PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1280 PRINTER'S NO. 2451
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,
PALLONE, 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 REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 30, 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 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a <--
8 select committee of seven members, four from the majority party
9 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
10 three from the minority party appointed by the Minority Leader,
11 to
12 WHEREAS, ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY ARE <--
13 VALUES INDISPENSABLE TO THE AMERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES;
14 AND
15 WHEREAS, FROM ITS FIRST FORMULATION IN THE GENERAL REPORT OF
16 THE COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND TENURE OF THE AMERICAN
1 ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, THE CONCEPT OF ACADEMIC
2 FREEDOM HAS BEEN PREMISED ON THE IDEA THAT HUMAN KNOWLEDGE IS A
3 NEVER-ENDING PURSUIT OF THE TRUTH, THAT THERE IS NO HUMANLY
4 ACCESSIBLE TRUTH THAT IS NOT, IN PRINCIPLE, OPEN TO CHALLENGE,
5 AND THAT NO PARTY OR INTELLECTUAL FACTION HAS A MONOPOLY ON
6 WISDOM; AND
7 WHEREAS, ACADEMIC FREEDOM IS LIKELY TO THRIVE IN AN
8 ENVIRONMENT OF INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY THAT PROTECTS AND FOSTERS
9 INDEPENDENCE OF THOUGHT AND SPEECH; AND
10 WHEREAS, STUDENTS AND FACULTY SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM THE
11 IMPOSITION OF IDEOLOGICAL ORTHODOXY, AND FACULTY MEMBERS HAVE
12 THE RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR AUTHORITY
13 POSITION TO INTRODUCE INAPPROPRIATE OR IRRELEVANT SUBJECT MATTER
14 OUTSIDE THEIR FIELD OF STUDY; THEREFORE BE IT
15 RESOLVED, THAT A SELECT COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF THE
16 SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE,
17 PLUS ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
18 REPRESENTATIVES AND ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER
19 OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, examine, study and inform the
20 House of Representatives on matters relating to the academic
21 atmosphere and the degree to which faculty have the opportunity
22 to instruct and students have the opportunity to learn in an
23 environment conducive to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and
24 the expression of independent thought at State-related and
25 State-owned colleges, universities and community colleges,
26 including, but not limited to, whether:
27 (1) faculty are hired, fired, promoted and granted
28 tenure based on their professional competence and subject
29 matter knowledge and, in the humanities, social sciences and <--
30 arts, with a view of helping students explore and understand
20050H0177R2451 - 2 -
1 various methodologies and perspectives;
2 (2) students have an academic environment, quality life
3 on campus and reasonable access to affordable course <--
4 materials that create an environment conducive to learning,
5 the development of critical thinking and the exploration and
6 expression of independent thought and that the students are
7 evaluated based on their subject knowledge or ability to <--
8 defend their perspective in various courses; and
9 (3) THAT STUDENTS ARE GRADED BASED ON ACADEMIC MERIT, <--
10 WITHOUT REGARD FOR IDEOLOGICAL VIEWS, AND THAT academic
11 freedom and the right to explore and express independent
12 thought is available to and practiced freely by faculty and
13 students;
14 and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That the Speaker CHAIRMAN OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON <--
16 HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE of the House of
17 Representatives appoint the chairman of the committee from among <--
18 the members of the SHALL BE CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECT committee, <--
19 that committee vacancies not affect the power of the remaining
20 members to execute committee functions and that committee
21 vacancies be filled in the same manner as the original
22 appointment; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That the committee may hold hearings, take
24 testimony and conduct investigations within this Commonwealth as
25 necessary, each committee member having the power to administer <--
26 oaths and affirmations to witnesses appearing before the
27 committee; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk, with the Speaker's approval,
29 pay for the reasonable, appropriate and proper expenses incurred
30 by the committee; and be it further
20050H0177R2451 - 3 -
1 RESOLVED, That the committee make a report of its findings
2 and any recommendations for remedial legislation and other
3 appropriate action by June 30, 2006, and that the committee may
4 extend the investigation for additional time, if necessary, but
5 no later than November 30, 2006.
C10L82DMS/20050H0177R2451 - 4 -