MECC Academic Freedom Working Group19 October 2011

Dr. Leslie CordieAir University

• Part I - Review of Tasker from the HASC Report– Academic Freedom– Review of the Policies and Practices from the Institutions – School Policy Implementation– Best Practices

• Part II – Review of Faculty Surveys

Overview

HASC ReportRecommendation #33: All institutions should review their policies and practices for sponsored research and ensure that faculty has access to documentation specifying criteria for application and selection procedures

Discussion: MECC WG members determined this recommendation actually deals with sabbatical processes rather than sponsored research policies

Perform an informal look at school policies including CISA, JSOU,NDIC) related to academic freedom ….

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Tasker

• …full freedom in research and publication

• …full freedom in the classroom• …should be free from institutional

censorship

AAUP Statement

• …additionally have obligations that go beyond those in civilian institutions…– Active duty members are subject to UCMJ– Faculty should not reveal classified

information– If express opinion, must use explicit

disclaimers

Faculty of DoD

• Most schools had policies related to main 4 areas much like civilian academia– Sabbaticals or leave– Publishing– Academic integrity– Academic Freedom

• Policies accessible through faculty orientation, meetings, web sites, portals, and handbooks

• “A certain level of professionalism is expected of all faculty regardless of the function of the institution due to the innate responsibility to provide quality curriculum and instruction…”

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Policy Analysis

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Best Practices• Partnering of instructors• Policies developed by faculty and students’

responses to academic freedom over a period of years

• Work is only reviewed if there is a classification issue – no policy review

• Academic integrity acknowledgement letter signed by faculty and students

• New faculty briefed and given policies/documents (faculty orientation)

• 3 Faculty Surveys – Air University– Army War College–Marine Corps University

Part II – Faculty Surveys

• …full freedom in research and publication

• …full freedom in the classroom• …should be free from institutional

censorship

AAUP Statement - Questions

– My organization uses professional development of the faculty as a means of improving the academic program (82% slighty agree to strongly agree).

– My organization provides me with appropriate opportunities for promotion or professional advancement (80%).

– My organization provides reasonable release time for my professional development and growth activities (81%).

– My organization provided adequate financial support for my professional development activities (68%).

– I took advantage of the professional development opportunities available to me this year (77%).

– Senior faculty members contribute to my professional development (59%).– I am provided adjustments to my workload to ensure adequate time for

research activities (62%).

Questions….(Air University Faculty Survey)

– There is an adequate process for incorporating faculty input into curriculum content and instructional methodology

– The curriculum encourages creative thinking and open expression of thought

– Lectures by visiting scholars and SMEs enhance the academic program

– Experimentation with methods to improve instruction is adequately supported

Questions…(Army War College Faculty Survey)

•  Respondents:– agreed that academic freedom encouraged

free discussion and inquiry (88% very satisfied to satisfied).

– possessed subject matter expertise that would be valuable for research and publication (78%)

– aware of the Individual Development Plan (68%).

Questions…(Army War College Faculty Survey)

– Academic Freedom is detailed in a policy. Are you familiar with the policy?

– Freedom to discuss any material or ideas in the seminar relevant to the subject matter as provided in the course objectives (non-attribution).

Questions…(Marine War College Faculty Survey)

Questions…(Marine War College Faculty Survey)

• Observations:– Lack of a common language regarding faculty workplace satisfaction

and an instrument to measure it.– Lack of comparisons of faculty satisfaction across institutions.– Research finds a large number of climate studies conducted with

poorly conceived and worded instruments that had never been validated

• Further Research?– Develop a common set of faculty-oriented survey questions for MECC

institutions to implement– Examine a uniform interval for executing surveys across MECC

institutions

Summary

• Purpose• Methods and Participation• Response Rate• Demographics

– Gender– Number of Years Experience in Academia– Number of Courses Taught– Frequency of Faculty scholarship within the last five years

Next Steps - Faculty Surveys

Discussion

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