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        PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1280, 2451               PRINTER'S NO. 2553

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE RESOLUTION

No. 177 Session of 2005


        INTRODUCED BY ARMSTRONG, BARRAR, BENNINGHOFF, BIRMELIN, BOYD,
           CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER,
           FORCIER, GABIG, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, HERSHEY, JAMES,
           W. KELLER, KILLION, LEH, METCALFE, R. MILLER, MUSTIO,
           PHILLIPS, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROHRER, SCHRODER, STERN,
           R. STEVENSON, E. Z. TAYLOR, TRUE, WILT, YOUNGBLOOD,
           DENLINGER, CIVERA, RAPP, FLEAGLE, FLICK, BASTIAN, BROWNE,
           HARPER AND PAYNE, MARCH 29, 2005

        AS AMENDED, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JULY 5, 2005

                                  A RESOLUTION

     1  Establishing a select committee to examine the academic
     2     atmosphere and the degree to which faculty have the
     3     opportunity to instruct and students have the opportunity to
     4     learn in an environment conducive to the pursuit of knowledge
     5     and truth at State-related and State-owned colleges and
     6     universities and community colleges in this Commonwealth.

     7     WHEREAS, Academic freedom and intellectual diversity are
     8  values indispensable to the American colleges and universities;
     9  and
    10     WHEREAS, From its first formulation in the General Report of
    11  the Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure of the American
    12  Association of University Professors, the concept of academic
    13  freedom has been premised on the idea that human knowledge is a
    14  never-ending pursuit of the truth, that there is no humanly
    15  accessible truth that is not, in principle, open to challenge,
    16  and that no party or intellectual faction has a monopoly on
    17  wisdom; and

     1     WHEREAS, Academic freedom is likely to thrive in an
     2  environment of intellectual diversity that protects and fosters
     3  independence of thought and speech; and
     4     WHEREAS, Students and faculty should be protected from the
     5  imposition of ideological orthodoxy, and faculty members have
     6  the responsibility to not take advantage of their authority
     7  position to introduce inappropriate or irrelevant subject matter
     8  outside their field of study; therefore be it
     9     RESOLVED, That a select committee composed of the
    10  Subcommittee on Higher Education of the Education Committee,
    11  plus one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
    12  Representatives and one member appointed by the Minority Leader
    13  of the House of Representatives, examine, study and inform the
    14  House of Representatives on matters relating to the academic
    15  atmosphere and the degree to which faculty have the opportunity
    16  to instruct and students have the opportunity to learn in an
    17  environment conducive to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and
    18  the expression of independent thought at State-related and
    19  State-owned colleges, universities and community colleges,
    20  including, but not limited to, whether:
    21         (1)  faculty are hired, fired, promoted and granted
    22     tenure based on their professional competence and subject
    23     matter knowledge and with a view of helping students explore
    24     and understand various methodologies and perspectives;
    25         (2)  students have an academic environment, quality life
    26     on campus and reasonable access to course materials that
    27     create an environment conducive to learning, the development
    28     of critical thinking and the exploration and expression of
    29     independent thought and that the students are evaluated based
    30     on their subject knowledge; and
    20050H0177R2553                  - 2 -     

     1         (3)  that students are graded based on academic merit,
     2     without regard for ideological views, and that academic
     3     freedom and the right to explore and express independent
     4     thought is available to and practiced freely by faculty and
     5     students;
     6  and be it further
     7     RESOLVED, That the chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher
     8  Education of the Education Committee of the House of
     9  Representatives shall be chairman of the select committee, that
    10  committee vacancies not affect the power of the remaining
    11  members to execute committee functions and that committee
    12  vacancies be filled in the same manner as the original
    13  appointment; and be it further
    14     RESOLVED, That the committee may hold hearings, take
    15  testimony and conduct investigations within this Commonwealth as
    16  necessary; and be it further
    17     RESOLVED, THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL MAKES AN ALLEGATION AGAINST A  <--
    18  FACULTY MEMBER CLAIMING BIAS, THE FACULTY MEMBER MUST BE GIVEN
    19  AT LEAST 48 HOURS' NOTICE OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE ALLEGATION
    20  PRIOR TO THE TESTIMONY BEING GIVEN AND BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY
    21  TO TESTIFY AT THE SAME HEARING AS THE INDIVIDUAL MAKING THE
    22  ALLEGATION; AND BE IT FURTHER
    23     RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk, with the Speaker's approval,
    24  pay for the reasonable, appropriate and proper expenses incurred
    25  by the committee; and be it further
    26     RESOLVED, That the committee make a report of its findings
    27  and any recommendations for remedial legislation and other
    28  appropriate action by June 30, 2006, and that the committee may
    29  extend the investigation for additional time, if necessary, but
    30  no later than November 30, 2006.
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