UT Policy Asks Faculty to Avoid "Controversial" Topics

"The University of Texas system board approved a policy Thursday that asks faculty members to "eschew topics and controversies that are not germane" to their classes. Faculty said the new standards are absurdly vague and will, by design, encourage self-censorship that will ultimately cheapen education at one of the largest university systems in the country."

""Our Regents' Rules affirm the freedom of our faculty to teach his or her subject in the classroom. However, that freedom comes with many responsibilities that faculty must adhere to in order to preserve academic integrity, ensure our students' rights are protected and comply with state and federal directives," board chair Kevin Eltife said about the " University of Texas System Expectations of Academic Integrity and Standards for Teaching Controversial Topics " policy Thursday."

"The policy enshrines four teaching responsibilities that ask faculty to foster "cultures of trust" in their classrooms, to fairly present discussion and evidence on "disputed matters and unsettled issues," and to equip students with critical thinking skills that allow them to come to their own conclusions about the material. The last standard asks that faculty "eschew topics and controversies that are not germane to the course.""

The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved a policy asking faculty to eschew topics and controversies that are not germane to courses. Faculty described the standards as absurdly vague and warned they will encourage self-censorship and weaken education across the system. A public comment period included ten speakers who criticized the policy, and the nine-member board passed it unanimously without discussion. Board chair Kevin Eltife said faculty freedom to teach carries responsibilities to preserve academic integrity, protect students' rights and comply with directives. The policy lists four teaching responsibilities including fostering trust, presenting disputed matters fairly, developing critical thinking, and avoiding non-germane controversies.

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