WKU News
Monday Message: Civic Engagement and Academic Freedom
- Tuesday, February 27th, 2024
Dear Colleagues,
It’s hard to believe that this semester is already one-third of the way complete and spring break is less than a month away. As such, many of us are inspired to make warm weather plans as we look forward to spending time with friends, family, and the broader community.
This is also a favorite time of year for civic engagement, and we are so fortunate that universities and colleges have long been places of robust discourse and reasoned debate. In fact, in its 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) states, "institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition.” Here at WKU, we embrace academic freedom and celebrate the civil and professional debate of a variety of perspectives.
As members of the community of scholars and educators, we have a particular responsibility to actively listen to differing viewpoints, and to express our own with equal parts passion and compassion. As you share your own incredible stories and thoughts for how we may improve our communities, please remember to do so with empathy towards others and a willingness to consider their own personal journeys.
It is our privilege – and our responsibility – to model the behavior we seek in others to ensure a positive learning environment and maintain our elevated standards of integrity while safeguarding everyone’s personal freedoms. Let not our zeal for “life more life” serve to silence the voices of others, but rather encourage them to engage in the many important conversations facing our global, national, and local communities.
Best,
Robert (Bud) Fischer
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs