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Resolution on Private Donors’ Respect for Academic Freedom
AS-2936-10/FA (Rev)
ATTACHMENT 1 TO AS-2936-10/FA (Rev)
ATTACHMENT 2 TO AS-2936-10/FA (Rev)
RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of the California State University (ASCSU) strongly
reaffirm its commitment to academic freedom of the faculty and “the protection of
freedom of inquiry, research, expression and teaching both inside and beyond the
classroom” (AS-2675-04/FA - November 11-12, 2004); and be it further
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU reaffirm that decisions affecting the curriculum and the selection of the faculty for academic programs are under the purview of campus faculty
(AS-2822-07/FA); and be it further
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU deplore attempts by private donors to pressure local
administrations to intervene in faculty’s academic decisions and activities inside
and beyond the classroom based upon donors’ political and economic views and
interests; and be it further
RESOLVED: That ASCSU request that the Office of the Chancellor and campus
administrations craft disclaimers to inform donors and university personnel with
whom they deal that donors’ financial support of the academic enterprise does not
convey a right to inject personal or political beliefs to influence the academic
content delivered; and be it further,
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU distribute this resolution to the Board of Trustees, Campus
Presidents, Vice Presidents for Advancement and Public Affairs, and Campus
Senate Chairs.
RATIONALE: Seeking private funding has become an important way of
supplementing the dwindling state support for the higher education. Some of the
non-academic organizations which donate to CSU programs are not familiar
with, nor respectful of, the principle of academic freedom as the cornerstone of
the university life. Recent CSU-based examples of donors potentially attempting
to exert pressure to influence invitations to controversial speakers and to affect
curricular decisions (Los Angeles Times, October 14, 2009:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/10/california-agribusiness-pressuresschool-to-nix-michael-pollan-speech.html; and San Louis Obispo Tribune,
January 10, 2010: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/01/09/983620/meat-firmsmultiple-beefs-with.html ). In
the absence of clear guidelines for the advancement staff to firmly communicate
with the donors the principle of non-intervention in faculty’s educational
decisions, we will run the risk of outside pressure on our faculty to change the
content of their educational programs inside and beyond the classroom.
Approved Without Dissent – March 10-11, 2010
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