The Board desires to foster in students a respect for differing points of view, the ability to discriminate between fact and fiction, and the capacity to think intelligently. The Board encourages the colleges to invite visits from outside speakers representing diverse points of view. In return, it reserves the right to impose specific conditions insuring that opportunity be provided for students to hear opposing sides of a question. The District, like all other institutions of higher learning, serves the common good, which depends upon an uninhibited search for truth and its open expression. It is essential that faculty members be free to pursue scholarly inquiry and to voice and publish their conclusions without fear of institutional censorship or discipline.
Faculty members are citizens and, therefore, possess the rights of citizens.
These rights include, among others, the right as private citizens to speak freely outside the classroom on matters of public concern and to participate in lawful political activities. Prior restraint or sanctions will not be imposed upon faculty members in the exercise of their rights as citizens or duties as teachers. Nor will faculty members fear reprisal for exercising their civic rights and academic freedom. The academic freedom of faculty members is accompanied by equally compelling obligations and responsibilities to their profession, their students, their District and the community. Faculty members must defend the rights of academic freedom while accepting willingly the responsibilities enumerated below.