Presenting Information to Students

When Controversial Issues Arise:

Presenting Information Openly and Fairly

The individual faculty member who is discussing controversial issues should present the issues openly, with fairness and clarity.
The faculty member should avoid imposing personal opinions by the pressure of authority in the classroom.
Arguments should be presented from various points of view, taking care to distinguish between objective facts and personal opinions.
Students should be encouraged to analyze issues impersonally, and to draw independent conclusions.

Freedom to Teach

The faculty member occupies a position of trust in relation both to students and to the community. The freedom to teach like freedoms in other areas must be a responsible freedom which in no way implies the freedom to advocate overthrow of the government by force, or to mold student opinion in any illegal direction.
The issues presented in the classroom should be related to the courses of study and to the general education program of the College. The method of presentation should encourage critical thinking by the students.

Faculty Member's Role Outside Classroom

Outside the classroom, a faculty member speaks and acts as a private citizen. The role as a teacher is independent of religious and political affiliations and choice of community or private activities. He/she should be aware, however, that the public may judge the profession and institution by utterances.
The faculty member should at all times exercise appropriate restraint and show respect for the opinions of others. Except on those occasions when he/she has been specially designated as the representative of the College, every effort should be made to indicate that he/she is not an institutional spokesperson when presenting a particular viewpoint.

Outside Speakers and Controversial Topics

When controversial topics are presented on campus by outside speakers, it may be appropriate to take certain steps to expose deception or encourage clear thinking. Such action may take the form of requiring that time be reserved at the meeting for questions, selected rebuttal speakers or for free debate, or it may take the form of distributing written statements of alternative views. The objective in all such cases would be that of supporting the function of the College to develop in students an understanding of conflicting points of view, but not to indoctrinate.