Students For Academic Freedom

Protecting Academic Freedom at Colorado State · 15 April 2004

By Robert Lee

My efforts at Colorado State University have begun to take the form of influencing the student government, the Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU). On Tuesday, February 17, the ASCSU Senate formally opposed the bill introduced into the Colorado General Assembly by Representative Shawn Mitchell. The bill required university governing boards to review and publish grievance procedures on campus, in addition to statutorily recognizing the students' right to academic freedom.

Needless to say, I was extremely angered by their blind ignorance and unwillingness to listen in the Senate. Also, I saw what constituted, at least, a cursory obligation to protect students using methods already in place at Colorado State University. The next Monday, I pushed my way into a vacant seat for the College of Liberal Arts, and began to institute change through democratic methods.

The first action I took to begin this long process was to introduce a mere resolution encouraging harassment free learning environments . The language of the resolution identified ideological harassment specifically, and was received warmly by the Senate, passing the Senate by a 22-0-0 vote. While I know that a resolution has no binding authority, it served a purpose of finding out who possibly would oppose more changing bills to ASCSU policy. More importantly, it established a level of respect among the other students in the body for me and academic freedom.

Immediately I began to construct a second bill that would make minor, but possibly profound, changes to the grievance procedures at CSU. According to the bill, the ASCSU will now be required to print a statement acknowledging what offices will handle what claims of harassment and discrimination. Ideological belief and political affiliation will be included. Furthermore, the Faculty Council will be lobbied to include such statements on all class syllabi. The bill received the support of the Chair for the Faculty Council, Dr. C.W. Miller. On our behalf, he will encourage the adoption of a policy by the Faculty Council.

These changes, as I said, are minor but possibly profound. A simple statement guiding student to the proper offices in instance of harassment and discrimination based on political affiliation and ideological belief will give them a feeling of security. Also, by simply requiring a professor to type the words on a syllabus and mention the statement in class, they may check themselves from improper conduct.

My recommendation is to begin using this process at every university, particularly in student governing groups, to make positive changes in the university's grievance procedures. Students for Academic Freedom, when beginning to exhibit respect, will demand it, too. At Colorado State University, changes in the future have a better likelihood of being installed because we used proper democratic means and demanded that they work efficiently.

They now work for us, and will continue to in the future, so long we continue to need them.

Robert Lee
Political Science, Senior
Students for Academic Freedom, CSU Campus Director

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