Compliance Status

Louisiana State University and A&M College is in partial compliance with this principle. 

Narrative

Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU) supports academic freedom among its faculty. The LSU Faculty Handbook Faculty Senate Edition (revised 10/29/12) [1] clearly places academic freedom under Academic Rights and Responsibilities and Rights and Duties, and states that “LSU is committed to the principle of academic freedom, and faculty are encouraged to explore fully their fields of interest.”  Further, the Association of Louisiana Faculty Senates and The Louisiana Statewide Colleagues Collaborative umbrella Policy for Academic Freedom and Tenure (approved December 2, 2012) [2] states that: 1) “The teachers and investigators are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results.  2) Teachers and investigators are entitled to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject.  3) The academic freedom of faculty members includes the freedom to express their views on matters to do with their institution, their governing board and their policies.”

Additionally, the LSU System includes a statement on academic freedom within Article VIII of its bylaws [3].  That statement also affirms the right of “academic staff” and “teachers” to “explore fully” their fields of expertise.” 

The concept of academic freedom at LSU is reinforced in Policy Statement 36, Tenure-Track and Tenured Faculty: Appointments, Reappointments, Promotions, Tenure, Annual Reviews, and Enhancement of Job Performance) [4]: “By means of these policies and procedures, the University seeks to employ and maintain a staff of tenured and tenure-track faculty with superior qualifications to advance its mission and to nurture and support the work of those faculty members, while observing the principles of academic freedom and the tenets of the tenure system.”  Further, “the annual review process should be understood and carried out in keeping with the principles of academic freedom, and with the awareness that faculty work is in large part a matter of multiyear projects and commitments.”

The adequacy of these procedures remains open to question. LSU has recently accepted an out-of-court settlement in a high-profile case in which violation of academic freedom played a central role [5]. LSU remains on the AAUP censure list owing to multiple academic freedom violations, and the LSU administration had turned down a request from the AAUP to collaborate on remedial measures [6]. The institution has new leadership, effective June 24, 2013, and the institution is now focused on compliance in protecting and safeguarding academic freedom.