Faculty Syllabi Should Be Open to the Public |
One of the disagreements between progressive professors and state officials who are unhappy over their commandeering of public universities is the matter of syllabus transparency. Some states require it, leading to resistance from faculty organizations such as the AAUP.
In today’s Martin Center article, Professor Michael Behrent argues in favor of an open syllabus policy.
Yet, while the NC AAUP is understandably alarmed (notably due to recent incidents in which faculty have been punished for positions on a range of issues), it goes too far in condemning the syllabus policy out of hand. While making syllabi public will certainly expose them to unproductive criticism, NC AAUP, in raising these concerns, jettisons principles that are essential to academic freedom. The legitimacy of our profession rests, to a significant degree, on our responsibility to the public.
Yet, while the NC AAUP is understandably alarmed (notably due to recent incidents in which faculty have been punished for positions on a range of issues), it goes too far in condemning the syllabus policy out of hand. While making syllabi public will certainly expose them to unproductive criticism, NC AAUP, in raising these concerns, jettisons principles that are essential to academic freedom. The legitimacy of our profession rests, to a significant degree, on our responsibility to the public.
Many profs want to be allowed to do whatever they want, but the classrooms are not theirs. The state pays them and has every right to make the rules. Behrent lays out three reasons why this transparency would be good, but also balance it with a call for the university to keep in mind the legitimate concerns of its professors.
Read the whole thing.