Because a University's essential concerns are intellectual, academic freedom involves the right of appointment of faculty members, or admission of students, regardless of race, sex, religion, or politics. It involves the right to teach, investigate, and speculate without deference to prescribed doctrine. It involves the right to criticize the University. It is important to recognize that academic freedom may at any time be endangered by improper or peremptory action by persons within the University itself. Tenure exists as a device for the protection of academic freedom in the University.
Every faculty member has a right to academic freedom and to having that freedom protected.
1.06 Academic disputes ought to be settled by resort to equitable procedures available within the academic community. It is essential to recognize that any such procedures are internal to the University and that their status in courts of law is by no means clear. To appoint, promote and remove the heads of all faculties and schools, the senior administrative officers of the University, including, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Registrar of the University, the Librarian of the University, the Comptroller of the University, and the Secretary of the Board, the teaching staff of the University, and all such other officers, clerks, employees, agents and servants as the Board deems necessary or expedient for the purpose of the University, but no person shall be appointed, promoted, or removed as head of a faculty or school, as a senior administrative officer or as a member of the teaching staff of the University, except on the recommendation of the President. To fix the numbers, duties, salaries and other emoluments of the officers, agents and servants of the University. The procedures described in the following pages are aimed at ensuring a reasonable compatibility between this legislation and the academic needs of the University of Guelph.