West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 135 - Community And Technical College Education › Title 135 - LEGISLATIVE RULE WEST VIRGINIA COUNCIL FOR COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE EDUCATION › Series 135-09 - Academic Freedom, Professional Responsibility, Promotion And Tenure › Section 135-9-2 - Academic Freedom and Professional Responsibility

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
2.1. Academic freedom at public institutions
				of higher education in West Virginia under the jurisdiction of the Council for
				Community and Technical College Education is necessary to enable the
				institutions to perform their societal obligation as established by the
				Legislature. The Council recognizes that the vigilant protection of
				constitutional freedoms is nowhere more vital than in the institutions under
				its jurisdiction. Faculty members and students must always remain free to
				inquire, study, and evaluate.
2.2.
				Through the exercise of academic freedom, members of the academic community
				freely study, discuss, investigate, teach, conduct research, and publish,
				depending upon their particular role at the institution. To all of those
				members of the academic community who enjoy academic freedom, there are,
				commensvirate with such freedom, certain responsibilities. All faculty members
				shall be entitled to fiiU freedom in research and in the publication of the
				results of such research, subject to the adequate performance of their other
				academic dutira, which may include designated instruction, research, public
				service, and other professional duties. Activity for pecuniary return that
				interferes with one's obligations to the institution should be based upon an
				understanding, reached before the work is performed, with the authorities of
				the institution. Further, each faculty member is entitled to freedom in the
				classroom in discussing the subject taught. In addition, when faculty members
				speak or write as citizens outside the institution, they shall be free from
				institutional censorship or discipline.
2.3. The concept of academic freedom is
				accompanied by an equally important concept of academic responsibility. The
				feculty member at a public institution of higher education in West Virginia is
				a citizen, a member of a learned profession, and a representative of an
				educational institutioa As such, a faculty member, together with all other
				members of the academic community, has the responsibility for protecting,
				defending, and promoting individual academic freedom for all members of the
				community. The faculty member has the responsibility of contributing to
				institutional and departmental missions in teaching, research (as applicable),
				and service as defined by the institution. The feculty member is responsible
				also as a teacher for striving to speak with accuracy and with respect for the
				similar rights and responsibilities of others. In speaking only as an
				individual or for a limited group, the faculty member should not imply or claim
				to be a spokesperson for the institution in which he or she holds an
				appointment.
2.4. In addition to
				meeting the primary responsibilities of addressing institutional missions in
				teaching, research (as applicable), and service as defined by the institution,
				all faculty have an obligation to foster the quality, viability, and necessity
				of their programs. The financial stability of a program and recruitment of an
				adequate number of students depend in part on the faculty. The common goal of
				quality must be nurtured and responsibility for it shared by all. Integrity,
				objectivity, and service to the purposes and missions of the institution are
				expected.
2.5 Faculty interests
				and skills change, disciplines evolve, and new professions or fields of study
				emerge. All feculty members are responsible for remaining current in their
				disciplines. All are encoviraged to explore opportunities for fiirther
				developing a versatile range of knowledge and skills that are important to the
				institution. Through individual initiative and faculty development programs,
				faculty members are encouraged to grow in conqjetency in their own disciplines
				and strengthen their interests in related fields.
2.6 As members of an academic community,
				faculty members also are expected to participate in decisions concerning
				programs and in program-review processes.