The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16
Professional Comment
on Academic Freedom

/ laboratories or other costly apparatus
are needed additions to the material
/ equipment might be necessary. The VOL
unteer Instructor should be entitled to n
remuneration, the amount of which
should depend on the number Of his
students, although allowance should be
made for the local number of students
in the country who devote themselves
to the subject In question. II this re-
muneration had to be provided by the
university it might place an additional
burden upon its rarely tried shoulders.
On the other hand. IL the attempt were
made to replace some of necessary rou-
tine teaching of the volunteer teaching
here advocated the very purpose Of the
move would be frustrated. The ad-
ditional intellectual force should not be
harnessed to routine work and used TO
reduce the regular university staff. but
1t should be rigidly confined to the kind
| OF teaching that the Individual in
vestigator may, choose for himself
For this reason believe that a great
step In advance might be achieved IL
one OF our many wealthy benefactors Of
science were to establish a fund for the
remuneration Of volunteer teachers who
! should be admitted according to the
| principle OF merit and whose remunera-
ton should be determined by the sue
cess Of their work. It seems probable
that such a fund would be the means
or giving to academic freedom an en-
! trely new meaning. 1t would break
down the social barriers that are raised
around the academic teacher, make a
| clear separation between scientific
achievement and social standing, and
! thus further the free advance Of science
by placing on a level OF equality the
academic profession and the investiga-
| lrn
tons.
y new freedom is needed, not only
Tor teaching but also for learning
We are wont 10 speak OF academic free.
dom as freedom OF the teacher. bu,
| greater academic freedom is needed
also for the student. The tradition OF
the college and the school, in which the
course OF study Is hedged in by in
Vulnerable rules and regulations, is still
controlling in the university. Even the
college student during the last two
years or work longs for freedom tc
study what he wants, not merely what
a faculty which believes that il know.
better prescribes and as much or little
as he likes, not the amount that q
FACULTY considers wise. This restriction
OF the freedom OF the student is brough
about in part at least by the rigid ad.
| ministratve organization OF depart.
| ments or instruction. Although ir
theory these are conceived OF as purely
administrative divisions, they very Otter
work out as in reality 80 many schools
which prevent the student from look.
ing beyond the narrow walls that are
built up around him. It would be un
fair to charge the university alone with
this restriction o. freedom: It is to :
great extent due TO the attitude of the
student himself, who is not ready &c
assert his own will ard choice. Never,
theleSs it remains true that the depart.
mental organization OF faculties is z
hindrance to the freedom Of the stu.
dent. Laboratories and we'll arranged
seminars require administrative con.
troll, but this need not include the pre-.
| scription of n detailed course of study
ono of the most potent causes of the
restriction of freedom in academic life
is the fact not only that the university
prepares investigators and ccrtifes by
its diploma that n student is capable
OF conducting scientific research. bu,
that the university diploma is also tc
| a great extent professional certificate
The practice of a profession requires
a definite fund of knowledge. while
mastery OF the method Of research Is
OF lesser importance, The university
diploma should be based on the mas
terry of a method OF investigation which
presupposes a knowledge OF basic facts
not according to the needs OF a pro
tession but according to the reeds OF