Citing a “chilling effect” on teaching and campus speech, the University of Alabama’s Faculty Senate recently passed a resolution opposing state and federal efforts to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion programs, saying the changes are making it harder to teach and learn freely.
The April 15 resolution recently made public asks university leaders to reaffirm their support for academic freedom.
“The Senate asks that university and system leaders declare their ongoing support for academic freedom and the First Amendment rights of all members of the university community and affirm that they will respond to enactments, state or otherwise, in ways that do not undermine or contradict these cornerstone values,” the resolution states.
The Faculty Senate serves as a voice for faculty on university policies and decisions. Of the 71 elected faculty senators who voted, 45 supported the resolution, 19 voted no and seven abstained.
University of Alabama System officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening prior to publication.
The vote came as colleges nationwide face growing political pressure and scrutiny, and just a week before the announcement that President Donald Trump would speak during UA’s graduation week.
The resolution says new laws, and how they’re being enforced, are making instructors fearful of tackling certain topics in class, interfering with their academic freedom.
Last year, the Alabama Legislature banned publicly-funded DEI programs in K-12 schools and universities and the teaching of “divisive concepts.” In February, the U.S. Department of Education told schools and colleges they needed to end any practice that differentiates people based on their race.
“Recent federal enactments, state legislation, and the broad enforcement of them have had a chilling effect on the academic project of teaching about and engaging with social, political, and historical issues in intellectually honest ways,” the resolution states.
Faculty Senate members also raised concerns that “the enforcement and broad interpretation of not only state legislation but also what counts as ‘political activity’ has also had the effect of instilling fear in faculty to act in accordance with their academic freedom, especially in light of unwarranted threats of dismissal, and instilling fear in students to assert their freedom of speech, thus undermining the freedom to teach and learn.”
Faculty Senate President Matthew Hudnall told Alabama Daily News Tuesday that the resolution isn’t political, but a reminder of what universities are meant to do.
“Academic freedom is a cornerstone of higher education and forms the foundation upon which many societal advancements are built” he said. Protecting the freedom to explore new ideas is key to preparing students for the future, he added.
“The timing of this resolution aligns with the growing need for a clear and unified voice reaffirming that mission of education and innovation,” Hudnall said. “That mission is, and always has been, the purpose of academia.”
Hudnall also said it’s important to distinguish between teaching, which is grounded in research-backed knowledge, and academic research that explores new or challenging ideas.
“Doing so helps reassure the broader public that academia exists to educate and to drive innovation for the betterment of humanity – not to serve any other ulterior motives,” he said.
The resolution also notes that faculty have been “reported and subsequently, investigated and warned of potential disciplinary action, even when not in contravention of state or federal enactments.”
The Faculty Senate previously approved an academic freedom resolution in December 2021. That vote followed state legislation targeting critical race theory.
This isn’t the first time UA faculty have spoken out against the state’s recent DEI-related actions. In January, three UA professors, along with students from UA and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, filed a lawsuit challenging Alabama’s anti-DEI law, which took effect last fall.
That law blocks public colleges, K-12 school systems and state agencies from sponsoring DEI programs. That includes classes, events or training where participation is based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation or similar categories.
It also bans teaching or training that promotes eight “divisive concepts,” including the idea that someone should feel guilty or bear blame because of their race, religion, gender, or national origin.
The full resolution can be viewed below or at this link on UA’s website.
University of Alabama Faculty Senate – Academic Freedom Resolution by Trisha Powell Crain on Scribd