Academic Freedom
Academic Freedom and Tenure
The article is written by Craig Wood and Richard Fossey; it discusses the relationship between tenure of employment for lecturers and their academic freedom. The population of the study is not defined and hence the reader has to read with the assumption that this is a general paper on all institutions of higher learning. The authors are successful in showing valid support for their argument that tenure allows lecturers to exercise their academic freedom. This is because when these employees have security of tenure, they research without being afraid of arbitrary retribution or dismissal (Fossey & Wood, 2004). A key strength of this article is the authors’ use of past legal cases to support the arguments of the study. This gives the article a professional feel and the reader is assured that the points being put across are not speculations. However, the article has a weakness due to the bias of the authors’ arguments. As a result, by the end of the study, the reader feels that the arguments presented have been one-sided and opposing opinions were not considered.
Academic Freedom in Public Universities
The Thaddeus Metz ’ article focuses on the existence of academic freedom in publicly funded universities. The argument put forward by the author is that there is a conflict of interest between a lecturer’s academic freedom and their role to manage state resources (Metz, 2010). According to Metz, lecturers in public universities are state employees and hence should use state resources for the good of the public. However, this responsibility may in some instances conflict with the lecturers objectives to pursue certain academic researches. Though the article has relatively solid arguments, it lacks the practical backing to validate most of the hypotheses.
Corporate Universities’ Academic Freedom
Schrecker bases this research on various legal cases and scenarios that indicate a violation of academic freedom in United States’ universities. The author argues that several factors such as restructuring of universities, casualization of university employees and unfavorable court decisions as curtailing academic freedom (Schrecker, 2012). The author further discusses issues such as tenure which should be implemented to facilitate academic freedom. The use of real examples is a strength of this study; however, the author uses more descriptive than analytical writing in delivering the arguments. In my opinion, this article is best used for research alongside other resources.
Fossey, R., & Wood, R. (2004). Academic freedom and tenure. New Directions For Community
Colleges, (125), 51-63.
Metz, T. (2010). A Dilemma Regarding Academic Freedom and Public Accountability in
Higher Education. Journal Of Philosophy Of Education, 44(4), 529-549.
doi:10.1111/j.1467-9752.2010.00776.x
