Statement of Academic Freedom

Wallace Community College Selma subscribes to the following principles in regard to academic freedom:

  1. The instructor is free to conduct independent research and to publish the results so long as such activity does not interfere with his/her assigned duties; however, research for pecuniary gain should not be undertaken without an understanding with the President.
  2. In the classroom, the instructor has full freedom to discuss his/her subject. He/she should not introduce into his/her teaching irrelevant, controversial matter. Within this limitation, the institution protects the right of both the student and the instructor to a "free search and its free exposition."
  3. The institution respects the rights and privileges of the instructor as a citizen but believes that his/her position imposes special obligations. Hence, the instructor is free from instructional censorship or discipline when he/she speaks, writes, or acts as a citizen; however, he/she should always be mindful of the fact that the public may judge the institution by his/her words and behavior, and should, therefore, be accurate, exercise restraint, respect the opinions of others and make it clear that he/she is not a spokesman for the College.