Carleton University has released an updated draft of its proposed impartiality policy after members of the campus community voiced concerns about the policy’s potential to limit academic freedom and free speech.
The administration “received useful feedback” from a consultation with community members on the policy, the university said in an email to the campus community on Monday.
“As a result of the consultations, the policy has undergone significant and important changes to clearly convey its original intent and to address what was heard,” the email reads.
The proposed policy would prohibit academic or administrative departments from making statements on political issues and prohibit members of the Carleton community from making statements that could be interpreted as being on behalf of the university.
CUASA, the union representing faculty and professional librarians, and student groups have voiced concerns about the policy and asked the university to withdraw the proposal. Members of the university’s Senate also raised concerns about the policy in a recent meeting.
The changes made in the updated draft clarify the policy’s scope and limits on expression.
The updated policy will apply to all university employees when they are acting in an official capacity. It would also apply to all statements and communications made on behalf of the university or its administrative and academic units, according to the new draft.
The policy does not restrict the academic freedom of faculty, librarians and contract instructors, the draft said, including their ability to speak, write, research and host events on topics of their choosing.
It also said it does not restrict the rights of faculty, librarians and contract instructors to “participate in civic and political life,” and does not prevent them from indicating their position within the university while engaging in these activities.
“However, individual and group expression that, without appropriate authority, purports to represent the views of the university or its constituent academic and administrative units, is not permitted,” the draft reads.
Students, student associations, clubs and societies will not fall under the scope of the policy, according to the draft.
Hateful or violent speech is also not protected under the policy, the draft said.
The policy affirms Carleton’s commitment to fostering an open environment for free expression while ensuring it doesn’t take a side on “issues outside its core mission,” the university added on its website.
“In recent years, universities have faced growing public scrutiny and, in some cases, a loss of trust from segments of society who question whether institutions of higher learning are impartial spaces for open inquiry and debate,” the university said.
“The policy is not about limiting individual expression; it is about clarifying when a person is speaking on behalf of themselves versus the institution.”
For Carleton to release an institutional statement on an issue, it must align with “protecting and advancing” the university’s core mission, the new draft said.
Under that requirement, the draft said Carleton may issue statements:
- Defending academic freedom
- On matters related to teaching, learning, research and scholarship
- On risks to the safety and well-being of the campus community
The updated draft will be presented to the Board of Governors for consideration, the university added.
Featured graphic by y Sara Mizannojehdehi/the Charlatan
