should be open in fact and not merely formally open because of the ab- sence of restrictive clauses. 3) Students and student orga- nizations should be free to dis- cuss all questions of interest to them and to express opinions publicly or privately without pen- alty, to promote the causes they support by distributing literature, circulating petitions, picketing, or ; 4 A (l F STUDENTS You are cordially invited to attend the ANNUAL SOpen House The professor shares in insti- tutional government and in this capacity has further responsibili- ties for achieving and preserving an environment of freedom for students. FREEDOM OF STUDENT AD- MISSION ON NON-DISCRIMI- NATORY BASIS. The faculty should insure that college and university admissions policies do nct discriminate on the basis of race, creed, or national origin. Institutions of an avowed sec- tarian character may choose to limit enrollment to those of their own religious conviction but such limitations should be clearly and publicly stated. University facili- ties and services should be open to all students without reference to race, creed, or national origin, and the university should use its influence in the community to, insure that off-campus housing, eating, and recreational facilities: are open to all of its students without discrimination. FREEDOM OF STUDENT OR- GANIZATION AND ASSOCIA-i TION. The faculty should protect the freedom of students to or- ganize to promote their common interests. Institutional regulations and policies should assure such freedom. Intervention in the ac- tivities of student organizations should be exceptional. 1) Student organizations should not be required to submit lists of members other than current lists ,of officers, except that purely so-1 FREEDOM TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE STTIDENT GOV- ERNMENT. Studene self-govern- ment provides a valuable means for the exercise of the rights and obligations of students as campus citizens. It is therefore a responsibility of the faculty to encourage a fully representative student self government, and to protect the student government from arbitrary intervention in its affairs by the removal or suspen- sion of officers, by the withhold- ing of funds, or by unilateral changes in a charter which de- fines its organization and con petence. The electorate of such a government should consist of the entire student body and should not be defined in terms of mem- bership in clubs or organizations. As a constituent of the academic community, the student govern- ment should have clearly de- fined means to participate in the formulation and application of regulations affecting student con- duct. It should also be free to ex- press its views on issues of insti- tutional policy and on matters of ger it interest to the student body. Students should be free to or- ganize and join associations for educational, political, religious or cultural purposes. The fact of af- filiation with any extra-mural as- sociation or national organization or political party, so long as it is an open affiliation, should not of itself bar a group from recogni- SATURDAY, AUGUST 29th 420 MAYNARD STREET 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The Michigan Daily The Michiganensian Generation I X-.:.. . ...... "....: i A