UC Davis Academic Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility Statement re #OccupyUCDavis

Just got this email and it seems worth sharing


Dear Colleagues,


On Friday we sent all of you a link to the Faculty Code of Conduct that includes on page three a statement of academic freedom rights. The Davis Division of the Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility unanimously voted to issue the following statement:


"The UC Davis Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility (CAFR) condemns violence as well as directives and policies that are likely to lead to it.  The role of a university in society is to serve as a beacon of compassion and tolerance to foster thoughtful discourse. Academic freedom is the pilot light protecting knowledge production and should protect all members of the university engaged in civil discourse without fear or threat of coercive retaliation or physical harm.  In light of an emerging pattern of policies and behaviors counter to these principles, we call on all University of California administrators to undergo training in the importance of academic freedom and how to protect and foster it against financial, political, and social pressures. We also plan to review recent events in order to assess to what degree academic freedom rights were violated and to make policy recommendations to safeguard academic freedom at University of California campuses. - unanimously agreed by CAFR members"




Linda F. Bisson
Chair, Davis Division of the Academic Senate
Professor, Viticulture and Enology