Academic Freedom Resources

Policies and statements specific to Western.

• WWU Faculty Handbook 
  Section III, B of the Faculty Handbook incorporates the principles of academic freedom as  as set forth in the 1940 Statement of Principles of Academic Freedom and Tenure with 1970 Interpretive Comments, formulated by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the American Association of University Professors, as expressed in the Faculty Contract.
   
• 2023-2027 Collective Bargaining Agreement Between WWU and UFWW 
  Section 2.1 of the CBA states that the University and UFWW agree that academic freedom is essential to the mission of the University and that providing an environment of free and honest inquiry is essential to its functioning. Section 2.1 defines academic freedom under the CBA as "as the freedom to discuss all relevant matters in the classroom, to explore all avenues of scholarship, research and creative expression, and to speak or write as a public citizen without institutional discipline or restraint on matters of public concern, as well as on issues related to professional duties and the functioning of the University. All efforts should be made to be accurate and to show respect for the opinions of others and to make clear they are not speaking on behalf of the institution unless specifically designated to do so. Academic responsibility implies the faithful performance of academic duties and obligations and the recognition of the demands of the scholarly enterprise."
   
• Board of Trustees Statement on Academic Freedom (April 24, 2024)