Office of the Chancellor
Welcome and Statement on Academic Freedom
Pam Shockley-Zalabak
Our rise to the position of the number 1 regional comprehensive research university in the nation will depend on the security of our faculty, students and staff to ask hard questions of each other, investigate sensitive matters, and to debate the issues that shape our future. At the same time, we will fail in our responsibility to create a supportive community of learners if we allow the human dignity of any of our members to be denied or challenged. We seek to broaden our discussions, enable free inquiry, and encourage innovative thought while ensuring that discriminatory, bigoted or intolerant remarks are not part of our conversation.
We have in place, and will continue to support, a broad array of services and support systems that foster our environment of free, responsible discourse. At the same time, we must be vigilant to maintain our climate of respect for differences. To support our learning community, the following steps will be taken to foster an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect.
Universities have historically provided the safe haven for lively debate during times of national or international conflict. Our university will embrace that tradition. It is imperative that our faculty, staff and students demonstrate that inquiry linked to civility leads to an unsurpassed depth of understanding.
Academic Freedom
The University of Colorado Board of Regents declares the University of Colorado was created and is maintained to afford men and women a liberal education in the several branches of literature, arts, sciences, and the professions. These aims can be achieved only in that atmosphere of free inquiry and discussion, which has become a tradition of universities and is called "academic freedom." (Laws of the Regents 5.D.1)
Appeals
In order to protect academic freedom and other student rights the following statement appears in the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs documents and websites:
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"The University has established procedures for students who believe that inappropriate decisions have been made that affect them. Academic issues (for example, graduation requirements or course grades) should be addressed to the office of the dean of the appropriate school/college. Appeals of administrative actions (for example, financial aid awards or parking tickets) should be directed to the office which made the decision. Allegations of any discriminatory practices should be referred to the Director of Student Enrichment Services. Advice and assistance on appeal procedures is available from the Dean of Students." |