Faculty Rights Tip: Our Right to Academic Freedom

The preamble to our 2022-25 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) states, “The CSU shall support the pursuit of excellence and academic freedom in teaching, research, and learning through the free exchange of ideas among the faculty, students, and staff.” 

CFA has a record of defending faculty members’ rights to enjoy academic freedom within the CSU. If you feel that your academic freedom is being infringed upon, curtailed, or violated, please immediately contact your faculty rights representative to discuss what you are experiencing.

As we educate during an era of book bans, “Don’t Say Gay” bans, bans on discussing abortions, Critical Race Theory bans, and even the interference by foreign governments with our academic freedom to support human rights and oppose genocidal right-wing nationalisms, CFA’s position is clear: we will defend the rights of any faculty member to exercise their expertise and their academic freedom, in the classroom, among colleagues, and beyond.

In the current climate of backlash against the gains (even if ever so slight) our society has made toward racial justice, queer and transgender dignity, women’s rights, and against imperialist wars, our union remains vigilant and unequivocal in our defense of faculty members’ right to academic freedom.

CFA also continues to offer our anti-racism trainings on campuses. Get in touch with your campus CFA chapter leadership to find out when the next (Zoom) workshop will be offered.

Want to learn more? Become active with your local CFA chapter Faculty Rights team. Find your representative here.

• Browse the faculty contract here.
• See an archive of Faculty Rights Tips.
• If you have questions about a faculty rights tip or would like to suggest a tip, please write us with the subject line “Faculty Rights Tip.”