Senate Resolution No. 37
(By Senator Sprouse)
Encouraging colleges and universities adopt an Academic Bill of
Rights.
Whereas, The central purposes of a college or university are
the pursuit of truth, the discovery of new knowledge through
scholarship and research, the study and reasoned criticism of
intellectual and cultural traditions, the teaching and general
development of students to help them become more creative
individuals and productive citizens of a constitutional republic
and the transmission of knowledge and learning to a society at
large; and
Whereas, Free inquiry and free speech within the academic
community are indispensable to the achievement of the central
purposes of a university; and
Whereas, Academic freedom is most likely to thrive in an
environment of intellectual diversity that protects and fosters
independence of thought and speech; and
Whereas, It has long been recognized that intellectual
independence means the protection of students and faculty members
from the imposition of any orthodoxy of a political, ideological or
religious nature; and
Whereas, To secure the intellectual independence of faculty members and students, protect the principles of academic freedom,
promote intellectual diversity and support the pursuit of knowledge
and truth as a fundamental purpose of the college or university,
the Senate strongly recommends that public colleges and
universities in the State of West Virginia create and adopt an
Academic Bill of Rights; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby encourages colleges and universities
adopt an Academic Bill of Rights; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward
a copy of this resolution to the Higher Education Policy
Commission, the president of every public college and university in
this state, the Governor and the Attorney General.
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