Canadian University Association and Faculty Union Spar Over Academic Freedom

November 8, 2011, 1:35 pm

Canada’s main faculty union is raising concerns about last month’s statement on academic freedom by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. In a public letter, the Canadian Association of University Teachers says the statement, which was unanimously endorsed by the country’s university presidents, omits several key elements and “would reverse 100 years of advancement in understanding academic freedom.” It points out that the statement makes no mention of extramural speech rights nor the right to criticize the institution where a professor teaches or conducts research.

An opinion piece in Maclean‘s magazine by Todd Pettigrew, an associate professor of English at Cape Breton University, has also taken the statement to task.

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rgren

Professor Pettigrew’s article, including his “improvements” on the AUCC statement reflect an unfortunate and flawed perception of academic freedom. To categorically deny the interest of the institutions of higher education in the productivity, integrity, and value of scholars’ outputs is fantastical.
marcdcyr

Professor Pettigrew’s revisions are, indeed, improvements. The original wording allows censorship of speech and actions (and retaliation against the speaker/actor) that a U administration deems counter-productive to its interests, such as critical comments on entities from which that administration hopes to get funding, or criticism of that administration itself.