The Academic Freedom, Responsibility, and Tenure policies of Southern Arkansas University have been in accordance with the principles enunciated by the AAUP in 1940 and refined and modified since that time.
The concept of freedom should be accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility. University teachers are citizens, members of a learned profession, and officers of an educational institution. When teachers speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As people of learning and educational officers, teachers should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. Hence, teachers should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution.
The following is taken from the Statement of Ethics prepared by the AAUP. It provides guidance on ethical standards appropriate for faculty:
Introduction. From its inception, the American Association of University Professors has recognized that membership in the academic profession carries with it special responsibilities. The Association has consistently affirmed these responsibilities in major policy statements, providing guidance to professors in such matters as their utterances as citizens, the exercise of their responsibilities to students and colleagues, and their conduct when resigning from an institution or when undertaking sponsored research. The Statement on Professional Ethics that follows sets forth those general standards that serve as a reminder of the variety of responsibilities assumed by all members of the profession.
In the enforcement of ethical standards, the academic profession differs from those of law and medicine, whose associations act to ensure the integrity of members engaged in private practice. In the academic profession the individual institution of higher learning provides this assurance and so should normally handle questions concerning propriety of conduct within its own framework by reference to a faculty group. The Association supports such local action and stands ready, though the general secretary and the Committee on Professional Ethics, to counsel with members of the academic community concerning questions of professional ethics and to inquire into complaints when local consideration is impossible or inappropriate. If the alleged offense is deemed sufficiently serious to raise the possibility of adverse action, the procedures should be in accordance with the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, the 1958 Statement on Procedural Standards in Faculty Dismissal Proceedings, or the applicable provisions of the Association’s Recommended Institutional Regulations on Academic Freedom and Tenure.
The Statement:
Professors, guided by a deep conviction of the worth and dignity of the advancement of knowledge, recognize the special responsibilities placed upon them. Their primary responsibility to their subject is to seek and to state the truth as they see it. To this end professors devote their energies to developing and improving their scholarly competence. They accept the obligation to exercise critical self-discipline and judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge. They practice intellectual honesty. Although professors may follow subsidiary interests, these interests must never seriously hamper or compromise their freedom of inquiry.
As teachers, professors encourage the free pursuit of learning in their students. They hold before them the best scholarly and ethical standards of their discipline. Professors demonstrate respect for students as individuals and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors. Professors make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to ensure that their evaluations of students reflect each student’s true merit. They respect the confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student. They avoid any exploitation, harassment, or discriminatory treatment of students. They acknowledge significant academic or scholarly assistance from them. They protect their academic freedom.
As colleagues, professors have obligations that derive from common membership in the community of scholars. Professors do not discriminate against or harass colleagues. They respect and defend the free inquiry of associates, even when it leads to findings and conclusions that differ from their own. Professors acknowledge academic debt and strive to be objective in their professional judgment of colleagues. Professors accept their share of faculty responsibilities for the governance of their institution.
As members of an academic institution, professors seek above all to be effective teachers and scholars. Although professors observe the stated regulations of the institution, provided the regulations do not contravene academic freedom, they maintain their right to criticize and seek revision. Professors give due regard to their paramount responsibilities within their institution in determining the amount and character of work done outside it. When considering the interruption or termination of their service, professors recognize the effect of their decision upon the program of the institution and give due notice of their institution.
As members of their community, professors have the rights and obligations of other citizens. Professors measure the urgency of these obligations in the light of their responsibilities to their subject, to their students, to their profession, and to their institution. When they speak of act as private persons, they avoid creating the impression of speaking or acting for their college or university. As citizens engaged in a profession that depends upon freedom for its health and integrity, professors have a particular obligation to promote conditions of free inquiry and to further public understanding of academic freedom.
Grievance Procedure. A faculty member, staff member, or student (https://www.saumag.edu/students/complaint-process/), who alleges that another faculty member has violated the Statement of Ethics may lodge a complaint with the chair of the Faculty Staff Appeals and Human Rights Committee. The complainant will set forth in writing what actions or matters are being grieved and the remedy sought, and shall provide supporting documentation for the grievance. The chair of the Faculty Staff Appeals and Human Rights Committee will review the complaint and attempt to mediate the issue raised in the complaint. The sub-committee will be guided by Section 602 of the University Handbook, Faculty or Staff Member with Grievance (nondiscrimination). For ethical complaints under this section the sub-committee would follow the procedure beginning
If the complainant is dissatisfied with the result of the mediation, the chair will convene the Faculty Sub-committee of Faculty Staff Appeals and Human Rights Committee to make findings and recommendations on the complaint. The sub-committee will conduct such review as it deems warranted. It will afford the faculty member making the complaint, and the faculty member or members whose actions are the object of the grievance, opportunity to present and respond. The committee will determine whether the grievance has merit. If the committee so finds, it will recommend appropriate remedies.
The sub-committee will submit its report to the Provost. The Provost will review the report and issue a final decision on the grievance. This will constitute final disposition of the grievance. This is a change from the grievance procedure which goes to the President.
Refer to 2.32 Student Complaint Policy in the Student Handbook.
The University follows a two-track plan regarding tenure. Upon initial appointment an employee enters a non-tenure or tenure track, and all contracts to faculty personnel are clearly identified in this regard. No less than 2/3 (66.7 percent) of teaching positions will be on the tenure track. Here, “teaching position” designates faculty at any rank above adjunct but below the level of dean and excludes athletic coaching positions. Furthermore, no changes in tenure or non-tenure shall be applied retroactively.
Certain full-time positions, which consist of less than 100% teaching responsibility, may be filled by an appointment on the non-tenure track plan. Additionally, certain full-time positions with 100% teaching responsibility, but which clearly are of a limited duration, may also be classified as non-tenure track.
A non-tenure track employee may have his/her contract renewed annually and under certain conditions may be considered for transfer to a tenure track position. In such a transfer, years accumulated in a non-tenure track position will not apply toward tenure unless the experience gained is in the field (area) assigned as a tenured appointment. The maximum number of years to transfer is four (4).
Tenure is a means to certain ends, specifically 1) freedom of teaching and research and of extramural activities and 2) a sufficient degree of economic security to make the profession attractive to qualified candidates. Freedom and economic security, hence tenure, are indispensable to the success of an institution in fulfilling its obligations to its students and to society.
Tenure will be based upon merit as a teacher and scholar, rather than upon an arbitrary number of years at the institution. However, an adequate amount of time is necessary for a teacher to demonstrate competence and for the institution to evaluate it. The period for earning tenure will be stated in writing during contract negotiations and a copy will be retained by the University and the new faculty member. The Faculty Appointment, Tenure, and Promotion Guidelines section of this Handbook contains guidelines regarding tenure and promotion.
After the expiration of a probationary period and upon the awarding of tenure, full-time teachers or investigators should have permanent or continuous tenure, and their service should be terminated only for adequate cause, except in the case of voluntary retirement, or under extraordinary circumstances because of financial exigencies.
