Faculty Rights Tip: Our Right to Academic Freedom

The preamble of our 2014-21 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 – and one of supporting non-CSU faculty around the country – in defense of their rights to academic freedom. 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.

At the height of the Trump administration’s attack on academic freedom (e.g., its decision to cancel anti-racism trainings within federal agencies that address white privilege and employ critical race theory), CFA passed a proposal to CSU management one year ago this week to create a detailed Academic Freedom article in the CBA.

Nearly a year of negotiations passed, with no response by the CSU. They ignored our proposal completely.

Although we have a new federal government without the previous administration’s fervor for attacking academic freedom, the legislative fallout from the previous white nationalist president – in states like Texas who have created harmful new statutes – leads us to remain vigilant and unequivocal in our defense of faculty members’ right to academic freedom.

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. CFA also continues to offer our anti-racism trainings on campuses. Get in touch with your campus CFA chapter leadership here 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.”